2 A MANUAL OF THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
latter bearing a more or less strongly developed helmet, peculiar hollow spines as 
the wing feathers and a peculiarly developed inner claw, and also having the head 
bare and fleshy wattles on the neck. The superficial features are described under 
the generic names, so we may just cite the known internal characters. Osteologically 
the skull is dromeognathous, a term introduced by Huxley, for the style of palatal 
formation found in connection with these birds, but which has proved to be of less 
value than was anticipated, as a similar state occurs in the Tinamous and Kiwi which 
have no near relationship. It may be noted that Huxley separated the Ratite from 
the Carinate birds, and then divided the Jatter by means of the palate, providing 
dromzognathous for the Tinamous on account of their perfectly Struthious palate, 
and since then the term has been used in connection with the Struthious birds. The 
nasals are holorhinal and the basipterygoid processes are very large and peculiar, 
articulating with the pterygoids at their extreme end, instead of half-way along, as 
commonly in the higher groups. The lachrymals show a foramen in the descending 
process. There is no furcula, only rudimentary clavicles being present, the coracoids 
fused with the scapula and the sternum has no keel; there are twenty cervical 
vertebra in Dromiceius, and eighteen or nineteen in Casuarius. The pelvisis peculiar, 
there being no osseous connection between the pubes and ischia and ilium. There 
are two carotid arteries and the digestive system is considered to represent the lowest 
avian type of coiling. The syrinx is indistinct, showing no pessulus or intrinsic 
musculature, a peculiar modification being seen in connection with Dromiceius. 
The leg muscle formula is complete, being ABXY-+, while the biceps slip is absent, 
The oil gland is missing and the aftershaft is remarkably long, nearly the same length 
as the main feather. The pterylosis is not well known, while the nestlings are striped, 
the down being of a peculiar hair-like texture. Fossil remains in Australia may be 
accredited to ancestral forms of this group, such as Genyornis newtoni suggested as a 
gigantic Emu-like form, 
SusporpeR CASUARIIFORMES. 
Famity DROMICEIIDA. 
Characters as of the genus Dromiceius below, save that in size and proportions 
the extinct genus Peronista differed. We have no record of any other details in 
connection with the latter. We should note that there is a singular opening in the 
front of the windpipe, communicating with a tracheal pouch, which has a literature 
of its own and varied conjectures as to its usage, but this item has been entirely 
neglected by recent field observers. 
Genus DROMICEIUS. 
Dromiceius Vieillot, Analyse nouv. Ornith., p. 54, April 14th, 1816. Type (by monotypy) : 
Casuarius novehollandie Latham. Also spelt Dromaius on p. 70. 
Tachea Fleming, Philos. of Zool., Vol. II., p. 257, June 1822. Type (by monotypy) : 
Casuarius novehollandie Latham. 
Emou Griffith and Pidgeon’s ed. Cuvier’s Anim. Kingd., Vol. VIII., p. 443, “1829” [? 1830). 
New name for Dromazus Vieillot. 
Large Dromzornithes with small heads, long necks, strong bodies, minute 
flightless wings, no tail, very stout legs and feet, three toes but no hind-toe. The 
bill is as long as head, the culmen ridge pronounced and narrow, the shape is 
elongately triangular, the sides sloping behind the nostrils, which are placed alittle 
in front of the middle, flattened anteriorly. The nostrils are oblique slits. The under 
mandible is very shallow, the rami sloping slightly, the interramal space large and 
sparsely feathered ; there is a narrow strip between the two rami at the tip. The 
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