GAME-BIRDS 



THE SAND-GROUSE, ORDER PTEROCLETES. 



The sixteen species comprising this small Order, intermediate 

 in its affinities between the Pigeons (Columbce) and the True 

 Game-Birds (Gal/ince), are all included in one family, Ptero- 

 clidiE. Their general structure presents many striking Colum- 

 bine characters, as in the vocal organs, pterygoid bones, and the 



Fig. i. — Skull oi P. exustus. 



Fig. 2.— Skull oi P. cxushts. 



presence of basipterygoid processes (bp) in the skull (Fig. i), 

 the shoulder-girdle, sternum, and especially the great deltoid 

 process of the humerus, or upper-wing bone ; but the digestive 

 organs are like those of the True Game-Birds. Among other 

 distinctive characters may be mentioned the " schizorhinal " 

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