606 Mr. W. P. Pycraft on the 



than the covert of remex 9. By way of confirming this 

 hypothesis, it is to be remarked that at the base of this 

 possible 11th remex there is found a minute feather which 

 would represent the covert of rcmcx 10, leaving the vestigial 

 11 th without a covert. 

 Tectrices : — 



T. majores. — The major coverts of the secondaries present 

 no features worthy of comment. On the manus they are 

 markedly degenerate, being shorter than those of the 

 secondaries, and decreasing rapidly in length from the wrist 

 outwards. 



T. media. — This series calls for no comment. 

 T. minores. — These are represented by one complete and 

 one incomplete row. 



T. marginales. — This series appears to be quite typical, 

 and offers no points for comment. 



Ala spuria. — Only two remiges are borne on the pollex. 

 The outermost feather is of great length — a feature, it may 

 be noted, which also obtains in Troglodytes. 



Rharnjthotheca. — Simple : the external nares are peculiar, 

 in that they open directly upward in a tumid aperture with 

 round lips (text-fig. 37, A, na., p. 608). 



Podotheca (text-fig. 36, A, B). — Acrotarsium invested by a 

 simple horny sheath, which, by a study of the nestling podo- 

 theca, is found to be made up by the fusion of about three 

 large scales. 



Planta. — This is covered by a series of oblong and monili- 

 form scales. According to Forbes's description of the planta 

 of Xenicus, these scales were suppressed along the middle of 

 the series by the meeting of the acrotarsal sheath in the 

 middle line. This podotheca is of the type known as 

 pyenaspidean. 



Claws. — Long and curved, especially the hallux. The 

 soles of the feet (text-fig. 36, B) demand special mention 

 here, inasmuch as the under surface of the toes shews inter- 

 esting proofs of adaptation to a perching habit met with also 

 among other Passeres, e.g. Troglodytes, but to a less marked 

 degree. Thus, the under surface of each of the tors bears 



