THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS 47 



TUKNICIFOKMES. 



The schizorhinal ^Egithomorphae consist of a few waifs and 

 strays which appear to be all that remain of an aberrant and 

 probably ancient group. They represent the survival of a side 

 branch of the predominant group of Birds, which, from the 

 restricted geographical range of the families and the small 

 number of the species, must be regarded as not very successful 

 in the struggle for existence. They appear to be very closely 

 related to the holorhinal Psophiaa, which are also remarkable for 

 the fewness of their species and the smallness of their ranges. 

 The Galli, on the other hand, have been much more successful ; 

 and their families are wider in their ranges and much more 

 numerous in their species. It is difficult to determine whether 

 the Psophias belong to the Turniciformes or to the Galliformes, or 

 whether these two Orders ought to be' amalgamated ; but it is 

 much easier to diagnose the subclasses if they be kept separate, 

 and if the Psophiae be relegated to the Galliformes. 



The Turniciformes appear to fall naturally into three Sub- 

 orders which are very easily diagnosed : 



Eurypygce* Turniciformes with the vomer free from the 

 maxillo-palatines, with no basipterygoid processes, the oil-gland 

 nude, and powder-down patches on each side of the rump. 



Turnices. Turniciformes with the vomer free from the 

 maxillo-palatines, with basipterygoid processes, but with the 

 oil-gland tufted, and no powder-down patches on either side of 

 the rump. 



Crypturi. Turniciformes with the vomer coalesced with the 

 maxillo-palatines in front, and with the pterygoids and palatines 

 behind; basipterygoid processes present; powder-down patches 

 on each side of the rump. 



The three suborders of the Turniciformes also differ in their 

 dorsal pterylosis. There is no spinal bare tract in the Crypturi ; 

 it is confined to the lower back in the Turnices ; but in the 

 EurypygEe it extends to the base of the neck in the Eurypygidoe, 

 and some way up the neck in the Mesitidcc and Rhinochetidce. 



* I have very carefully examined the wings of Eurypyga, Mesites, and Rhino- 

 chetcs, and have been unable to find any trace of surplus wing-coverts to indicate 

 the loss of the fifth secondary. 



