66 



The Kingfisliers {Alcedines), Motmots (Momoti), and the Todies 

 ( Todi) are also well-marked groups, and the first of them might be 

 arranged at no great distance from the Hornbills (Bucerotes). Nor can 

 the Bee-eaters (Meropes) be placed far off the Kingfishers, though Mr. 

 Seebohm puts themintwo different Subclasses, because of the arrangement 

 of the deep plantar tendons. To do this, however [antea, p. 44), he was 

 compelled to ignore other characters apparently of equal importance, 



I should be unwilling to banish the Bucerotes far from the great 

 mass of Picarian groups, as they possess many characters beside the 

 plantar tendons in common with these birds, though their peculiar 

 nesting-habits render them unique in the series of the class. 



Apart from the other affinities which the Upupce show in structure to 

 the Bucerotes, it is also to be observed that they seem to have somewhat 

 similar inclinations to feed the female on the nest during the period 

 of incubation {cf. Scott, ' Ibis,' 1866, p, 222). This surely must count 

 for something in making the Hoopoe an ally of the Hornbills. 



I need not detain you long with an account of the other groups, for 

 their identity and even their order in the natural arrangement are agreed 

 upon by most of us. The Jacamars (Galbuli) and the Puff -birds {Buc- 

 cones), though belonging to the Pico-Passeres, yet have a certain amount 

 of connection with some of the foregoing groups, and may be placed 

 somewhat in juxtaposition, though they are as different in outward 

 appearance as birds well can be, and it will not surprise me if some 

 day the Galhulidce and Bucconida are put wide apart from each other ; 

 while the Woodpeckers {Pici), the Barbets (Capitones), Toucans {Rham- 

 phastides), and Honey-Guides {Indicatores) must all be placed close 

 together, as was long ago insisted upon by Garrod in 1878. The 

 Trogons [Trogones) and the Coin are two somewhat separate groups, 

 the former being perhaps the most isolated of any of the Pico-Passeres, 

 while the Colics must also stand alone, a little group, between the 

 Cypseli and the larger group of HaJcyones &c.j but without any very 

 near relations. 



To my arrangement of the Passeres, as published in the before- 

 mentioned review of Gates' s ' Fauna of British India,' I have little to 

 add, but one or two corrections are necessary. Tln-ough the kind 

 assistance of my friend. Professor Stewart, Avho has recently made some 

 beautiful preparations of the skulls of birds to illustrate my forthcoming 

 Catalogue of the Osteological Collection in the Museum of the Royal 

 College of Surgeons, some very important characters have been brought 

 to liglit. 



The ossification of the olfactory capsule in the Laniidce and the 

 posterior spiny process of the palatines are characters which have al- 

 ready been brought into prominent notice by Dr. Shufeldt in his essay on 



