50 Mr. F. E. Beddard on the 



apparent from the following scries of measurements, which 

 are based upon taking the entire length of the ilium from 

 its anterior extremity to the end of its attachment to the 

 vertebral column behind at 100, the breadths being calcu- 

 lated as percentages. The measurements are : — 



Balearica chrysopelargus 62*4 



Aramus scolopaceus 61 "3 



Grus australasiana 56'5 



Grus carimculata 54*3 



Tetrupteryx paradisea 51-6 



It is clear that the most marked break in this series, which 

 is arranged in numerical sequence, is between Balearica and 

 the rest of the true Cranes; furthermore that Balearica is 

 very close to Aramus in these proportions. If the Cranes 

 were to be classified by this character alone, Aramus and 

 Balearica would be placed together and contrasted with the 

 remaining genera. 



§ The Hind Limb. 

 I do not find my measurements of the femur, tibio-tarsus, 

 and tarso-metatarsus of Aramus quite in accord with those 

 given by Fiirbringer. He gives the respective lengths as 

 23, 39'5, and 37*5, the length of the entire limb being con- 

 sidered as 100, I find in my skeleton of Aramus scolopaceus 

 that the actual lengths are — femur 3 inches, tibio-tarsus 

 6 inches, and tarso-metatarsus 4^ inches; or, to make use of 

 the more accurate system of measurement in millimetres, 

 femur 81 mm., tibio-tarsus 152 mm., and tarso-metatarsus 

 112 mm. These lengths give, when reduced to percentages 

 of 100 for the whole limh, 235, 41., and 32-5. The differ- 

 ences in the measurements of Fiirbringer and myself are not 

 very great; but they are of importance to me as showing 

 a closer resemblance to Balearica than would appear from 

 the measurements of Fiirbringer. The various segments of 

 the hind limb oi Balearica measure in millimetres 120, 263, 

 and 230 ; reduced to parts of 100 these measurements 

 become 19 6, 42*9, and 37*5 (not going bej^ond one place of 

 decimals). This is clearly a series of measurements which 



