344 OSTEOLOGY OF PARID^, SITTA, AND CHAMPA LUCAS. 



expressed opinion was that Chanuea appeared " most decidedly to be- 

 long with the Wrens, and not with the Titmice." 



Finally, Dr. Shufeldt, in a paper in the Journal of Morphology, says 

 that, " so far as its topographical anatomy and characters are concerned, 

 Chamcea shows a far closer kinship with Psaltriparus than it does with 

 any of oar typical ISTorth American Wrens." 



Craniologically Chanuea is much like Psaltripanis, and in those points 

 in which Psaltriparus differs from Parus, by just so much does it ap- 

 proach Chanuea. 



This bird has an open interorbital septum, a large cardiform vacuity 

 at the exit of the olfactory nerves, no maxillo-premaxillary nor cranio- 

 facial hinge, elongate elliptical narial openings, and the external pro- 

 cess of the nasal continued but a short distance along the premaxillarj'. 



All these characters, save the last, are found in the Wrens as well as 

 in Psaltriparus, and probably in numberless other Passeres and simply 

 illustrate the great similarity of structure obtaining in the order. 



In the Wreii8, the external process of the nasal runs nearly the entire 

 length of the narial opening, there is usually a small, laminar lachrymal 

 present and the maxillo-palatines have a peculiar hamate form and are 

 non-pneumatic. 



In Ghamwa, as in the Paridw, the maxillo-palatines are pneumatic 

 although the shape of these processes differs in the two groups. 



The shoulder-girdle of Chamwa is extremely feeble, the keel of the 

 steruum being lower than in Psaltriparus minimus, and the wing much 

 shorter than in Parus caroHnensis. 



The distinctions between the shoulder-girdle of Ghammi and the Tit- 

 mice are teleological rather than morphological, and this is equally true 

 of the same parts in the Wrens and Titmice, the Wrens being narrow- 

 chested weak-armed birds, while the Tits are sturdy, full chested, and 

 strong armed. 



Like the Wrens Chamcea has the ridge running upward from the epi- 

 coracoid almost obsolete, and this is a point of some value, its presence 

 or absence apparently having nothing to do with power of flight. 



The coracoid of Chamcea seems unusually long, but the length is ap- 

 parent, and not real, being due to the small size of the associated parts. 



The sacrum of Chamcea, like that of the Paridce, is broad and deeply 

 pitted, but here similarity between the pelvic girdles of the two ceases. 



Viewed from above, the pelvis of Chamcea is anteriorly narrow and 

 posteriorly contracted, as in Wrens, possessing the characteristic an- 

 gular aspect peculiar to the pelvis of that group. 



Viewed laterally the dorsal outline of the pelvis is alike decurved in 

 ChamceaainS. the Wrens, the dorsal outline of the pelvis in the Paridw — 

 as in the Thrushes — being much straighter. 



The renal fossie in Chamcea are shaped as in the Wrens, being more 

 sharply triangular than in the Paridw. 



