Dr. J. Murie on the Upupidse. 185 



not, I think, be answered satisfactorily till more facts are col- 

 lected respecting the food, habits, and anatomy of this group 

 and of others with which it may be compared. It may, how- 

 ever, be conjectured that they are allied in one direction by 

 means of Epimachus or Astrapia to the Paradiseidse, and in 

 another by Merops to the Alcedinidse, as shown in Ann. Nat. 

 Hist. vol. vi. pi. 8*, and as originally suggested by Vigors in 

 Linn. Trans, vol. xiv. p. 466. In a third direction they are 

 perhaps connected through Lamprotornis with the Corvidse." 



L'Herminier has been credited with having characterized 

 the Hoopoes by sternal formation ; but in my search through 

 his articles in the ' Comptes Rendus ' and ' Annales ' I failed to 

 discover definite statements thereon. I may say, however, 

 that his "Recherches sur Fappareil sternal des oiseaux" I could 

 not lay hands on in our London libraries, the memoirs ap- 

 pended in the footnote having alone been examined by met- 



M. BlanchardJ observes that the Hoopoes constitute a very 

 restricted group, but so markedly characteristic that it is im- 

 possible to join them to other types. Their sternum only dis- 

 tantly resembles that of other birds, the Finches to wit. In 

 his description of the sternum he points to its elongation and 

 high keel, which quite posteriorly has a little (triangular) 

 flattening continued forwards some distance. The keel ante- 

 riorly is rounded or arched ; a salient episternal process or 

 nipple-shaped rostrum surmounts it, having a most singular 

 perforation at its root. The interior is shorter than the ex- 



* Map of the Alcedinidse, wherein Upupa is included, and in the above 

 assigned position. 



t "Recherches sur la niarche de l'ossification dans le sternum des 

 oiseaux," &c, Comptes Rendus (1836), vol. iii. p. 12; Ann. Sci. Nat. vi. 

 p. 107 ; Comptes Rendus (1837), iv. p. 565 ; Ann. Sci. Nat. (1837) vii. 

 p. 181. Since the above sentence has been in print Mr. Salvin has laid 

 before me for inspection L'Herminier's memoir above alluded to. Therein 

 (p. 60) the Epopsides (17th family) connect the Picidfe and Passeres ; but 

 so distinctive does L'Herminier consider the sternum of Upupa, that he 

 separates it from the latter, giving rank accordingly. He concludes, 

 " Les huppes d'une part, les prome'rops de l'autre, appartiennent a cette 

 famille, a laquelle peut-etre se rapportent aussi les tichodromes, les epi- 

 maques et les picucules." 



\ Annales des Sciences Naturelles, 1H59, 4th ser. torn. xi. p. 111. 

 SER. III. VOL. III. O 



