ORNITHOLOGY 



35 



comparatively narrow and allows the pterygoids and 

 palatals to articulate directly with the basisphenoidal 



rostrum. The Garinatee are divided, according to the 

 formation of the palate, into four " Suborders," and named 

 (i.) Dromaeognatkae, (ii.) Schizognathx, (iii.) Desmognathas, 

 and (iv.) JEgithognathx? The Dromaeognatka resemble 

 the Raiitss, and especially the genus Dromseus, in their 

 palatal structure, and are composed of the Tinaaious 

 (■/.»•.). The Schizognathaz include a great many of the 

 forms belonging to the Linnasan Orders <!<il!iiur, Grallae, 

 and Anseres. In them the vomer, however variable, 

 always tapers to a point anteriorly, while behind it includes 

 the basisphenoidal rostrum between the palatals ; but 

 neither these nor the pterygoids are borne by its posterior 

 divergent ends. The maxillo-palatals are usually elongated 

 and lamellar, uniting with the palatals, and, bending 

 backward along their inner edge, leave a cleft (whence the 

 name given to the " Suborder ") between the vomer and 

 themselves. Six groups of Schizognathx an' distinguished 

 with considerable minuteness : — (1) Charadriomorphae, con 

 tabling Charadriidx (Plover, q.v.), Otididx (Bustard, 

 vol. iv. p. 578), and Scolopacidx ; (2) Geramomorphae, 

 including Gruidae (Crane, vol. vi. p. 546) and Rallidae, 

 between which Psophiidas and Rhinocketidx are intermedi- 

 ate, while the Seriema (q.v.) would also seem to belong 

 here; (3) Cecomorphae, comprising Laridse (Gull, vol. xi. 

 p. 274), Procel/ariidx (Petrel, q.v.), Colymbidas (Diver, 

 vol. vii. p. 292), and Alcidse, (Guillemot, vol. xi. p. 262); 

 (1) Spheniseomorphse, composed of the Penguins ('/■>:): 

 ("■) Alectoromorphx (Fowl, vol. ix. p. 491), being all the 

 Gallinai except the Tinamous ; and finally (G) Peristero- 

 morphae, consisting of the Doves (vol. vii. p. 379) and 

 Pigeons (</.>:). In the third of these Suborders, the 

 Desmognathas, the vomer is either abortive or so small as 

 to disappear from the skeleton. When it exists it is 

 always slender, and tapers to a point anteriorly. The 

 maxillo-palatals are bound together (whence the name of 

 the " Suborder") across the middle line, either directly or 

 b\ the ossification of the nasal septum. The posterior ends 

 of the palatals and anterior of the pterygoids articulate 

 directly with the rostrum. The groups of Desmognathai 

 are characterized as carefully as are those of the preceding 

 "Suborder," and are as follows: — (1) Chenomorphss, con- 

 sisting of the Anatidae (Duck, vol. vii. p. 505; Goose, 

 vol. x. p. 777) with Palamedea, the Screamer (q.v.) ; (2) 

 Amphimorphse, the Flamingoes (vol. ix. p. 286) ; (3) 

 Peiargomorphae, containing the Ardeidx (Heron, vol. xi. 

 p. 700), Ciconiidas (Stork, q.v.), and Tantalida , (4) 

 Dysporomorphae, the Cormorants (vol. vi. p. 4U7), 

 Frigate-birds (vol. ix. p. 78G), Gannets (vol. x. p. 

 70), and Pelicans (q.v.) ; (5) Aetomorphx, comprising all 

 the Birds-of-Prey ; (6) Psittacomorphae, the Parrots (q. r.) ; 

 and lastly (7) Coccygomorphae, which are held to include 

 four groups, viz., (a) Coliidm (Mouse-bird, vol. xvii. 

 p. 6) ; ('<) Musophagidae (Plantain-eaters and Tour a- 

 koos, q.v.) Cnculidx (Cuckow, vol. vi. p. 685), Bucconidx, 

 Rhamphastidas (Toucans, q.v.), Capitonidx, Galbulidx 

 (Jacamar, vol. xiii. p. 531); (c) Alcedinidae (King- 

 fisher, xiv. p. 81,) Bwerotidse (Hornbill, sdi. p. 169), 

 Upupidai (Hoopoe, xii. p. 15 1), Meropidas, Momotidx 

 (Motmot, xvii. p. 3), Coraeiidas (Roller, q.v.); and ('/) 

 Trogonidas (Trogon, q.v.). Next in order come the Celeo- 

 morphae, or Woodpeckers (q.v.), a group respecting the 

 exact position of which Prof. Huxley was uncertain, '- 



1 These names are compounded respectively of Bromeeus, the generic 

 name applied to the Emeu, (rx''£ a > a split or cleft, Si<r/j.a, a bond or 

 aiyiBas, a Finch, anil, in each case, yvaOos, a jaw. 



