418 ON THINOCORUS AND ATTAGIS. 
arrangement in Passerine birds. In the accompanying figure (p. 419) _ 
the palate of Attagis gayi is represented from a specimen most kindly 
lent me by Mr. T. C. Eyton, the sternum of which is that referred to 
above as figured in the ‘‘ Osteologia Avium.” 
By comparing it with Mr. Parker’s figure of Thinocorus rumicivo- 
rus, the almost exact identity of the two is rendered certain. In the 
same memoir Mr. Parker also directs attention to the nature of the 
anterior osseous nares, which, as he remarks, are much the same as 
in the Turnicide. Both these genera agree with the birds termed 
Schizorhinal by me in a previous paper,* resembling the Limicole, 
Pteroclide, Columbe, and their allies in this respect—although, on 
accouut of the shortness of the face, as in the Pteroclide, their 
schizorhinal nature is not quite so conspicuous as in such genera as 
Grus, Ibis, and Scolopaz. The superior aspect of the skull of Attagis 
gay? is also represented supra (p. 419). 
In more than one peculiarity the skulls of Thinocorus and of 
Attagis differ from those of Turnia and Hemipodius.¢ The maxillo- 
palatines, instead of being slender throughout and simply squared off 
at their free ends, which are situated considerably nearer the middle 
line than are the inner margins of the palatine bones at the parts 
which they oppose, are broad, short, and swollen apically, where they 
scarcely project beyond the median borders of the palatines. The 
Turnicide also possess an extensive articulation between the middle 
of each pterygoid bone and the basisphenoid rostrum—no traces even 
of processes for such an articulation being present in the Thinocorine, 
in which latter subfamily also the supraorbital glands, although not 
largely developed, leave a small crescentic depression on the superior 
surface of the upper margin of the bony orbit, not present in the 
former group. 
Continuing the comparison with the Turnicide, it may be men- 
tioned that in them the left carotid artery is alone developed (in 
Hemipodius tachydromus and Turnia lepwrana at least), whilst the 
accessory femoro-caudal muscle, as well as the slip to the patagium ~ 
from the biceps of the arm, are wanting, at the same time that the 
obturator internus is large and fan-shaped, not oval and small.t 
The colic ceca, also, never exceed 1$ inch in length, in which, as 
well as all the above-mentioned characters, they differ from the Thino- 
corine. 
That Turnie and Thinocorus are not intimately related may be 
* “ Proceedings of the Zoological Society,” 1873, p. 33 e¢ seqg. (Supra, p. 124.) 
+ For most instructive figures and descriptions of the skulls of Zurnix and 
Hemipodius see Prof. Parker’s paper “‘On Mgithognathous Birds,” part i., 
“ Transactions of the Zoological Society,” vol. IX. Plate LIV. and p. 294. 
t Vide “ Proceedings of the Zoological Socicty,” 1876, p. 195. (Supra, p. 325.) 
