83 



Siilaorder Ixix. Colli *. (Ethiopian.) 



Order XXVII. TROGONES f. (Neotropical ; Indian ; Ethiopian.) 



Order XXVIII. COCCYGES. 



Suborder Ixx. Musophagi J. (Ethiopian.) 

 Suborder Ixxi. Cuculi §. 



* Palate desmognathous ; basipterygoid processes absent ; cseca none ; ambiens 

 muscle absent ; left carotid onl_v present ; steruum with four notches on the posterior 

 margin ; feet pamprodactylous (Stejneger, t. c. p. 371), all four toes baing directed 

 forwards, the first one probably reversible ; hallux present, and connected with the 

 jiexor perforans digitormn ; the two plantar tendons blended ; tail-feathers 10 ; spinal 

 feather-tract well defined on neck, and not forked on the back ; no bare tracts on the 

 breast ; oil-gland tufted. Nest cup-shaped, in a ■ bush. Eggs white. ( Cf. Murie, 

 Ibis, 1872, pp. 262-280, pi. x.) 



f Palate schizognathous ; basipterygoid processes present ; sternum with four in- 

 dentations on the posterior margin ; no median wing-coverts (Goodchild, t. c. p. 331) ; 

 left carotid only present ; ambiens muscle absent ; feet heterodactylous (c/". Stejneger, 

 t. c. p. 869) ; second digit reversed ; the front plantar splits into two to lead to the 

 two front toes, and the hind plantar does the same to lead to the two hind toes — 

 i. e, the Jiexor hallucis supplies the first and second digits, and the Jiexor perforans 

 the third and fourth {cf. Seebohm, t. c. p. 8) ; spinal feather-tract very Passerine, 

 well-defined from nape to oil-gland, and not foi'ked ; aftershaft of contour-feathers 

 very large ; caeca present ; oil-gland nude. Nest in hole of tree. Eggs white. 



\ Palate desmognathous ; basipterygoid processes absent ; Cfeca none ; ambiens 

 muscle present ; tail-feathers 10 ; feet zygodactyle (semi-zygodactyle, according to 

 Seebohm) ; plantars Galline ; hallux always present, and connected with the Jiexor 

 lo7igns hallucis, and not Avith the Jiexor lonr/tis digitormn, which leads to the second, 

 third, and fourth digits ; the two tendons united at their crossing point by a vinculum, 

 i, e. the arrangement is desmopelmous ; spinal feather-tract well defined on neck, and 

 not forked on back ; oil-gland tufted ; contour-feathers with aftershafts. Wing-feathers 

 in many species red, from which Turacin is extracted. {Cf. Shelley, Cat. B. xix. 

 pp. 435-456.) Nest open, like that of a Pigeon. Egg white. Young unknown. 



§ Palate desmognathous ; basipterygoid processes absent ; cteca present ; both 

 carotids present ; ambiens muscle present ; tail-feathers generally 10, 8 in Guira 

 and Crotophaga ; plantars Galline ; hallux always present, and connected with the 

 Jiexor longtis hallucis, and not with the flexor perforans digitorum, which leads to the 

 second, third, and fourth digits ; the two tendons united at their crossing point by a 

 vinculum, this arrangement being desmopelmous {cf. Stejneger, S. N. Hist. p. 373) ; 

 feet zygodactyle ; contour-feathers without aftershaft ; oil-gland nude ; syrinx varied 

 (bronchial, tracheo-brouchial, or pseudo-bronchial) {cf. Stejneger, t. c. p. 373). Nest 

 of rough construction. Habits generally parasitic. (Great varieties in nesting-habits.) 

 Egg of various colours, differing according to genera. Young hatched naked : in 

 many instances fed by foster-parents, but in other cases reared by parent birds, 

 {Cf. Shelley, Cat. B. xix. pp. 209-434.) 



