130 PTERYLOGRAPHY. 



The inferior tract, which springs from the neck-plumage in two diverging limbs a little in front of 

 the furcula, has exactly the same formation as in Cancroma, so that any further description of it is 

 superfluous. But the powder-down-tracts in its vicinity are wanting in Ewypygu. Unfor- 

 tunately, I was unable to ascertain exactly the number of remiges, the specimen examined by me 

 being engaged in moulting : on the pinion, however, there are certainly ten, of which the third is 

 the longest. In the tail I counted only nine feathers ; but between the middle ones there were 

 distinct gaps, so that the true number would probably be twelve. 



4. PELARGI. 



The family of the Storks, to which I refer the genera Scopus, Ciconia, Anaslomus, and Tantalus, 

 stands, in many respects, in remarkable contrast to the Erodii, and as regards its pterylosis has 

 only the most general characters of the Waders in common with them. The most important 

 character of the group is to be found in the remarkable enlargement of the two bands of the 

 inferior tract upon the breast, as these cover the whole surface of the musculus pectoral-is major, 

 and are obliquely truncated posteriorly at its margin, thus passing into the ventral portion, which 

 is scarcely half so wide, runs on to the anus, and terminates close to this. Of an outer branch, 

 such as is possessed by some of the Herons, there is consequently no trace ; nay, there is not even 

 a stronger plumage in its place, but each stem of the inferior tract rather diminishes in strength 

 quite gradually from without inwards, and disappears only close to the crest of the sternum. 

 This form of the inferior tract is, however, the only common pterylographic character of the four 

 genera, although the slight development of the lumbar tracts which are abbreviated anteriorly, 

 and the remarkably large, pluriserial inferior and superior paraptera, both of which run down 

 the long humerus of the Storks, may also be regarded as a peculiarity of the group of 

 Pelargi. 



1. Scopus (Plate IX, figs. 3 5). This genus has a very singular neck-plumage, which, 

 however, only differs from the form of the tracts described in the Herons, in that a lateral neck- 

 space is present. In this way there are produced upon the neck four tracts and four spaces. 

 The two upper tracts (fig. 4), which contain the broad upper neck-space between them, are the 

 halves of the anterior part of the dorsal tract, divided up to the head ; they are at first only two 

 feathers in breadth, but increase to three feathers from the end of the neck, and terminate pretty 

 strongly before the extremities of the shoulder-blades. The two inferior tracts (fig. 3) represent 

 the divided cervical portion of the inferior tract ; they are somewhat broader than the upper 

 ones, and terminate in an obtusely rounded extremity near the shoulder. Separated from them, 

 but united with the neighbouring axillary tract (fig. 3), the broad pectoral band commences at 

 the level of the shoulder, and in its further course perfectly agrees with the type of the family. 

 The hinder part of the dorsal tract, however, presents peculiar characters (fig. 4), forming a 

 single, triserial, and rather weak band, which commences quite separate from the anterior 

 portion behind the arms of the latter, and terminates at the oil-gland. In the wing I counted 

 twenty-six remiges, of which ten are on the pinion ; the first were graduated, and the first equal 

 to the seventh. The tail bears twelve rectrices. 



2. Ciconia. The Storks with feathered necks, of which I have examined C, alba (Plate IX, 

 figs. 1 and 2), niyra, and leucocephala (umbellata, WAGL.), have a continuous plumage as far as 



