VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY. 477 



thinks, is manifested in the scapular arch and humerus, in 

 which they most approach the Monotremes, and in the pelvic 

 arch, which, as Owen had already shown, resembled that of 

 the mammals. The tarsus, too, is " more mammalian than in 

 any other division of reptiles." Closely related to the Ano- 

 modontia are certain reptiles whose remains have lately been 

 found, and wdiich, according to Cope, constitute a group des- 

 ignated Pelycosauria, and deemed to be co-ordinate with the 

 Anomodontia ; the two groups, in fact, are combined togeth- 

 er to form an order of which they are suborders. The order 

 is named Theromorpha (mammal-formed), and the principal 

 distinctive characters are the composition of the scapular 

 arch, in which an epicoracoid, as well as coracoid, and scapu- 

 la are developed ; the union of the three pelvic elements 

 throughout, those closing the obturator foramen ; and the 

 absence of a quadrato-jugal arch. The nearest living rela- 

 tives are the curious lizard-like Sphenodontidaz (Hatteriidw 

 of some) of New Zealand. 



Birds. 



Ornithology has had, as usual, a larger number of devotees 

 than any other branch of vertebrate zoology, and it is grati- 

 fying to find that much more attention is being paid to mor- 

 phology and embryology than was formerly done. One of 

 the most active laborers on the anatomy of the class has 

 been A. H. Garrod. Amonor the most active in the line of os- 

 teology have been St. George Mivart and W. Kitchen Parker. 

 The feathers have been especially studied by Th. Studer. 

 The embryology of different species has been investigated 

 by Cadiat, G. Colasanti, C. Dareste, E. Gasser, A. M. Marshall, 

 and, from an osteological point of view, by W. K. Parker. 



Of the groups to which attention has been directed, the 

 most noteworthy arc the Laridce, studied by H.Saunders; 

 the Herodiones, systematically revised by R. Ridgway ; and 

 the Humming-birds, of which some genera have been revised 

 by D. G. Elliott. The genus Jfesites, a form of previously 

 doubtful character, has been elucidated by A. Milne-Ed- 

 wards. 



The laborers in the faunas of specific regions have been 

 numerous. 



The North American fauna has been zealously investigat- 



