THE ANATOMY OF ARAMUS SCOLOPACEUS. 331 
Prats 17 (XY). 
Fig. 1. Muscles of right side of interior of pelvis and inner side of thigh of Chauna 
derbiana, the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall having been removed. 
o.i, obturator internus: dmb, Ambiens; Quad, Quadriceps extensor ; Ad, 
adductor ; S.¢, semitendinosus. 
2. The same parts of Euplocamus albocristatus, similarly lettered. Sart, 
sartorius. . 
53. ON THE ANATOMY OF ARAMUS SCOLOPACEUS-* 
Ir being very seldom that an opportunity occurs for the study of the Page 275. 
anatomy of Aramus, a form the exact relations of which are but little 
understood, I take the opportunity of describing this bird from a 
female specimen which reached the Society’s Gardens alive, and died, 
much emaciated, within a few days, on Oct. 7, 1875. I may mention 
that the generic name Scolopaz was applied to it by Iinnzus, and that 
Lichtenstein termed it Rallus gigas. Mr. G. R. Grayt places it 
q among the Ralline, next to Rallus aquaticus, whilst Messrs. Sclater 
; and Salvint include it among the Alectorides, together with Eurypyga, 
. Cariama, and Psophia. It seems to me, however, that; considering its 
5 different anatomical features, it is most intimately related to Grus, 
a which, with it, is not distant from Ibis, Platalea, and Eurypyga. 
‘ With reference to the skeleton of Aramus, it may be mentioned 
that it is figured as a whole in Eyton’s “ Osteologia Avium” (pl. xiv. 
K), and in the same valuable work (pl. 27. fig. 2) a front view of the 
sternum, and a back view of the pelvis are given, though the plate is 
incorrectly lettered. 
In Audubon’s “ Ornithological Biography ”§ a full account of the 
viscera is given, with a woodcut of the alimentary canal. The author 
considers the bird to be most intimately allied to the Rails. 
Aramus is a strongly schizorhinal bird;|| in other words, the 
openings of the external osseous nares extend further backwards than 
the posterior ends of the nasal processes of the premaxille. In this 
respect it agrees with Grus, Hurypyga, and the Limicolex, but not with 
the Rallide, nor with Cariama, nor with Psophia. 
* “Proceedings of the Zoological Society,” 1876, pp. 275-7. Read, March 7, 
1876. 
+ “Hand-list of Birds,” vol. iii. p. 58. 
tf “ Nomenclator Avium Neotropicalium,” p. 141. 
§ Vol. iv. p. 547 et. seq. 
|| Vide “ Proceedings of the Zoological Society,” 1873, p. 33. (Supra, p. 124.) 
