NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 85 



opteryx. The second comprises the Struthious, or Ostrich family. The third 

 embraces all the remaining existing birds. To this last he gives the name 

 Carmatae. 



The Carinatag he subdivides into four sub-orders, namely, the Drom;eog- 

 nathae, which have the Cassowaries as their type ; the Schizognntha- 

 which are '< characterized not only by the complete distinctness of the 

 maxillo-palatines from one another and from the vomer, but by the slender 

 and usually pointed form of the latter bone." The third suborder are the 

 Desmognatha?. In these the maxillo-palatines unite with one another in the 

 median line, thus filling up or bridging over the space which exists as a fis- 

 sure in the Schizognathae. The fourth suborder, the .Egithognathaj, " have 

 a palatine structure, which is, in some respects, intermediate between that of 

 the Schizognathous and that of the Desmognathous groups, while in others it 

 is peculiar." 



This introduction was deemed necessary in order to render intelligible the 

 remarks which are to follow. 



Schizognatha". 



This suborder is divided into six groups, named, respectively, the Charadri- 

 omorphac, or Plover-form ; the Geranomorphae, or Crane-form; the Cecomor- 

 pha?, or Gull-form ; the Spheniscomorphaj, or Penguin-form ; the Alectoro- 

 ruorpha?, or Cock-form ; and the Peristeromorphae, or Dove-form. 



In the group Ceeomorphae, Mr Huxley states that the " Procellaria gigantea 

 alone has presented basipterygoid processes." He had not been able to ob- 

 serve them in other Procellaridae. I have come to the conclusion, from this 

 statement, that his observations must have been limited to Procellaria gigantea 

 and to the Diomedeina?, else he could not have failed to observe them. The 

 following are the species belonging to the Procellarinae which were examined 

 by me : Procellaria gigantea, P. glacialis, P. glacialoides, P. Lessonii, P. capensit, 

 P. mollis; Puffinus tenuirostris, Pat', fuliginosus, Puf. Anglorum; Prion vitlala, 

 and Thala&sidroma Leachii. In all of these the basipterygoid processes were 

 present, and well developed (except in Thalassidroma, where they were rudi- 

 mentary), articulating with the pterygoid bones. 



From the species examined it will be seen that the possession of these pro- 

 cesses is characteristic of the subfamily. Their presence is the rule rather 

 than the exception. Their absence is rather the exception. This fact is suffi- 

 cient I think to justify a separation of them from the other Cecomorpha', and 

 to make a separate group of them under the name of Neetriomorpha?. 



The Nectriomorpha' may be looked upon as an intermediate group, con- 

 necting the Cecoraorplut? (which contains the Larida?, the Columbida?, the Al- 

 cidae, and the Diomedeinas) and the Charadriomorphae (which contains the 

 Charadriada; and Scolopacida;). 



The presence of the basipterygoid processes' allies it with the latter.* Its 

 lamellar and concavo-convex maxillo-palatines is a feature common to both, 

 but more characteristic of the Charadriomorpha\ The absence of the recurved 

 process at the angle of the mandible connects it with the Ceeomorphae. 



The vomer in Nectriomorplne differs from that found in either of the two 

 groups mentioned above. In these latter it is forked posteriori}-, and embraces 

 the basisphenoidal rostrum on each side. In most of the Cecomorpha' a boat- 

 sbaped fossa is left between the divergent posterior ends of the vomer. In 

 Diomedeinas the sides are more or less pressed together, obliterating tin' fossa. 

 The vomer tapers to a point anteriorly. The upper portion of it is flattened 



* In Glareola orientalis the basipterygoid processes are absent. The maxillo-palatines 

 are less lamellar than those found in the other Charadriomorphae. The vomer is Hell 

 posteriorly, but slender and rod-like anteriorly. The angle of the mandible presents tb>- 

 recurved process which i< characteristic of the group. 



This genus is evidently an aberrant form, but in which direction it inclines I am Dot 

 prepared to say. 



1870.J 



