On the Pico-Passerine Group of Birds. 29 



which had been productive with the female of E. roratus, 

 and got the following results : — 



1888. First deposit, 2 embryos. 

 Second deposit, 2 embryos. 



Third deposit, 2 unimpregnated eggs. 



Fourth deposit, 2 young birds, which died after one 



or two days. 

 Fifth deposit, 1 green male (which was reared) and 1 



embryo. 



1889. First deposit, 2 embryos. 



Second deposit, 2 unimpregnated eggs. 

 Third deposit, 2 unimpregnated eggs. 



Therefore from all these deposits of eggs only two females 

 and seven males have been reared and of these only four 

 males are still living. The sex of these four males is only 

 determined by the colour of the plumage, a character, how- 

 ever, which appears to be entirely trustworthy. As Mr. Hie- 

 ronymus has placed nineteen of the embryos in my hands, 

 ten of which are in pairs, I may, perhaps, still succeed by 

 microscopical investigation in determining the sexes, and 

 thus ascertain whether the male sex prevails or not, and 

 whether a pair among them does not sometimes consist of 

 male and female. 



IV. — An Attempt to Diagnose the Pico-Passerine Group of 

 Birds and the Suborders of which it consists. By Henry 

 Seebohm, F.Z.S. 



In my investigations into the osteology of the Grallo-Galline 

 and Ardeo-Anserine group of birds (Ibis, 1888, p. 415, and 

 1889, p. 92) I have found that however constant a cha- 

 racter might be in one or more groups, there were almost 

 sure to be other groups in which it broke down. In inves- 

 tigating the large group of birds consisting of the Passeres 

 and the Picarise, it seems as if osteological characters ceased 

 to be entirely reliable, and required the assistance of other 

 characters to make the diagnoses of the subdivisions complete. 



