394 Dr. J. Murie on the Motmots and their Affinities. 



portions have already been denoted ; the subjoined are the mea- 

 surements from which the calculations are derived. 



Eumomota superciliaris. 



Humerus. Ulna. Metacarpus. Mid phalanges. Total length. 



Wing.... 1-35 inch, 1-7 0-Go 05? 42? 



Femiu". Tibia. Tarso-metatarse. Mid-toe phalanges Tot. length. 



Leg .... 0-8 inch, 1-35 0-8 0-8? 3-75 



I made out, in all, thirty-six vertebrae/free, conjoined sacrally, 

 and otherwise. The numbers regionally I could not determine. 



The trachea is composed of complete bony rings, each narrow 

 and delicate. I presume there are in all about thirty ; for I 

 noted twenty-six separate and four or more joined together at 

 the lower larynx. This has no expansion as in some of the 

 Anatidse, &c. 



The tongue-bones follow the pattern of Barijphthengus rufica- 

 pillus, but are not so stout ; and the ui'ohyal is less expanded. 



If Eumomota is worthy to be segregated as a genus, it is well 

 to remember that its osseous specialities are not many, though 

 possibly leading away from those of Momotus in degree rather 

 than kind. To wit, it possesses a shallower skull, though less 

 level frontally ; the orbital circuit tends to diminution ; the 

 beak and lower mandible are relatively wider throughout and not 

 quite so decurved anteriorly ; the xiphoid spaces are somewhat 

 longer, the coracoids shorter ; the proportions that the bones 

 of the leg bear to those of the wing evince shortening. 



V. The Alliances of the Momotid^ osteologically considered. 



Whilst the group in bony conformation singularly resemble 

 each other, yet there is a serial gradation wherein Prionirhynchus 

 represents one and Momotus the other extreme. In the absence 

 of a thorough examination of the former (or oi Hylomanes), I 

 must perforce refer to Eumomota for detail in exemplification of 

 the broader-billed division. 



1 . Comparison with the Todida. — I restrict this family to the 

 Green Tody [Todus viridis) and its immediate species, thus ex- 

 cluding Todirostrum and such like forms of the Tyrannidse which 



