THE ANATOMY OF THE COLUMBZE. 225 
femoro-caudal muscle, which is well developed in all other Pigeons. 
This peculiarity, when taken in connection with the fact that, like 
Carpophaga only amongst the Phapine, it possesses a gall-bladder, 
makes me disposed to make it an independent minor branch from the 
Carpophagine stem. 
Most ornithologists seem to be very unwilling to place the Ptero- 
clide along with the true Pigeons in a single group, notwithstanding 
the evidence brought forward by Nitzsch, and the statement of 
M. Blanchard. My own observations tend to show that the two 
families are most intimately related, and that they must be most 
’ certainly included in the same suborder, though forming two quite 
independent families. 
Commencing with the osteological evidence on this point, which 
has been very fully discussed by Mr. Parker and Prof. Huxley, the 
skull presents strong Columbine features. The pterygoid bones are 
peculiarly curved, in a manner seen nowhere else but among the 
Pigeons ; and as in them, and not in the Fowls, the basipterygoid 
facets are situated midway between their two extremities. The nasal 
bones are, no doubt, peculiar; they are not at all typically schizo- 
rhinal, but present the extreme degree of modification of that type, 
probably the result of the shortness and breadth of the beak. There 
_ is, however, a nasal turbinal bone, partly occluding the osseous 
~ external nares, as in the Pigeons, whilst the premaxillary process of 
the nasal bone is also of considerable length. The palatine bones 
are perfectly Columbine in some species (e.g. Pterocles arenarius), 
and are not much modified in others, never so much so as are those 
of Didunculus. In the lower jaw there is no produced and upturned 
angle, like that in the Gallinw. The cranial articular end of the 
quadrate bone is also strongly bifurcate. The whole skull seems to be 
that of a Pigeon modified by the effects of a Grouse-like life. 
The furcula has no median symphysial plate or hypocleidium. 
The sternum is perfectly Columbine, the similarity extending to the 
direction taken by the costal processes and the non-development of 
any true manubrial rostrum, in both which points the Galline are so 
different. 
The head of the humerus presents an important character. From 
any number of birds’ humeri those of the Coluambe may be identified, 
if those of the Psittaci are excluded, because the pectoral lamina or 
the ridge for the insertion of the great pectoral muscle is peculiar. In 
most birds the second pectoral muscle is inserted into the proximal Page 255. 
accessory femoro-caudal was present ; there were no ceca coli; there was a large 
elongated gall-bladder and a small oil-gland. The gizzard was remarkably small, 
with irregular pads, one of which somewhat resembled that of Ptilopus. 
