_ON THE ANATOMY OF PASSERINE BIRDS. 353 
myological formula A,XY. Nevertheless I hope that in my paper 
on the Order Psittaci* the impression left by its perusal is that the 
Parrots all sprang straight away from a stock with two carotids and 
an ambiens muscle. Such being the case, and Colius most certainly 
not being a true Parrot, the arguments in favour of its having arisen 
independently from the psittacine ancestor, and of its having under- 
gone (also independently) cacatuiform modifications during the 
progress of its evolution, are less easy to accept than those which 
suppose it to have sprung, as I have above assumed, from the less 
_. specialized stock whence has been derived all the Anomalogonate. 
The form of the sternum and the distribution of the plantar tendons 
are in favour of this view of the question. 
It may be mentioned that the syrinx of Colius (which has been 
figured by Johannes Miillert in a closely allied species) is most 
nearly related to that of Ceryle among the Kingfishers. 
57. ON SOME ANATOMICAL PECULIARITIES WHICH 
BEAR UPON THE MAJOR DIVISIONS OF THE 
PASSERINE BIRDS. Part If 
(Plates XXI—XXVL) 
_ A spectat analysis of the peculiarities of structure presented by dif- Page 506. 
ferent Passerine birds can hardly be considered premature. Since the 
investigations of Nitzsch, Sundevall, Keyserling and Blasius, Johannes 
Miller, and Cabanis little of decided importance has been made out 
with reference to the distinguishing characters of the group or of its 
primary divisions, if we except the researches of Professors Huxley 
and Parker on the palate in the class Aves generally. A glance at the 
history of the Order will be the best introduction which I can offer to 
the facts which it is my desire upon the present occasion to bring 
before the Society. F 
| Although the name “ Passeres ” was coined by Linnzus, that illus- 
____ trious naturalist did not appreciate the unity of the group, his classi- 
_ fication compelling him to include the Columb in the order, which 
was defined as having “rostrum conico-attenuatum,” and Paradisea, 
* “ Proceedings of the Zoological Society,” 1874, p. 586. (Supra, p. 247.) 
+ “ Ueber die bisher unbekannten typischen Verschiedenheiten der Stimm- 
organe der Passerinen,” 1847, Pl. V. figs. 9-12. 
{ “ Proceedings of the Zoological Society,” 1877, pp. 506-19. Pls. XLVIII— 
LIT. Read, June 6th, 1876. 
eS 
