STERNA OF THE GALLINULES. 369 



farther advantage of being almost the only one which, 

 in a state of nature, may be seen and studied alive 

 in every habitable district of the British islands. The 

 following figures represent its sternal apparatus, half 

 the lineal dimensions of nature. 



STERNA OF THE GALLINULES. 



Birds of this tribe may be considered as in their 

 habits forming a connecting link between the gallinidae 

 and those swimming or diving birds which have the 

 feet lobed or webbed, and they may be taken as an 

 average type of the Long-toed birds of Cuvier's 

 arrangement. 



The following figures represent the sternal appa- 

 ratus of the common gallinule, half the lineal dimen- 

 sions of nature . 



Gallinule. 



This sternum, as may be seen from the figures, is 

 very long and narrow, broader toward the ends than 



B B 



