()04 Mr. V. E. IJedilaid on sumc Points in. 



the syrinx of Hierococcijx just described. In Cuculus micro- 

 pteras the rings which actually form the syrinx — i. e., the 

 last traclieal and the few first bronchial semi-rings — arc of 

 the same red colour as are those of Hierococcyx, and they 

 are also ossified as in that species. But the difference is, 

 that instead of only three rings which must be relegated to 

 tlie bronchial series there are four of these semi-rings. 

 The pessulus has, so to speak, moved a ring higher up ; 

 the trachea has been a little more split than in Hierococcyx. 

 The thin intrinsic muscles are, as before, attached to the 

 last of the specialized bronchial semi-rings ; but in the present 

 species that ring is naturally the fourth instead of the third. 

 The pessulus is plainly seen, when the syrinx is viewed from 

 behind, to bend upwards and to interfere between the other- 

 wise closely approximated ends of the last traclieal ring. 

 The split extremities of this ring do not meet except through 

 the intervention of the end of the pessulus. There is no 

 fusion between it and them. This state of affairs agrees 

 exactly with my earlier description* of the syrinx of Cuculus 

 canorus, to which I have already referred. 



Clearly related to the two genera which have just been 

 mentioned is the much smaller Cuckoo referred to the genus 

 Cacomantis, also of Old World range. In a specimen of 

 this genus (I am quite uncertain as to the species) I have 

 examined the syrinx, and find it to be exactly like that of 

 Cuculus, and so far different from the syrinx of Hierococcyx. 

 In Cacomantis, in fact, there are, as in Cuculus, four traehei- 

 form bronchial semi-rings which are ossified throughout. To 

 the last of these are attached the slender intrinsic syringeal 

 muscles. I have already referred Cacomantis to the Cuculine 

 section of the family on account of the maisele-formula of 

 the thigh and the characters of the ventral pterylosis. This 

 finishes wiiat I have now to say respecting the anatomy of 

 forms closely related to Cuculus. 



Before proceeding to add some new facts to our knowledge 

 of the rather more remotely allied genus, Coccystes, I sliould 

 like to point out certain features in which the group of 



* P. Z. S. 1885, p. 170. 



