CATALOGUE 



BIRDS. 



Order X. FULICARItE. 



In accordance wtih the scheme of classification adopted for the 

 Game-Birds and Water- Birds in the ' Catalogue of Birds,' the 

 Order Fidicarup, as limited bj- Dr. Sclater in his well-known 

 arrangement of the Class " Aves," is hereby recognized. Mr. See- 

 bohni, in his ' Classification of Birds,' places the FitUcarice as a 

 Suborder of his lai'go Order " Grallo-Grallte ; " but he also includes 

 the Bustards {Otididcn), Hoatzins {OpisOiocomidcc), Seriamas (Cari- 

 ainidcr). Pin-feet {Heliornithidn), Bails (Jiallidc), and Trumpeters 

 {Psophiidce). In my own arrangement of 1891, I placed the Rcdli- 

 formes at some little distance from the groups which are usually 

 considered to be their nearest allies ; and, in fact, I still look upon 

 the Kails as a very peculiar and isolated group of birds, so that it 

 does not matter whether they be called FtdicarUe or licdlifomus, so 

 long as they are not mixed up too closely with the Cranes and their 

 allies. Ost€ological characters are given by Mr. Lydekker in his 

 ' Catalogue of Fossil Birds ' (pp. 143, 144). 



Two families are placed under this order : the EaUidce, p. 1, and 

 the Heliornithido!, p. 229. 



Family I. RALLIDiE. 



Palate schizoguathous. 

 Nasals holorliiual. 

 Dorsal vertebra; heterocoelous. 



Posterior process of the ilium sufficiently perforated to show a 

 broad sacrum. 



Sternum with one notch on each side of the posterior margin. 



Oil-gland tufted. 



Aftershaft to the contour-feathers present. 



VOL. XXIII. B 



