NO. 1 166. FFA THER- TEA CTS OF GEO USE A ND Q UA IL— CLAEK. 653 



ant of a Fedioc(Ktes-\\kG, ancestor may be open to question, but it is at 

 least jiossible that the changes begun in that genus have reached an 

 extreme in Centrocercus. These hypothetical relationships will be more 

 readily gathered from the diagram : 



Deudragapua. • / 



s 



\ 

 \ 



\ Lagopus. / ^ 



Bonasa. 

 / 



/ 



/ ^Tympanuclms. 



\ \ ^^ Pediocajtes. 



^^Canace/" "-Centrocercus. 



As a final conclusion, then, we see that the study of the North Amer- 

 ican genera alone throws very little light on the origin or relationships 

 of the larger groups, and similar work must be done in the numerous 

 genera of South America and the Eastern Hemisphere before we shall 

 be able to solve those i)roblems. Moreover, we must always bear in 

 mind that the conclusions drawn from a single set of characters are by 

 no means final, and care must be taken not to be misled by superficial 

 resemblances. In attempting to show the facts brought to light by a 

 study of the pterylography of the North. American Gallinte I have not 

 taken into account any of the other characters of the group, and for 

 this reason the relation into which I have brought the genera may not 

 be a correct or natural one. It is a matter of regret that the amount 

 of labor involved in this investigation has not been productive of more 

 considerable results, but I feel sure that the facts here recorded will be 

 of real value when our knowledge of the Gallinic of other countries and 

 the pterylography of allied forms is more complete. 



