CHAP. VII EURYLAEMIDAE 467 



hallux to the front toes, and Eleutherodactyli, where the hind toe 

 is free. The former contained only the Eurylaemidae ; the latter 

 the Mesomyodi (where the syringeal muscles join the bronchial 

 semi-rings in their middle or lateral portion), and the Acromyodi 

 (where they are attached to the extremities). The subdivisions 

 need not be discussed here ; but it should be noticed that, as 

 opposed to Miiller, the attachment, and not the number, of 

 muscles was the point relied upon. Want of space forbids an 

 account of the subsequent labours of Mr. Sclater,^ Professors 

 Newton ^ and Fiirbringer,^ and others ; but the last-named no doubt 

 influenced considerably the views of Dr. Gadow, mainly accepted 

 below. This author"* takes into consideration not only the 

 attachment, but also the cUsposition of the muscles of the syrinx, 

 and distinguishes his Fasseriformes as (1) Passeres anisomyodae, 

 where the syringeal muscles are unequally inserted, either in the 

 middle, or upon the dorsal or ventral end only, of the bronchial 

 semi-rings ; (2) Passeres diacromyodae, where some of the muscles 

 are attached to the dorsal, and some to the ventral ends. The 

 former of these groups may be subdivided into A. S^ibclaviatores 

 and B. Clamatores ; the latter into C. Suhoscines and D. Oscines. 

 Even the groups (1) and (2) are expressly stated not to rise to 

 the rank of Sub-Orders, while the Oscines and other equivalent 

 divisions are of hardly more than Family value. 



The great number of species in the Order Passeriformes 

 makes it necessary to treat the various sections less fully than 

 has been the case in the foregoing portion of the work, while the 

 Families are not, of course, on the same level here as elsewhere. 



1. Passekes anisomyodae. 



A. Suhclamatores. 



Fam. Eurylaemidae. The Broad-bills, a curious Old World 

 group, have been by various authors regarded as allied to the 

 Eollers or to the Flycatchers. They are distinguished from all other 

 Passerine forms by the fact that the hallux is connected with the 

 front toes by a vinculum or band joining the deep plantar tendons, 

 and is thus incapable of independent motion. The beak is very 



1 Ibis, 1880, pp. 340-349. " Did. Birds, 1896, Introduction. 



* Untersuchungcn zur Mor2)hologie und Sysiematik der Vogel, Amsterdam, 1888. 



* Bronn's Thier-Eeich, Aves. Sijst. Theil, 1893, pp. 270-273. 



