STRUCTURE AND CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS 



There are fourteen cervical vertebra. The atlas is per- 

 forated by the odontoid process ; strongish median hypapo- 

 physes exist on vertebrae C11-D2. In Rliampliastos ariel 

 ohere is in addition a paired haemapophysis on CIO, not 

 present in Pteroglossus Wiedi. Five ribs reach the sternum, 

 which is four-notched and has a spina externa. The clavicles 

 are short and do not unite in the middle line ; they are ex- 

 panded above, as in the barbets. There is a small accessory 

 scapular nodule, from which deltoid in part arises. The 

 skull is desmognathous, holorhinal, without basipterygoid 

 processes. The ethmoids are large and quite fused with 

 the descending process of the lacrymal, itself fused with 

 the skull wall. The vomer is truncated at its anterior 

 extremity. 



Fam. Capitonidse. This family of birds, with which I 

 include, following GADOW, Indicator, is of the tropics, both 

 Old World and New. 



All the members of the family that have been examined 

 have ten rectrices, save Indicator, which has twelve. The 

 oil gland is feathered, and there is an aftershaft. 



The pterylosis l shows some differences in different genera ; 

 in all, however, the ventral tract is single as far as the 

 posterior end of the neck, where it divides into the two pec- 

 toral tracts ; each of these, again, gives off, as in the toucans, 

 Bucconidse, Picidse, &c., an outer branch. This soon termi- 

 nates, but the inner branches are continued as far as the 

 cloaca. The apteria being entirely devoid of down feathers, 

 the tracts are easily denned, but in spite of this NITZSCH 

 has, in my opinion, fallen into some errors. 



The typical arrangement of the dorsal pterylosis 2 

 (shown in tig. 91) may be considered to be that of Megalama, 

 and was found to characterise the species M. asiatica, M. 

 rireiis, M. Hodgsoni, M. javensis, M. Franklini. The spinal 

 tract is single and narrow upon the neck, thus leaving con- 



1 GIEBEL, ' Pterylose von Tetragonops,' Zeitsclir. f. d.ges. Naturw. li. 1878, 



p. 377. 



- ' On the Pterylosis of Certain Barbets and Toucans,' P. Z. 8., 1890, p. 555. 



