1 80 CAEINAT.^. 



29492. Fragment of gypsum showing part of a foot and the right of 

 a sternum not improbably referable to this species ; from 

 tho Upper Eocene of Montmartrc. The sternum would 

 agree in relative size with the tarso-mctatarsus,and appears 

 to be of the narrow form characteristic of the Ballidce. The 

 phalangeals are much shorter than in existing Ballidce, 



Purchased. 



Suborder XIII. ALECTORIDES. 



The schizognathous birds included in this suborder differ so 

 markedly in their osteology that it is almost impossible to give 

 characters to all the members. The angle of the mandible is, how- 

 ever, always truncated, and the humerus never has an ectepicondylar 

 process. 



Family GRUID^. 



The beak is long and pointed. The legs are long ; the length of 

 the tibio-tarsus considerably exceeding that of the tarso-metatarsus, 

 and the femur being relatively longer than in the Ciconiidce \ 



The tarso-metatarsus is long and slender ; the iutercotylar tubero- 

 sity is elongated transversely ; the tibialis anticus has two distinct 

 points of insertion ; the inner ridge of the talon is well developed 

 and has a closed tube on its outer side, but the outer part of the 

 talon slopes regularly from the inner ridge to the outer border of 

 the bone in an absolutely characteristic manner ; the anterior face 

 of the bono is grooved, the posterior surface being either grooved or 

 rounded. The distal trochlese are long and stout, and disposed in a 

 strong curve ; the third is longer than the fourth, from which it is 

 separated by a very wide interval ; the second only reaches to the 

 base of the third, and is directed backwardly so that the whole of 

 the inner face of the third is exposed -. The impression for the 

 hallux is slight. The phalangeals, although long, are shorter than 

 in the CiconUdo} ; and the hallux is present. 



The tibio-tarsus is long and more or less curved ; its anterior face 

 is flattened and bordered distally on the inner side by a prominent 

 ridge, externally to which is the deep extensor groove, with the 

 bridge sunken and the tubercle prominent (fig. 35) ; the extensor 



' Altbougb the Ciconiidm are widely separated from the Grttidce, it is advisable 

 to point out bow their limb-bones may be distinguished. 



^ This arrangement is the satne as in the Phxiiicopfcridce, but the second 

 trochlea is I'elatively longer in the latter. 



