86 Remarks on Prof. Huxley's 



the importance of Professor Huxley's elaborate researches into 

 the Classificatiou of Birds, mentioned in a former number (Ibis, 

 1867, pp. 254, 255), the results of which, as communicated by 

 him to the Zoological Society, have lately been published*, I deem 

 it incumbent upon me to depart from the practice of which I 

 have spoken, and specially to direct the attention of ornitholo- 

 gists to the essay in which that eminent zoologist, with his accus- 

 tomed perspicuity, sets forth his views on the subject. 



As on several points I regret to say I cannot agree with Prof. 

 Huxley, I feel that it will be only fair to preface these remarks 

 by giving a bare outline of the paper in question ; for there may 

 be some readers of this Journal who have not generally the op- 

 portunity of seeing the ' Proceedings ; ' but I would beg such 

 persons (and I believe they are few in number) to seize the 

 earliest occasion of consulting the original, in case I should in 

 these remarks accidentally and unintentionally misrepresent the 

 opinions therein contained. 



After briefly recapitulating the principal characters possessed 

 in common by Aves and Reptilia, causing them to be regarded 

 by Pi'of. Huxley as forming one primary group of Vertebratesf, 

 to which he has applied the name Sauropsida, and, again, the 

 characters which distinguish Birds from Reptiles, he proposes 

 to divide the former, the class Aves, into three orders : — 

 (1.) SaururvE, Hackel; (II.) Ratit^, Merrem, and (III.) 

 Carinat^, Merrem. 



The Saurur/E are represented, so far as our knowledge goes 

 at present, by the marvellous Archaopteryx only ; and being 

 doubtless all extinct, we may here dismiss them from our con- 

 sideration. 



The RatittE comprehend the Struthious birds, and differ 

 from all others in the combination of several peculiarities. The 

 sternum has no keel, and ossifies only from lateral and paired 



* "On the Classification of Birds ; and on the Taxonomic Value of 

 the Modifications of certain of the Cranial Bones observable in that 

 Class." By Thomas H. Huxley, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, 

 pp. 415-472. 



t Lectures on the Elements of Comparative Anatomy. London : 

 1864 (pp. 219-244). 



