270 Dr. J. Murie on the Genus Colius. 



lunar, and pierced towards its inner side by a foramen. The 

 distal or inferior articular end of the tarso-metatarse is relatively 

 wide, and provided with three grooved knuckles (condyla), of 

 nearly equal length, for as many of the outer toes. 



That which is named the metatarsus is a diminutive canary- 

 seed-shaped ossicle, which lies a trifle behind the inner lower- 

 most end of the shaft of the tarsus. It is so placed that the 

 axis of the first or inner toe (hallux) is directed partially for- 

 wards and inwards. 



Although all the four toes of Colius are afiirmed to be 

 dii'ected forwards, I find that the inner (hallux) is perfectly 

 capable of being thrust nearly backwards. This may not be its 

 natural condition ; the joint, however, displays ready movement 

 in a semicircle. I think it can hardly be doubted that for those 

 habits which the Colics possess in perfection (clambering along 

 branches and stems, traversing sideways, and suspension) it will 

 be admitted that a certain amount of opposition of the digits is 

 necessary. Unlike the Perchers, which require grasping-power 

 attained by complete reversion of the first toe, and the true Scan- 

 sores, with the fourth toe also turned behind so as to seize the 

 slightest inequality, the Colics have the inner toe capable of 

 wide abduction. It may therefore be compared to a human 

 hand strongly clawed, which, by a kind of griping or squeezing 

 of the digits, securely fastens to the slightest inequalities of 

 surface. 



The inner toe is shortest, the third longest, and the second 

 and fourth subequal. All are armed with strong, laterally com- 

 pressed, curved claws, which are iuferiorly grooved. The usual 

 avine number of the phalanges obtains, viz. 2, 3, 4, 5 respectively, 

 in the digits, counting from within outwards. 



The segments of bones comprising the wing and leg of birds 

 bear a certain ratio of length the one to the other. When 

 closely investigated, it appears they often tally with the avine 

 grouping drawn from other characters. I shall, in this place, 

 only record the absolute length, in inches and decimals, of one 

 species of the Colics examined by me. I give elsewhere* the 

 proportions and comparisons in full, so need not trouble the 



* " Anatomy of the Alcedinidpe " (Kingfishers), now in the press. 



