Vol. XIV 
Bor General Notes. gl 
4. Neomorphine. Wowever the doubt just expressed regarding Coccyzina 
be finally resolved, there is no question that we must recognize for the 
group of which Geococcyx is a shining example a subfamily apart from 
Coccyzine (or Cuculine) on the one hand, and from Crolophagine on the 
other. This is the group of American Ground Cuckoos which I have for 
many years been calling Savrotherine ; but it now appears that the genus 
Saurothera does not belong to it, and that its proper name is Meomorphine, 
derived from the name of that genus (Meomorphus GLOGER, 1827) which 
has priority over all the others which belong to this subfamily. The 
Neomorphine are a well-marked if not yet precisely limited group, much 
more nearly related to the Crotophagine than to any other. Thus, they 
possess the accessory femorocaudal muscle, which is present in none of 
the Cuculine (or Coccygine); and the ventral pteryla of each side is 
furcate. In these respects the Veomorphine, so characteristic of America, 
agree with the Old World Cextropodine but differ therefrom notably in 
some other characters. The Meomorphine agree with the Crotophagine 
in most respects, but differ in their pseudobronchial instead of truly 
bronchial syringes, and many other particulars. The Meomorphine are 
Ground Cuckoos, with a certain gallinaceous suggestiveness, being more 
or less pheasant-like in external appearance; tail of 10 rectrices, as usual 
in the family (not 8, as in Crotophagine), long and graduated, with 
elongated upper coverts (approaching Diplopterus and Dromococcyx in 
this respect ); wings short, rounded, convex, with elongate inner second- 
aries (not long, flat, and pointed, as in Cuculzne or Coccyzine) ; feet large 
and strong, in adaptation to terrestrial habits (as in Cenxtropus, etc., but 
without any peculiarity of the hind claw). With the possible or probable 
exception of Carpococcyx, which is brought under Meomorphine by 
Shelley, though it inhabits Borneo, and is therefore unintelligible as a 
member of this subfamily, if it be really such, the present subfamily is 
exclusively American. The genera which certainly compose it are 
Neomorphus, Geococcyx, and Morococcyx; very likely Diplopterus and 
Dromococcyx might without violence be brought under the same head. 
But until we know more of the structural characters of the two last named 
genera, as well as of Saurothera, Piaya, and Hyetornis, it will hardly be 
sate to pronounce upon these Neotropical forms. 
The times may not yet be ripe enough to do away with all the uncertainty 
attending the division of Cuculide; but what I regard as established is, 
that the A. O. U. List contains representatives of at least three subfamilies : 
(1) CROTOPHAGIN#. (2) NEOMORPHIN#. (3) CucULIN®. The latter may 
or may not be warrantably divisible into Coccyzzxe for the American 
genera Coccyzus, etc., and Cuculine proper for our waif from Asia.— 
ELiiotr CoveEs, Washington, D. C. 
Broad-tailed Hummingbird in California.—I take pleasure in recording 
the capture of Selasphorus platycercus, § ad., at Oakland, Cal., on May 8, 
18go0, the first taken in this State. On the same date an adult male of 
