Systematic Position of Zeledonia coronata. 7 



disuse of the wings. Furthermore, this reduction has given 

 to the wing a peculiarly rounded form, the primaries passing 

 insensibly into the secondaries. 



Cubital remiges or secondaries. — These are 9 in number, 

 the 9th being but little longer than its covert. The wing, of 

 course, is eutaxic. These remiges decrease in length rapidly 

 from without inwards. 



A peculiar feature about the remiges of the wing is their 

 extreme breadth, which would be just as noticeable even had 

 no reduction in the length taken place, as iu the case of the 

 outer primaries. This feature also appears to be correlated 

 with the disuse of the wings. 



Tectrices : upper surface : — 



T. majores. — Those of the primaries are small and rapidly 

 decrease in size from within outwards (text-fig. 3, t.m., p. 6). 

 The secondary series is normally developed. The transition 

 to shorter coverts is somewhat abrupt, commencing with 

 the covert of the 7th rcmex. The 9th remex and its covert 

 are barely distinguishable from one another. 



The remaining coverts of the upper surface present the 

 usual Passerine arrangement and call for no comment. 



The coverts of the under surface are also of the normal 

 type and therefore need no description here. 



Plumules or down- feathers occur very sparingly on the 

 trunk. 



Rhamphotheca (PI. II. fig. 11). — The only feature that 

 requires special notice here is the form of the external nostril. 

 This appears, so far, to be unique, inasmuch as it is pro- 

 tected by a membranous fold or operculum, the free edge of 

 which may be described as triangular ; the apex of the angle 

 overhangs the mouth of the narial aperture, which is still 

 further increased by the extension backwards of the inner 

 angle of the base of the triangle. 



Podotheca (text-fig. 4, p. 8). — This is a complex formed by 

 the fusion of several distinct elements. The acrotarsium is 

 covered by a single shield extending from the proximal end 

 of the tarso-metatarsus to within a short distance of its extreme 

 distal end, which is protected by three small scales, the last 



