of the Swifts and Humming-birds. 37 



It is to be regretted that Mr. Lucas did not mention in 

 his paper what Humming-bird among all the Trochili is so 

 much like Chcetura. When I have been informed upon that 

 point 1 shall be in a position to see more clearly what my 

 friend means from what he says. But, mark you, I am 

 no longer inclined in this matter to listen to those who 

 have only a few single sets of characters to bring forward 

 in support of what they state. I have carefully examined 

 the entire anatomy of several specimens of Chcetura pelagica, 

 as I have the structure of many Humming-birds ; but to 

 use the knowledge gained therefrom J must at least have 

 the evidence that my opponent is equipped in a similar 

 manner. 



On p. 369 of his paper Mr. Lucas presents us with a 

 series of figures (1-5) which are intended to show the 

 " various steps in the transition from the humerus of tlie 

 Goatsucker to that of the Humming-bird.^' The bones are 

 right humeri seen upon their anconal aspects, and several 

 of them have been more or less enlarged. They are from 

 specimens of Campyloyterus hemileucurus , Cypselus apus, 

 Macropteryx klecho, Chordeiles virginianus, and Progne 

 subis. The series, then, is from a Passerine to a Trochili- 

 diue bird more than it is from Goatsucker to Humming- 

 bird. No descriptions nor actual comparisons whatever 

 occur in the text of the article in regard to these bones — 

 important matters about which we are left entirely in the 

 dark. Glancing at the pictures of them as they stand, it 

 must be evident to any one, osteologist or otherwise, that 

 there are two instances in which violence has been done, 

 and these are the insertion of the humeri of the Goatsucker 

 and the Humming-bird in the series. But we are not after 

 what things thus superficially " look like,'' but that better 

 and far safer species of anatomy which takes into consi- 

 deration the characters as they actually exist. Mr. Lucas, 

 in conversation with me the other day, acknowledged that he 

 thus far failed to see how it was that the humerus of a 

 Humming-bird had come to be " completely twisted round.'' 

 Permit me to suggest it may be just possible that it is 



