Sclater on the Systema Avium. 8 1 



under Prof. Huxley's title Geranomorphae,* and divided them 

 into two suborders, for which I have used Nitzsch's names Fuli- 

 carire and Alectorides. In the last edition of the w List of Ani- 

 mals ' (1879) I have added the Bustards and Cranes and consid- 

 ered these suborders as orders, which is perhaps the most natural 

 plan, although Aramus is certainly intermediate between the 

 two groups. After Prof. Garrod's investigations, however, f we 

 must, I think, allow that Aramus is essentially more nearly allied 

 to the Gruidae. 



The families of these two orders will therefore accordingly 

 stand somewhat as follows : — 



Fulicari.*;. Alectorides. 



Rallidas. Aramidae. 



Heliornithida-. Eurypygidae. 



Gruidae. 



Psophiidas. 

 Cariamidas. 

 ' Otidas. 



Bv placing the Otidas last we obtain a more gentle transition 

 to the Limicolae through (Edicnemus. 



15. Limicolae. 



The Limicolae or Scolopacime of Nitzsch (Charadriomorphae 



of Huxley) form a very natural group with but small pterylo- 

 graphic differences. They also exhibit a characteristic form of 

 skeleton and a well-marked type of schizognathous palate. In 

 the • Nomenclator ' I have assigned the following families to this 

 order : — 



1. CEdicnemidne. 4. Chionididse. 



2. Parridae. 5. Thinocoridae. 



3. Charadriidae. 6. Scolopacidae. 



Prof Garrodj would exclude (Edicnemus (as being holorhinal) 

 entirely from this order, and associate it with the Bustards ( Otis). 

 But if we give in to this principle we should have to place the 

 Plataleidae among the Limicohe, which I cannot agree to. 



* P. Z. S. 1867, p. 457. 

 t P. Z. S. 1876, p. 275. 

 I P. Z. S. 1873, p. 37. 



