ORDER GALLI. 217 
-of the suborder Galliformes, the other superfamily being the Phasianoidea, which 
includes all the well-known domesticated fowls and most of the desirable game-birds, 
with a world-wide range but only three small forms in Australia. The Hemipodes 
‘constitute the fourth suborder, Turniciformes, and is strongly represented in Australia, 
but the forms aresmall birds. The last suborder, Attagidiformes, for the Seed Snipe 
of South America, consists of a few small birds, which are purely modified forms, but 
which on account of the idiosyncrasies of anatomists have been variously classed, 
commonly with the Plovers, to which they are not nearly related. The internal 
characters cited in favour of the Charadriiform alliance were obviously misunderstood. 
‘There are no absolute anatomical or osteological features for diagnosis, so we will 
cite the general characters quoted. The skull shows the palate to be schizognathous 
with the nasals holorhinal, and basipterygoid processes are present ; the palatines 
without internal lamina as a general rule ; the lachrymals are variable, sometimes 
large with a large descending process as in the Craciformes, sometimes small with a 
weak or missing descending process as in the Galliformes. The sternum is strongly 
keeled generally with very deep notching and peculiar lateral processes ; the furcula 
is always present and curved and there are sixteen cervical vertebre. The carotids 
are either one or two, the syrinx is variable and the digestive system is somewhat 
variable, of apparently low origin and showing relationship to the Tinami, the lowest 
‘forms being seen in the Opisthocomiformes and Craciformes. There is a large crop 
present and the ceca are large. The leg-muscles are generally complete, ABXY-+, 
the expansor secundariorum present but somewhat peculiar, the biceps slip variable. 
The oil gland is sometimes tufted, sometimes nude, an aftershaft always present, 
and the wing quincubital or aquincubital. The pterylosis has only been studied 
in a few forms without much variation determined, and the nestling is hatched 
covered with down. Though regarded as an ancient group, the factor, quin- 
cubitalism of the wing, sugg esting this, few fossil forms are known. 
SuporpDER GALLIFORMES. 
We separate this suborder into two superfamilies, Megapodioidea for the 
Megapodes and other mound-building forms as Leipoa, and Phasianoidea for the 
“Turkeys, Guineafowl, Grouse, Pheasants, Partridges and American Quail. While 
superficially the Megapodes are rather different from the remainder, the anatomists 
have pointed out many small peculiarities in their internal structure. Thus Huxley 
divided the Galliformes into two, the Peristeropodes and the Alectoropodes, the 
former covering the Craciformes and the Megapodioidea, the latter the remaining 
Galliformes. The former differed in the less notching of the sternum and the short 
obtuse costal processes, with the hallux on the level with other toes ; the latter have 
the sternum very deeply notched and long costal processes and the hallux attached 
-above the level of other toes. We have separated the Craciformes as of subordinal 
rank distinct from the Galliformes in which we include the Megapodes, and this 
arrangement agrees with the results of anatomical investigation. 
SuPpERFAMILY MEGAPODIOIDEA. 
This superfamily includes the mound-building Galliformes, but the three forms 
represented in Australia are of diverse appearance and possibly of different origin. 
We have admitted only one family but possibly three will later be recognised, the 
three Australian species being each referred to a separate family. Itis almost certain 
that Leipoa has no close relation with the others, and we anticipate careful osteo- 
logical and myological comparison will reveal more differences than likenesses. The 
range of the mound-builders is Papuasia and Australia, but the Papuasian group 
only ranges into the extreme north of Australia, while Leipoa is isolated in 
the extreme South, both east and west, but not Tasmania. The superficial details 
