GalUno-GraUine Group of Birds. 429 



Opisthocomido' 



Lnrrre hallux.* 

 f Mesitidce 



Schizorliinal <{ 



Humerus not 

 pneumatic. 



Eurtjpygidai. 



Gruidce "~| Lateral occipital foutanelles. 



L minochetid<B \ Lo"S- narrow steruum, with 

 ^ j no notches. 



Psophiidce .... J 



Otididce No hallux. 



Rallidce. 

 Cariamidce, 



I have been unable to find any satisfactory characters by 

 which the Fulicarise may be distinguished from the Alecto- 

 rides ; but they may be somewhat unnaturally divided into 

 two groups, the Holorhinal Grallse and the Schizorhinal 

 Grallse. The Rallidse (including Heliornis) and the Gruidse 

 (including Aramus) are the typical families of the two sec- 

 tions J but if they be regarded as natural sections, the Oti- 

 didse must be removed from the Alectorides to the Fulicarise, 

 and the Psophiidte must be placed in a different suborder 

 from the Rhinochetidse, in spite of the similarity of the 

 sternum. It is quite possible that these changes may be 

 right ; but until their propriety be established by other cha- 

 racters, it is probably safest to regard the Grallae as one sub- 

 order, which may be more or less artificially divided into two 

 sections. 



The holorhinal Grallse possess the following characters : — 



1 . They are heteroccelous in the articulation of their dorsal 

 vertebrae. 



2. The posterior processes of the ilia are widely separated. 



3. The coracoids are furnished with subclavicular processes. 



4. They are holorhinal. 



* Mesites and Opistkocoimis are not only aberrant in having Columbine 

 feet, but the former has no furculum, and the latter has a very remarkable 

 sternum, which looks as if the keel had been turned upside down, the 

 posterior half projecting more than the anterior portion. 



