CHAPTER III 



NEORNITHES CARINATAE 



BRIGADE I LEGION I (COLYMBOMORPH^). ORDERS: ICHTHYORNITHES 



COLYMBIFORMES SPHENISCIFORMES PROCELLARIIFORMES 



(C) The Neornithes Carinatae, or birds which, with few excep- 

 tions, have a keel to the sternum, include all the remaining 

 members of the Class. It is unnecessary to recapitulate the 

 distinctions between these forms and the Ratitae, to be found on 

 p. 26, but it may be well to reiterate that it is the sum of all 

 the characters that constitutes the difference, and to point out that 

 in one or more of the items several of the Carinatae agree with the 

 members of the aforesaid group, though totally at variance with 

 them in the aggregate. Claws on the manus are found on the 

 pollex and index in certain of the Anseres, Cathartae, and Accipi- 

 tres, and on the pollex alone in some Anseres, Accipitres, and 

 Galli, with individual instances in other birds. 



Order I. ICHTHYORNITHES. 



Enough has already been said with regard to the position of the 

 Order Ichthyornithes, with its sole Family Ichthyornithidae ; but 



it remains to discuss the several 

 members. Ichthyornis victor, 

 I. dispar, and the other species 

 were small forms of about 



the size of a Partridge, wath 



the habits and appearance, it 



Fig. 14. Head oi Ichthyornis. (From Geikie, is presumed, of Terns or Glllls.^ 

 after Marsh.) x J. rpi i i i. i i 



ine head was extremely large 



^ This is very doubtful, as they show quite as many points of resemblance to 

 other very different forms. 



I 



U 



