206 ON THE LATE PROF. GARROD'S CONTRIBUTIONS 



the ileum, is particularly worthy of notice, Chauna* being absolutely 



unique amongst birds in this combination of characters. In its ptery- 



losis and syrinx, too, it is very peculiar. As a result of his examination, 



Prof. Grarrod concludes that the Palamedem cannot be placed amongst 



the Anseres, as had been done by Professors Parker and Huxley, but 



Ibis, 1881, must form an independent group of birds, having probably " sprung from 



P' the primary avian stock as an independent offshoot at much the same 



time as did most of the other important families." 



8. Aramus^. In the schizorhinal character of its skull, as well as in 

 the presence of occipital foramina, Aramus resembles Grus, Ibis, Platalea, 

 and the Limicolae, and not the Ballidae, with which it had generally been 

 associated previously; and this collocation is quite confirmed by its 

 myology and visceral anatomy. 



9. Plotus$. In the first paper the anatomy of P. anhinga is described 

 at considerable length particular stress being laid on the curious 

 arrangement of the cervical vertebrae which makes this bird literally 

 unable to carry its neck straight, and the correspondingly modified 

 muscular system. Other points described are the presence of but one 

 carotid artery, and of but one caecum the latter a feature previously 

 unknown in any Steganopodous bird, though constant in the Herons. 

 The most interesting feature, however, of Plotus anhinga is its very 

 extraordinary stomach, previously only partially described by Macgillivray. 

 The proventriculus, instead of forming a zone or patch, is here developed 

 into a special sac-like diverticulum, which projects from the gizzard 

 externally in a way quite unlike that of any other bird. Moreover the 

 pyloric compartment of the stomach, which is present in a less complete 

 form in Pelecanus, the Herodiones, Ealconidae, &c., here develops a 

 covering of hairs, " a peculiarity which, as far as I know, is found only 

 in one other bird, namely Caihartes aura." This very extraordinary 

 stomach is figured on plate xxviii., and is certainly, as far as yet known, 

 unique amongst birds. In Plotus levaillanti the same features in its 

 anatomy generally are present as in P. anhinga. But there are, as 

 usual, two small caeca : and its stomach differs considerably ; for here 



Ibis, 1881, there is no proventricular gland-pouch, but this organ, as in some other 



p. 24. birds, assumes the form of two separate patches. The second (pyloric) 



compartment of the stomach is also present, in a well- developed form, 



and is also hair-clad. But here another difference presents itself ; for 



" the hairy epithelium surrounding the pyloric orifice .... is produced 



* The anatomy of the soft parts of Palamedea is still, I believe, almost unknown. 



t " On the Anatomy of Aramus scolopaceus" P. Z. S. 1876, pp. 275-277. 



J "" Notes on the Anatomy of Plotus anhinga" P. Z. S. 1876, pp. 335-345, pis. xxvi.- 

 xxviii. ; " Note on Points in the Anatomy of Levaillant's Darter (Plotus levaillanti}" 

 P. Z. 8. 1878, pp. 679-681. 



