Dr. J. Murie on the Upupidse. 203 



But that these should overmatch characteristics of colour 

 of egg, nest-building, number of rectrices, of oil-gland, vocal 

 organs, song, tongue, cseca, sternum and shoulder-girdle, 

 pelvis, relation of wing to leg-bones, perforate condition of 

 head of tarsus, construction of base of skull, &c. I can by no 

 means admit. Yet the Larks and Hoopoes differ widely in 

 all these respects. These structures are coadapted to organic 

 function, and of necessity evince propinquity of type. To fling 

 such evidence to the winds, as SundevalPs late arrangement 

 proposes, shakes my confidence entirely in its worth. 



2. To the Creepers and Sunbirds. — As in the last, with these 

 forms outward resemblances have too long swayed ornitholo- 

 gists in assigning a close proximity of Upupa to the Certhiadae 

 and NectariniidsB. The moment we go more than skin deep 

 the skeletal structure reveals a want of harmony between these 

 forms and Upupa and its true allies. The usually long slender 

 beak of the Creepers and Sunbirds deceives as to their Hoopoe 

 relationship. This point kept in abeyance, I have but to re- 

 peat what has been affirmed of the Alaudinae, to show that 

 in a whole mass of particulars they have no common tie. In 

 the case of Certhia and Nectarinia, moreover, they have not the 

 advantage of likeness in plantar scutella, pterylosis, or terres- 

 trial habit, though their beak-elongation suggests analogy. 



3. To the Starlings and Crows. — What affinity there is between 

 the Corvine group and the Upupidse has never been weightily 

 insisted upon by reason of intense similarity in outward aspect. 

 Neither the beak nor feet of the former suggest such decep- 

 tive likeness as in the preceding groups. Strickland's hint 

 of filtration through Lamprotornis has but an outer garb of 

 cogency ; for even our subsequent group 4 might stand be- 

 tween. As what I have to say concerning them applies 

 equally to the present, the latter are thus twofold removed 

 in consanguinity. 



4. To the Rifle-birds and Birds of Paradise. — If Seleucides 

 albus* be accepted as one (Epiinachinae) said Paradisea papu- 



* For the use of a skeleton of this bird I am indebted to Prof. Newton. 

 It bears his MS. Osteol. Cat. No. 793 a. The Bird of Paradise I refer to 

 is the skeleton in the gallery of the British Museum. 



