proposed Classification of Birds. 89 



divided into two groups, (1) Cypselomorphm, and (2) Coraco- 

 morphce — the latter being further separable into two smaller 

 groups, left unnamed, but the one (i.) divisible according to the 

 laryngeal structure into (a) Puhjmyodce, (/3) Tracheophonce, and 

 (7) Oligomyudce, and the other (ii.) containing the genus Menura, 

 which, so far as known at present, must stand alone. In the 

 birds of this Suborder generally, the vomer is a broad bone, 

 abruptly truncated in front, deeply cleft behind, and embracing 

 the rostrum of the sphenoid between its forks. The maxillo- 

 palatals are slender at their origin but expanded at their pos- 

 terior ends, which do not unite either with each other or with 

 the vomer. The anterior part of the nasal septum is frequently 

 ossified ; but this ossification is not united with the vomer. 

 This structure is, according to Prof. Huxley, substantially re- 

 peated in the great majority of these birds, with some minor 

 modifications which, he suggests, are characteristic of the 

 natural subdivisions of the group. Thus, for example, Menura 

 possesses no ossified maxillo-palatals at all; and Tyr annus, Cepha- 

 lupterus, Ckasmorhynchus, Pteruptochus, and Gymnorhina also 

 differ, more or less, from the normal Passerine birds in the 

 structure of their maxillo-palatals. 



Such, then, is the briefest possible outline of the principles of 

 Prof. Huxley's proposed arrangement. Want of space alone 

 ])recludes me from entering further into details; and I trust I 

 am not open to the imputation of any unfairness in stopping 

 here. Prof. Huxley deserves, I conceive, the warmest thanks of 

 all ornithologists for the manner in which he has endeavoured 

 to lay before us what he believes to be a really sound system of 

 classification in place of those exceedingly irrational and unsa- 

 tisfactory schemes with which we have hitherto had to be con- 

 tented. He has, I know, come to the subject without bias 

 of any kind; and the importance which in his eyes is now 

 assigned to characters exhibited by the j)alatal bones, was un- 

 premeditated by him, and has forced itself upon him as his 

 investigations proceeded*. I cannot pretend to have laboured 

 on the subject anything like so diligently as Prof. Huxley, 



* 8ee ' Jdiunial of Anatomy aud riiysiology,' No. II. May 18G7, 

 pp. 3G9-37]. 



