CHAPTER V 
NEORNITHES CARINATAE CONTINUED 
BRIGADE II——-LEGION I (ALECTOROMORPHAE). ORDERS: TINAMI- 
FORMES——GALLIFORMES——-GRUIFORMES——CHARADRIIFORMES 
Order VIII. TINAMIFORMES. 
THE primitive Neotropical Order Tinamiformes, with the Sub- 
Order Tixamt, and sole Family Tinamidae or Crypturidae, 
is classed here in accordance with Dr. Gadow’s carefully-weighed 
decision ;! yet the position must not be considered absolutely 
certain, most systematists placing it near the Ratitae. The com- 
plete fusion of vomer and palatine bones is unique among Birds, 
though partially noticeable in Dromaeus and Apteryx ; the con- 
formation of the skull, the single head of the quadrate, the 
separation of the ischium and iliwm, the absence of a pygostyle, the 
reduced tongue, the functionless tail, the gait and bearing are 
Struthionine features; but other poimts of structure, the ptery- 
losis and the habits generally, are Galline. 
The furcula is U-shaped; the sternum long and slender with 
well-developed keel; the head small; the neck thin and elon- 
gated with short plumage; the beak fairly strong, varying in 
length, and composed of more than one piece, the culmen being 
flattened and usually arched; the moderate metatarsus is 
transversely or hexagonally scutellated, and may be rough or 
smooth behind, while the hallux—-wanting in Calopezus and 
Tinamotis—is elevated, and the anterior toes are long or short, 
with moderate claws. The short wings are concave and rounded, 
with ten primaries and from thirteen to sixteen secondaries; the 
1 Cf. H. Gadow, Bronn’s Thier-Reich, Aves, Syst. Theil. 1893, pp. 160-164. 
