Dr. J. Murie on the Genus Colius. 277 



The equally remarkable Opisthocomus, although placed in 

 close apposition to Colius by Nitzsch on pterylographic grounds, 

 presents remoteness from this form osteologically. The very 

 numerous points of difference I need not dwell upon, but in- 

 stead refer the reader to Huxley^s* terse and graphic descrip- 

 tion. Even a comparison of the present plate with his woodcuts 

 will suffice. 



As regards the fictitious brothei'hood of the Colies with the 

 Woodpeckers, possibly from their branch-creeping propensities 

 — their organization is of a most opposite kind. Neither the 

 shape of the skull, its constituent upbuilding, the sternal and 

 shoulder-girdle configuration, the number of the terminal spinal 

 vertebrae, the shape of the pelvis, disposition and length of toes, 

 tarsal proportion, tongue and visceral structure, nor the ptery- 

 losis displays conformation which would suggest their being 

 ranked together. 



I might extend my comparisons ; but I fear I have already 

 drawn them out to an inordinate length. I presume, however, 

 that my evidence will be sufficient to show that Colius con- 

 sistently is not a true Passerine (or Coracomorph) — a verdict 

 already arrived at by ornithologists studying external characters 

 alone. No more do I find from my observations that it is either 

 a true Parrot (Psittacomorph) or an aberrant one, as the shrewd 

 reasoning of Wallace from habits &c. would imply. As little does 

 its organization comport with the WoodpeckeiV [Celeomorphce), 

 the Hornbills^, or that of the Hoaziu [Opisthocomus, a Hetero- 

 morph). To the Rollers and the Touracoes (Coccygomorphs) 

 undoubtedly there are many structural traits which suggest 

 affinity. But so, on the other hand, might we as well assume 

 it to be a Finch, from the remarkable simifarity of the one 

 skull to the other. 



The facts are these : if we take one set of regional characters 

 — the feet, the head, the breast- bones, the pelvis, and so on — 

 we can place it in as many different groups ; we can even trace 

 Raptorial kin ; so that it is hard to say where Colius could not be 



* Chapter III. " On the Affinities of Opi^sihocomus," in his paper in 

 P. Z. S. 1868, p. .304. 



