22 Shufeldt, Osteology of Orthorhamphus magnirostris. [,^^"1"] . 



As in the case of the bones of the thigh, leg, and tarsus, the 

 skeleton of the foot in Orthorhamphus has more Plover in it than 

 has that of any other bird thus far examined by me. 



Relationships of Orthorhamphus. 



Nearly all ornithological writers and systematists place this 

 genus of birds among the Charadriiformes and in the family 

 CharadriidcB. 



As already pointed out, Sharpe has the genus in his family 

 Gidicnemidcs, the sole family representing the sub-order (VI.) 

 (Edicnemi, which sub-order is followed next by a similar group 

 (VII.) Otides, to contain the sole family Otididce, or Bustards and 

 their allies. 



In characterizing his SchizognathcB as a sub-order of birds, and 

 differentiating the Charadriomorphcs as a group of the same, he 

 seems to have overlooked the fact that these " Stone-Plovers " 

 {(EdicnemidcB) are holorhinal and not schizorhinal birds (P.Z.S., 

 1867, pp. 456. 457). 



In my own classification {Anier. Nat., 1904, p. 851), the 

 Charadriiformes are a super-sub-order (X.), in which a super- 

 family, Otidoidea (II.) is created to contain the G^dicncmidcB and 

 Otididce, and this is substantially my view of the relationships 

 at the present time, though I have always entertained the opinion 

 that there is by no means a narrow gap between the Stone-Plovers 

 and the Bustards. The relationship here is not nearly as intimate 

 as some ornithologists would have us believe. For example, 

 Newton says in the "Dictionary of Birds" (article "Curlew," 

 p. 130), in speaking of (Edicnemus (crepitans) : — " This Curlew 

 seems to have been an especial favourite with Gilbert White, in 

 whose classical writings mention is often made. Its range extends 

 to North Africa and India, though examples from the latter 

 country have been regarded as requiring specific distinctions. 

 Four other species of CEdicnemits from Africa are recognized by 

 Seebohm [op. cit., p. 71. [That is, the Geogr. Distrib. Char- 

 adriidcB.']) 



" Australia possesses a very distinct species, (E. grallarius, which 

 some writers have raised to a genus, Burhimis, and there are three 

 species in the Neo-tropical Region {(E. bistriatus, CE. dominicensis, 

 and (E. superciliaris). The analogy of all these birds to the 

 Otididce (Bustard) is manifest, but that they have any really close 

 affinity to that family is questionable. An exaggerated form of 

 (Edicnemus is found in Msacus, of which two species have been 

 described — one, Ai. recurvirostris, from the Indian, and the other, 

 M. magnirostris, from the northern parts of the Australian 

 Region." 



This opinion of Professor Alfred Newton's coincides with my 

 own exactly ; and, from what I know of the osteology of Otis 

 tarda, I can fully endorse his view as to the questionableness of 

 any near affinity between the Q£dicnemidcB and Otididce. I only 

 arrayed them in my classification, cited above, as I have for the 



