10 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.64, 



species Meleagris gaUopavo and Agriocharis ocellata of the family 

 Meleagridae differ constantly from one another in the relative posi- 

 tion of the trochleae of the tarso-metatarsus. In the peacocks the 

 two lateral trochleae have less elevation above the middle trochlea, 

 ■while in the turkeys the elevation of the lateral trochleae, par- 

 ticularly that of the inner one, is much more pronounced. Parapavo^ 

 in this respect is similar to Meleagris and Agriocharis. The relative 

 position of these articular prominences is established during ossifica- 

 tion and ankylosis when the animal is in a very immature stage of 

 development. Of necessity therefor this character must be con- 

 sidered a basic one in the separation of major groups, and must carry 

 much more weight than, for example, the presence or absence of 

 an intermediate hypotarsal line, where the play of important tendons 

 may alter considerably the stresses that serve to form such a ridge. 



In my opinion Parapavo is a true meleagrine form and any char- 

 acters that may seem to connect it at all closely with the peacocks 

 are superficial and due to some parallelism of development. In 

 confirmation of my belief in this regard I may add that though 

 the intermediate hypotarsal ridge is usually absent in Meleagris 

 gallopavo I find it developed to a greater or less extent in eleven 

 of thirty-four specimens of varying ages (all feral individuals). 

 Its presence or absence can not therefore be considered weighty in 

 establishing group relationships. 



Family ODONTOPHORIDAE. 



COLINUS, species. 



The distal end of a right tarso-metatarsus secured 2 miles south 

 of Benson is similar to that of G. virginianus, but has the foramen 

 situated lower down, nearer the notch between middle and outer 

 trochleae. 



The genus Colinus is represented in Mexico and Central America 

 by several species and subspecies whose skeletons are not at present 

 available, so that it is not practicable to identify the present scrap 

 of bone further than to state that it represents a quail similar in size 

 to our familiar bobwhite, but probably of another species. The fos- 

 sil fragment differs from CaUipepla in smaller, more narrow middle 

 trochlea, while from both Colinus virgi7iianus and Lophortyx gam- 

 heli it is distinguished by the low position of the external foramen. 



Family ODONTOPHORIDAE (indeterminate). 



The head of a right humerus secured 14 miles southeast of Benson 

 in March, 1921, belongs in this family, but may not now be identi- 

 fied through lack of skeleton material of the quails of Mexico and 

 Central America. This broken humerus is as largre and robust as 