- Prof. Parker subsequently advanced the W ipeckers to a higher 



rank under the name of Saurognathae (Monthly Microscop. Journal, 

 1872, p. 219, and Tr. Linn. Soc, ser. 2, Zoology, i. p. 2). 



though he inclined to think its relations were with the next 

 group, jEgithognathee, the fourth and last of his "Sub 

 ■ I by a form of palate in some respects 

 intermediate between the two preceding. The vomer is 

 broad, abruptly truncated in front, and deeply clef t behind, 

 so as to embrace the rostrum of tin- sphenoid ; the palatals 

 have produced postcro external angles ; the maxillo-palatals 

 rider at their origin, and extend obliquely inwards 

 and forwards over the palatals, ending beneath the vomer in 

 expanded extremities, not united either with one another 

 or with the vomer, nor does the latter unite with the 

 nasal septum, though that is frequently ossified. ( if 

 the JUgiihognathae two divisions are made — (1) ( '. 

 morphae, including TrochUidai (Humming-bird, vol. xii. 

 p. 357), Cypselidas (Swift, q.v.), and Caprimulgidae (Goat- 

 sucker, vol. x. p. 711); and (2) Goracotnorphas, which last 

 are separable into two groups, one (a) formed of the genus 

 Menura (Lyre-bird, vol. xv. p. 115), which then seemed 

 to stand alone, and the other (/») made up of Polymyodee, 

 Trackeophonae, and Oligomyodas, sections founded on the 

 syringeal structure, but declared to be not natural. 



The above abstract 3 shews the general drift of this very 

 remarkable contribution to Ornithology, and it has to be 

 added that for by far the greater number of his minor 

 groups Prof. Huxley relies solely on the form of the 

 palatal structure, the importance of which Dr Cornay, as 

 already stated (p. 29), had before urged, though to so little 

 purpose. That the palatal structure must be taken into 

 consideration by taxonomers as affording hints of some 

 utility there can no longer be a doubt; but the present 

 writer is inclined to think that the characters drawn thence 

 owe more of their worth to the extraordinary perspicuity 

 with which they have been presented by Prof. Huxley 

 than to their own intrinsic value, and that if the same 

 power had been employed to elucidate in the same way 

 other parts of the skeleton — say the bones of the sternal 

 apparatus or even of the pelvic girdle — either set could 

 have been made to appear quite as instructive and perhaps 

 more so. Adventitious value would therefore seem to 

 have been acquired by the bones of the palate through the 

 fact that so great a master of the art of exposition selected 

 them as fitting examples upon which to exercise his skill. 4 

 At the same time it must be stated this selection was not 

 premeditated by Prof. Huxley, but forced itself upon him 

 as his investigations proceeded. 5 In reply to some critical 

 remarks (Ibis, 1868, pp. 85-96), chiefly aimed at shewing 

 the inexpediency of relying solely on one set of characters, 

 especially when those afforded by the palatal bones were 

 not, even within the limits of Families, wholly diagnostic, 

 the author (Ibis, 18G8, pp. 357-362) announced a slight 

 modification of his original scheme, by introducing three 

 more groups into it, and concluded by indicating how its 

 bearings upon the great question of " Genetic Classifica- 

 tion " might be represented so far as the different groups 

 of Carinatx are concerned : — 



3 This is adapted from that given in the Record of '/. 

 Literature (iv. pp. 46—19), which is believed to have not inadequately 

 represented the author's views. 



4 The notion of the superiority of the palatal bones to all others for 



s of classification has pleased many persons, from the fact thai 

 these bones are not unfrequently retained iu the dried skins oi B 

 sent home by collectors in foreign countries, and are therefore available 

 for study, while such bones as the sternum and pelvis are ran 

 served. The common practice of ordinary collectors, until at least 

 very recently, has been terselj described to the present writer as beit g 

 to "shoot a bird, take off its skin, and throw away its characters." 



5 Perhaps this may be partially explained by the fact that the 

 Museum of the College of Surgeons, in which these investigations were 



carried on, like most other museums of the time, contained a 

 much larger series of the heads of Birds than of their entire si. 

 or of any other portion of the skeleton. Consequently the materials 

 available for the comparison of different forms consisted in great part 

 of heads only. 



