SWIFT FOOT— SYRINX ^yj 



prejudiced investigator that the Cypselidse not only differ far more 

 from the Hirundinidx than the latter do from any other Family of 

 Passeres, but that they belong to what in the present state of 

 ornithology must be deemed a distinct Order of Birds — that which 

 in the present work has been called Picarige. That the relations of 

 the Ctjpselidx to the Trochilidse (Humming-bird, pp. 442, 443) are 

 close, as has been asserted by L'Herminier, Nitzsch, Burmeister and 

 Prof Huxley, is denied by Dr. Shufeldt {Proc. Zool. Soc. 1885, pp. 

 886-914 ; Ibis, 1893, pp. 84-100), but the views of the last are con- 

 troverted by Mr. Lucas (Auk, 1886, pp. 444-451 ; Ibis, 1893, pp. 

 365-371). 



SWIFT FOOT, Selby's name in 1825 (Brit. Orn. i. p. 334) for 

 what was already known as the CoURSER (p. 107). 



SWINEPIPE, an old name for the Kedwing, Turdus iliacus 

 (p. 777, note 1). 



SYNALLAXIS, the name of a genus instituted in 1819 by 

 Vieillot (N. Did. d'H. N. xxxii. p. 309), and used as English in 

 1825 by Stephens (Shaw's Zool. xiii. p. 227) (cf. Picucule, p. 719). 



SYNDACTYLI, one of IlJiger's groups of Scansores (p. 815) 

 in 1811 (Prodr. Syst. p. 207) consisting only of the genus Galhula 

 (Jacamar, p. 463). 



SYRINX, the organ of voice, and a i^eculiarity of the class 

 AVES, in so far as it is a modification of the lower end of the 

 Trachea and adjoining parts of the Bronchi (p. 58), whence it is 

 frequently called the Lower Larynx (p. 513). The essential 

 features of such an organ are, first, membranes stretched between 

 the several parts of a cartilaginous or bony framework, and next, 

 special muscles which by their action vary and regulate the tension 

 of the membranes. 



In the majority of Birds the median wall of each bronchial 

 tube is formed by a membrana tympaniformis interna, while a variable 

 number of memhranx tymfaniformes externa exist on the outer side, 

 either between neighbouring bronchial semirings, or between the 

 first bronchial semiring and the last tracheal ring, or between the 

 last two tracheal rings. The two inner tympaniform membranes 

 mostly meet at the pessidus (p. 58), whence they often extend into 

 the lower end of the Trachea as a semilunar fold. When there is 

 no pessulus these two membranes meet directly and are attached to 

 the ventral and dorsal corners of the last tracheal ring or rings. 

 The position of the bronchidesmus (p. 58) varies considerably. In 

 Anseres it lies very near the pessulus, and is easily overlooked, while 

 in Gallinx it is placed further back and is very conspicuous : in 

 Ardea, Buteo, Cuculus and Cypselus it is situated at the 5th pair of 

 bronchial semirings, but at the 8th in Picus and Podidpes. 



All the muscles of the Syrinx (grouped as B. /?. at p. 605) are 



