Page 509, 
356 ON THE ANATOMY OF PASSERINE BIRDS. 
tine, Caprimulgide, and Meropide; the flexor longus hallucis is free 
from the flexor perforans digitorwm in the Upupide; colic ceca are 
present in the Caprimulgide, Coraciine, Momotineg, Galbulide, Tro- - 
gonide, Meropide, and almost certainly so in the Bucconide,* in which 
families also the oil-gland is nude; the palate is egithognathons in 
Thinocorus, Turnia, and the Cypseline, nearly so in the Caprimulgide 
‘and Trochiline. 
My investigations into the myology of birds have supplied me with 
another character of great practical value, which, though fn one or two 
cases slightly disguised, is never found in any but veritable Passeres. 
It is a peculiarity in the method of insertion of the tendon of the 
tensor patagwt brevis of the wing. 
In the triangular patagium of the wing of the bird the tendons of 
two muscles are to be found. One is that of the tensor patagii longus, 
which forms the supporting cord of the free margin of the membrane 
itself. The second is that of the tensor patagii brevis, which courses 
parallel with the humerus, not distant from that bone, to the muscles 
and fascie of the forearm. In the Ramphastinew, Capitonine, and 
Picinss, where this muscle is less complicated than in any other birds, 
it arises, as is generally the case, from the apex of the upper of the 
two processes at the scapular extremity of the furcula, as well as by a 
small special slip from the superficial fibres of the pectoralis major 
muscle, which differentiates itself off from the main muscle near the 
upper part of its inserted extremity. The comparatively insignificant 
triangular or compound fleshy belly thus formed, with its apex 
directed towards the elbow, terminates in a cylindrical tendon, which, 
included between the layers of the fibro-eutaneous patagium, takes a 
straight course to its insertion into the axially-running tendon of 
origin of the extensor metacarpi radiatis longus of Schépss, at a short 
distance from the tubercle on the humerus whence the muscle springs. 
As a result of this disposition, when the forearm is half-flexed, the 
tendon of the tensor patagii brevis is seen to enter the substance of the 
fibrous origin of the extensor met. rad. longus, and at right angles. 
This arrangement is indicated in Plate [21] XLVIII. fig. 1, and is 
characteristic of the Picariew, as defined by myself to include the three 
subfamilies above referred to and them only.t 
Among the Passeres a slight, but easily recognizable, difference in 
the manner of insertion of the muscle maintains. The similarly 
single cylindroid tendon runs from the muscular belly, which has its 
origin at the shoulder, as above described, to the upper margin of the 
* [The accuracy of Prof. Garrod’s surmise is established by Burmeister’s ob- 
servations on the anatomy of Malacoptila torquata, and Chelidoptera brasiliensis, 
“ Syst. Uebers.,” ii. pp. 292 and 295.—Ep. } 
t “ Proceedings of the Zoological Society,” 1874, p. 123. (Supra, p. 222.) 
