14 A MANUAL OF THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



Syrrhaptes, Phcenicopteri, Pici and Trogoni. Most of these are of restricted range 

 and of few species, as the Apteryges are confined to New Zealand, and the Tinami 

 to South and Central America. These we place in juxtaposition between the 

 orders Ralli and Galli, and they are so generalised in structure that both have been 

 placed with the birds we class as Dromaeornithes. The Syrrhaptes constitute 

 another generalised group, living in the Southern Palaearctic area, and showing 

 general features approximating in one direction to the Galli, in other details closely 

 recalling the Columbae, and having peculiar feet. The Phcenicopteri or Amphi- 

 morphae similarly show general characters, recalling the Anates and Herodiones, 

 but with specialised bills, neck and legs, so that they constitute quite a distinct 

 group, their range being tropical Africa and America. All the preceding have 

 few species, but the order Pici is world wide, save the Austral -Maorian Regions, 

 and comprises numerous species referable to four superfamilies, all notable and 

 well-known birds. The last extra-limital order is another small one, consisting of 

 the Trogons, a peculiar series of Coraciine-like birds inhabiting the tropics of 

 Asia, Africa and America, and admittedly of generalised structure though specially 

 modified in superficial appearance. Of the nineteen orders that will be dealt with 

 in this work one only, the Menurae, is restricted to Australia, all the others have a 

 wider range. 



ORDER PROCELLARLE OR TUBINARES. 



This order comprises seabirds with webbed feet and hooked bills, the nostrils 

 being tubular. Superficially the order is separable into two groups, one of which 

 has the nostrils placed on top of the culmen, the other with the nasal openings 

 distinct and on the sides. These two groups we propose to rank as superfamilies 

 as no gradation is now known. The majority of the species nest in the southern 

 hemisphere, breeding generally in holes and always gregariously. They live half 

 the year at sea, but apparently do not range far from their breeding haunts. They 

 are very slow in development, the time from egg-laying to young-flight varying 

 from four to twelve months. 



In size they vary from very small birds to the largest flying birds, the wing 

 varying in formation accordingly, but all have hooked bills and comparatively 

 short feet, first toe very small, consisting of one phalanx only or even missing, 

 anterior three large and fully webbed. 



The diagnostic feature of the order is the superficial one of the tubular nostrils, 

 and there is no peculiar internal character whereby the group can be distinguished. 



The osteological characters of the skull vary somewhat ; the palate is schizog- 

 nathous, but this is somewhat obscure in the Diomedeoidea ; the nasals holo- 

 rhinal, and basipterygoid processes are sometimes absent as in the Diomedeoidea, 

 present and well developed or much reduced in the remainder ; the supraorbital 

 grooves may be wide and shallow or broad and deep or obscure. In some forms 

 the lachrymal is free, in others anchylosed with nasals. The cervical vertebrae 

 are always fifteen in number, and heterocrelous in form ; the sternum is keeled and 

 sometimes the posterior border is entire, but generally notched, and no collation 

 of this variation has been attempted. Both carotids are present and the syrinx 

 is variable from the tracheo-bronchial type to almost complete bronchial form. 

 The digestive system belongs to the periccelous form, but is a very specialised product, 

 becoming typically mesogyrous in the smallest forms, a result of great significance 

 in connection with their phylogeny. The leg muscles are variable, the ambiens, 

 the accessory femoro-caudal, and the accessory semitendinosus being sometimes 

 present and sometimes absent in different species. Much stress has been laid upon 

 this fact, but in an imperfect manner. The biceps is present but degenerate, while 

 the biceps slip is absent. The oil gland is present and tufted, while an afterehaft 



