278 MR. A. R. WALLACE ON THE [June 28, 
in certain species. When present, however, it is of a semioval form, 
the two branches being connected in an unbroken curve without 
angle or projecting processes. 
The prehensile feet of Parrots are used in a manner altogether 
peculiar ; for though other birds may secure their food with their 
foot while eating, no others in the whole class use it systematically 
as a hand to grasp and convey food to the mouth. We may fairly 
say that they are the only birds that have hands and use them as 
such ; and this will serve to confirm the superiority which their large 
brain and highly organized cranium confers upon them. The pre- 
sence of a crop, their uniformly fruit-eating habits, their wide distri- 
bution, their numerous modifications of form, and their utter dis- 
similarity to all other birds, added to the differences already pointed 
out in structure and habits, induce me to adopt without any hesita- 
tion the views of Bonaparte and Blyth, and to consider the Parrots 
as one of the primary divisions or orders in the class of birds. 
In dividing this order into families I follow generally Bonaparte 
and Blainville, with a few modifications for simplicity. The great 
central mass of the order are the Psittacide or true Parrots, com- 
prising all the American and more than half the Old-World species. 
These must be divided into several subfamilies, the Palgzornithine, 
the Psittacine, and the Eclectine, containing the Indian and Ma- 
layan species. The next family, the Platycercide (the Broadtails 
and Ground- Parrots), are somewhat allied to the last group through 
the Paleornithine. They have different habits from most other 
Parrots, being often terrestrial and seed-eaters ; their whole structure 
is weak, their flight slow and Cuckoo-like ; the keel of the sternum 
is lower and more rounded anteriorly than in the other families ; the 
pelvis is short, broad, and flat ; ‘the skull is small; the bill short ; 
the lower mandible broad and swollen; the legs rather long and 
slender ; and the plumage lax and abundant. 
The Plyctolophide, or Cockatoos, are distinguished by their power- 
ful bills, crested heads, heavy forms, and lax powdery plumage. 
They have a general resemblance to the last family and also to the 
true Psittacide. The Trichoglosside are the best-marked and most 
specialized group of all. The whole head, as well as the bill, is elon- 
gated and compressed; the wings long and powerful; the feet 
strongly grasping ; and the tongue always furnished with brush-like 
papillz. They are connected with the Psittacide by means of Lo- 
riculus, which agrees with them in general structure, but has the 
ordinary smooth tongue. In order to bring these families into a 
natural sequence, I arrange them in the following order :—1. Plycto- 
lophide ; 2. Platycercide; 3. Psittacide; 4. Trichoglosside. The 
fifth family, Strigopide, containing the New Zealand Owl Parrots, 
seems allied to the Platycercide, and should follow them in a general 
arrangement of the order. 
I may here remark that the limits which I place to the Malayan 
subregion, as distinguished from the Pacific Islands—namely, to in- 
clude the Solomon Islands, while the New Hebrides and New Cale- 
donia begin the Pacific subregion—is well established by the Pstttaci; 
