FAMILY BURHINID. 115 
a hypocleidium. The carotids are two, the syrinx tracheo-bronchial, a single pair 
of intrinsic muscles present or absent ; the digestive system is periccelous and ortho- 
ccelous, tending to the typically mesogyrous, and czxca usually large though sometimes 
rudimentary. The leg muscle formula is variable, generally AXY-+, but in many 
cases ABXY-+. The biceps slip and expansor secundariorum generally present, 
but in a few cases altogether missing. The oil gland is present and feathered, an 
aftershaft present and the wing aquincubital. The pterylosis of a few species is 
known but the variation has not been determined. The nestlings are hatched 
covered with down and the colour pattern of this down seems a valuable character 
for the recognition of groups, as it is very constant. 
Superramity BURHINOIDEA. 
An ancient group with only a single family and few genera distributed generally 
through the Temperate and Tropical zones of the world. Superficially the whole 
series agree, only showing variation in size, shape and size of bill and proportions 
of wings, legs, etc. Thus @dicnemus contains the smaller species, Burhinus the 
larger ones with small bills, Orthorhamphus larger ones with very large straight stout 
bills, and Hsacus larger ones with large stout recurved bills. The same style of 
coloration is retained by all with not much variation. 
Osteologically great stress has been laid upon the holorhinal nostrils, as all other 
Charadriiform birds are credited with schizorhinal ones, but upon examination the 
holorhiny will be seen to be spurious and that the nasals are of schizorhinal origin. 
Another peculiar item is the variation of the leg muscles within the limits of the 
“genus”? (dicnemus, some members having lost the femoro-caudal, while others 
possess the full complement. There are no basipterygoid processes nor occipital 
foramina but supraorbital grooves are present. The lachrymals are united to the 
prefrontals. The cervical vertebre are sixteen in number, while the coracoids 
overlap ; the dorsal vertebre are heteroccelous and the sternum is four notched at 
the posterior border. There are generally no intrinsic muscles to the syrinx. 
Famity BURHINID. 
Four genera only are admitted in this family, of which two are represented in 
Australia, one being endemic. It is noteworthy that the extra-limital “ genus ” 
(Edicnemus shows more internal variation than appears externally, the variation 
in the leg muscles being extraordinary. The Australian endemic genus Burhinus 
has the formula BXY-++, in this respect agreeing with the type of @dicnemus, while 
other species of “‘ Hdicnemus”’ have the formula ABXY-+. Such a difference is 
elsewhere regarded as of greatimportance, but in this group merely as of specific value. 
Genus BURHINUS. 
Burhinus Wliger, Prodr. Mamm. et Av., p 250, (pref. April) 1811. Type (by monotypy): 
Charadrius magnirostris Latham. 
Planorhamphus Billberg, Synops. Faune Scand., Vol. I., pt. m., Aves, tab. A, 1828. New 
name for ‘‘ Burrhinus Ill.? ’’ cf. Austral Av. Rec., Vol. II., pts 2 and 3, p. 40, Oct. 23rd, 1913. 
Burhinine birds with short bills, short wings, long tails, and long legs and feet. 
The bill is shorter than the head, thick, and strong; nostrils pervious ; the 
nasal depression is less than half the length of the bill with the linear nostrils placed 
in its anterior portion ; the culmen is much less than half the length of the meta- 
tarsus. The wing is short with the second primary longest, the first equal to the 
third ; the wing is much less than three times the length of the metatarsus. The 
tail, consisting of twelve rectrices, is long and wedge shaped, and more than half 
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