570 



Subclass RATIT^. 



Struthiones, Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 662, Ordo vi. (1790). 



Ratitfe, Merrem, Abhandl. Akad. Wissensch. Berlin, 1812-13, F/iysik\ 



Kl. p. 259. 

 Ciirsores, part., Illig. Prodr. p. 246 (1811). 

 Proceri (familia), 7%. I. c. p. 246 (1811). 

 Megi.«tanes (familia), Vieill. Analyse, p. 53 (1816). 

 Brevipennes (fsimilia), Cuv. Regn. An. i. p. 459 (1817). 

 Proceres, Sunder. Meth. nat. Av. disp. Tent. p. 151 (1872). 

 Struthioniformes, Seeholrm, Class. B. p. 44 (1890). 



All the preceding Orders of Birds being comprised in the 

 Subclass Carinafc'', the Ratitc — which form the second Subclass 

 of living Birds — are characterized thus (see Gadow, Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 1892, p. 237):— 



" Nidifugous. Omnivorous. Terrestrial. 



" E.hamphotheca compound. Nares impervious. Holorhinal. 



" Vertebrae heterocoelous. 



" Basipterygoid processes functional. Proximal articulating head 

 of quadrate single. 



" Sternum without keel and without spina interna. Spina 

 externa small or absent. Coracoid fused with scapula ; both bones 

 forming a very obtuse angle. 



" With incisura ischiadica. . . . 



" Wings reduced ; flightless. Terminal caudal vertebriB not 

 coalesced into a pygostyle. 



"Hypotarsus simple. . . . 



" Adult Avithout pterylse. Oil-gland absent. 



" Caeca functional." 



To these characters it must be added that the liatita', like the 

 Tinamous, have the upper mandible covered at the base with a 

 membrane or cere, which also envelops the nasal grooves ; besides, 

 they are quintocubital and have the barbs of the feathers dis- 

 connected. Penis fully developed. 



The Ratita' have a wide distribution from Africa and Arabia, 

 over many of the Islands of Malayasia and Polynesia, to Australia 

 and South America. 



Synopsis of the Orders. 



a. Hallux absent ; bill moderate, 

 about the length of the head. 

 a . Feathers without aftershaft. 



a". Only two toes 1. STRUTHIONES, p. 571. 



b". Three toes 2. RHE.ffi, p. 577. 



