S BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



iiiiiKHl — which, after all. is not so difficult when the ordinal diagnoses 

 which follow in their appropriate places have been consulted — little 

 dilHculty need be experienced in locating- an}^ bird in the particular 

 oroui) to which it l:>elon}'-s bv means of characters which are evident 

 ii\ the niuseuni specimen. 



KKY TO THK OHDEHS OF THE SHUCLASS ORNITHUR/'E. 



n. .huvs with teeth'; inanilibnhir rami separated anteriorly'; distal ends of ilium and 

 isi-iiinm separated; extinct (Cretaceous). (Series OdoiUornithes.'^) 

 h. Sternum without keel; teeth in grooves or furrows; dorsal vertebnc heterocce- 



lous; wings rudimentary, functionless Odontolcae.'^ 



bli. Sternum keeled; teetli in sockets; dorsal vertebne amphiccelous; wings well 



developed, used for flight Odontotormae.* 



art. Jaws without teeth; mandibular rami united anteriorly; distal ends of ilium and 

 ischium united; recent and living. (Series Eurhipidura.^) 

 h. Sternum without keel; lumbar vertebrae, 20; carpals, 3; furcula absent; coracoids 

 coalescent with scapuhe; iliac bones parallel; wings rudimentary, not used 

 for flight. (Division RatiUv^) 

 ('. Hallux absent; tibial l)ridge absent; head of (juadrate bone single; deep 

 plantar tendons of type IV; bill sliorter than head, with nostrils basal; 

 wings evident. 

 d. Ambiens muscle present; wings well developed; aftershaft wanting; rectrices 

 present. 



^ In these characters agreeing with the Subclass Saururae. 



'^ Odoiitorriithes Marsh, Am. Journ. Sci., ser. 3, v, 1873, 161, 162. 



■^Odoiitolciv Marsh, Am. Journ. Sci., ser. 3, x, 1875,403-408; Cope, Am. Nat., xxiii, 

 1889, S6d.—XeornitheH Odontolcx Gadow, Bronn's Thier-Reichs, Vog., ii, 1893, 114, 

 299.— Or?f»i<..'ioteeSTE.JXEOER, Stand. Nat. Hist., iv, 1885, 21 .—Dromxopappi Stejxeger, 

 Stand. Nat. Hist., iv, 1885, 27; Cope, Am. Nat., xxiii, 1889, 869.— Hesperornithes -{-Ena- 

 Uoriiithes Fi'erbrix(;i:r, Uuters. Morph. Syst. Vog., ii, 1888. 115^. . L ,:> 



* Odonlotormn MARun, AH-iC^Sm-frJC^f!^; g«^^ Am. Nat., xxiii, 



1889, 869. — TchiJiyornithifonncs Fuerbringer, Unters. Morph. Syst. Vog., ii, 1888, 

 lom.—lrhniijornithes Fuerbringer, Unters. Morph. Syst. Vog., ii, 1888; Gadow, 

 Bronn's Thier-Reichs, Vog., ii, 1893, 119, 299.— OdoHlornue Stejneger, Sci. Rec, li. 

 May 15, 1884, 155. 



•' Enrhipidura Gill, in Haird, P.rewer, and Ridgway's Hist. N. Am. Birds, i, Jan., 

 1874,. p. xiii, in text.— ^fo-Zfyj/dura Stejxeger, Sci. Rec, ii, 1884, 155; Stand. Nat. Hist., 

 iv,18S5,31; Cope, Am. Nat., xxiii, 1889, 869. This series equals the Veorn///<e.s of Gadow 

 minus Xt'ornUhcx Odonlolav + IcIdhyomiUm. Fuerbringer's classification has no group 

 of even api)roximate character, its equivalent being represented l)y all his "Orders" 

 exceiit Ardiondthe.'i {=,'^aitruric) with his "Sul)order" /c/(/%or/i/</i?/br«u'sand "Gens" 

 Emdioriulhen -- Heaptroniuhes eliminated. 



^Pmrerl Illiger, Prodr. Orn., 1811,246 (includes Casuur'ms -f Struthio -j- Rhea).— 

 An'H RatiUv Merrem, Tent. Syst. Av., 1813, —.—Ratitx Huxley, Proc. Zool. See. Lond., 

 1867, 418; Gadow, Bronn's Thier-Reichs, Vog., ii, 1893, 103, 299.— Neorrdthes Raiitw 

 CJadow, Bronn's Thier-Rei(;hs, Vog., ii, 1893,90, 298.— Brevipennes Cuvier, RegneAn., 

 ed.2, i, 1829, 494.— ]>lal>istennr }\irziicii, Syst. Pterylog., 1840, —.—Cnrmdes'Si'rzHcn, 

 Syst. Pterylog., 1840, — .—Rudipcnnes Boxaparte, Compt. Rend., xxxvii, 1853, 646.— 

 Prorrn-H SuxDEVALL, :\Iet. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent., 1872, 151 (ex Proceri Illiger).— 

 i/o//('(/w/er/(// BLAXcnARn, Ami. Sci. Nat. (Zool.), xi, 1859 22. 



