Mr. W. K. Parker on Pterocles, Syrrhaptes, and Tinamus. 303 



* Longirostres ' must receive accessions at the expense of the ' Cultri- 

 rostres,' which family, however, possesses the Balceniceps, the Urn- 

 bre, and the Eurypyga. 



"With regard to the ' Cursores,' it seems to me much better to 

 use the simple term Struthionidce, and to let Didus and Pezophaps 

 abide where Messrs. Strickland and Melville most appropriately 

 placed them, viz. amongst the Ground- Pigeons ; the Notornis being 

 marched back again to its proper place, between Tribonyx and Por- 

 phyria* . 



" I hope to console the lover of tbe struthious tribe by compen- 

 sating him for the loss of the Dodo and the Notornis with the gain 

 of what has hitherto been considered as a true gallinaceous genus : 

 I refer to the Tinamou. 



"The examples given of the gallinaceous genera in Professor 

 Owen's classification are principally remarkable for want of order, 

 as the Ganga is not intermediate between the Pheasant and tbe 

 Grouse, but between the Grouse and the Pigeon, and the Tinamou 

 certainly has no place between the Pintado and the Turkey. 



" The Gemitores might stand as they are, as to the examples given; 

 but they are not Rasores. 



" In the same lecture in which the ' classification ' is given, the 

 Notornis is said to be ' allied to the Coots,' and the Cassowaries 

 ' still more modified Coots.' 



" This seems to me to be an inversion of the natural order of 

 things ; for the Cassowary, every one knows, is in all respects typi- 

 cally struthious in its whole skeleton, but is most decisively seen to 

 be so in its cranium and facial bones ; and all the Struthiones are 

 low, embryonic, unspecialized forms. 



" That there is a near relationship between the Rail-tribe and the 

 Ostriches I feel certain ; but the former seem to me to stand on the 

 same level typically (or in relation to the highest style of bird) as tbe 

 Rasorial group, and in some respects on a higher one ; but I would 

 not press this too far, as the skulking habits of these birds seem to 

 point to a lower brain-development than even the Fowl possesses, 

 and to place them in near contiguity to the Ostriches: moreover 

 Brachypteryx is, in respect of its wings and sternum, but little in ad- 

 vance of the great ' Brevipennes.' Cranially, however, it is in ad- 

 vance ; and it seems to be a more philosophical way of putting the 

 matter to say that a Coot is a modified Cassowary, than that a Cas- 

 sowary is a modified Coot. Whether Mr. Darwin is right in all 

 respects or not, yet we all believe with him that nature does not re- 

 trograde, but ascends from the simpler to the more highly specialized 

 forms. 



" I shall not take up either the Society's time or my own in merely 

 arguing about these puzzling affinities, but hope soon to be able to 



* Dr. Mantell (Petrifactions and their Teachings, page 125) says that "the 

 general form of the skull " of Notornis Mantelli " approaches nearest that of 

 Brachypteryx ; " -whereas that of Tribonyx Mortieri (Osteol. Catal. Mus. Coll. 

 Chir. vol. i. p. 239, No. 1281) comes nearer. In the sternum, however, Notornis 

 is most like Brachypteryx. 



