180 Mr. P. L. Sclatei- on the Systematic Position 0/ Indicator. 



There is a small accessory plume present in Indicator, which is 

 not found in the Cuckoos. The oil-gland of Indicator has a 

 circlet of feathers at the tip ; in the Cuculida it is naked. In- 

 dicator has 12 perfect rectrices in the tail; no trueCuculine bird 

 has more than 10*. Finally, the disposition of the contour- 

 feathers on both the upper and lower surface of Indicator' is 

 different from that of the Cuculidce, " there being on the breast 

 a perfectly free branch of the inferior tract, whilst the dorsal 

 tract, which remains simple as far as the pelvis, exhibits a 

 rhombic saddle, enclosing a lanceolate space "f. In the Cucu- 

 lida, generally, the inferior tract is rather widely dilated, and in 

 some cases enclosed a narrow insular space ; but there is no free 

 tract, whilst the space enclosed in the dorsal tract is much 

 elongated and very narrow, extending from between the shoulder 

 to the caudal pit. 



Under these circumstances, whilst there is still much to learn 

 concerning the structure of Indicator, the following conclusions 

 may, I think, be deemed sufficiently proved. 



1 • Indicator diflfers in important particulars, both of osteology 

 and pterylosis from the true Cuculidce, and cannot be permitted 

 to remain in the same family. 



2. Mr. Blyth's suggestion that Indicator might belong to the 

 Picidfp is not supported by facts. 



3. Indicator, and its allied forms Melignothes, Hetcerodes, and 

 others, must be for the present regarded as constituting an inde- 

 pendent family of Coccygomoi'phce sive Coccyges, which should 

 be called Indicatoridce. 



4. The family Indicatoridce may be temporarily best placed in 

 the second section of the CoccygomorpJio', as arranged by Prof. 

 Huxley (P. Z. S. 1867, p. 466), next to the Capitonida. 



P.S. Feb. 24, 1870.— In Mr. Blanford's new work on the 

 ' Natural History of the Abyssinian Expedition,^ of which I have 

 seen the proof-sheets since I wrote this article, nearly similar 

 conclusions as to the correct position of Indicator are arrived at. 



* Bunneister (8yst. Ueb. Thiere Dras. ii. p. 258) assigns 12 rectrices 

 to the genus Cultn'des sive Neomorphus ; but this, I believe, is an error. 

 t Nitzsch, /. r. p. 02, tab. iv. fio-s. 16 & 17. 



