484 DR. MURIE ON FREGILUPUS VARIUS. [Julie 16, 



outward sweep and extension of the neighbouring ridge and tubercle, 

 capacity of the femoro-articular facet, large shelf for fibular shaft- 

 abutment, inferior intercondyloid osseous bridge, as well as strength 

 of the entire bone, altogether denote a muscular power of leg adapted 

 to terrestrial more than climbing or perching hnbit. This limb- 

 strength is likewise well expressed in the tarsus, whose robust trian- 

 gular shaft is deeply furrowed to accommodate the tendinous cords. 

 The calcaneal eminence is drilled by five foramina. The inferior 

 mid-digital knuckle is largest and longest, the outer laterally com- 

 pressed, and about equal to the inner, which has an oblique set for 

 the reception of the goodly-sized metatarsal element. The foot has 

 the more usual phalangeal numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, and is f-toed, the 

 ungual phalanges being strong and curved. The 2nd and 4th 

 digits are subequal in length, the 3rd considerably longer than 

 either, the 1st or hind toe of medium length, but by far the stoutest 

 of all. 



Supposed Alliance tested by the Skeleton. 



With the Upupidce. — In my communication upon these birds in 

 ' The Ibis ' I indicated why, osteologically, Fregilupus can no longer 

 be accorded a place among that group. Indeed Levaillant's, Vieil- 

 lot's, Hartlaub's, and Schlegel's determination, from exterior cha- 

 racteristics alone, are sufficient proof of distinctness from the 

 Hoopoe tribe, and as such accepted by the later classific writers on 

 ornithology. To what I have hitherto stated (/. c), if I add the 

 Passerine feature of multiple calcaneal foramina, the totally different 

 nature of the mandible, notwithstanding its mask of elongation and 

 slenderness, the humerus with its large, bifid pneumatic openings, its 

 round, not flattened, shaft and condylar tubercles, the differentiated 

 distal bones of both wing and leg — then surely such multiplicity of 

 evidence denotes that the skeleton of Fregilupus trenchantly recedes 

 from the Hoopoe members, and, as to be shown, correspondingly 

 draws towards the Starling family. 



With the Stunridce. — The genera of this family, with which I 

 have compared each separate bone side by side with the subject of 

 my paper, are Sturnus, Pastor, and Gracula. Taking these in the 

 order mentioned, that of the Common Starling, S. vulgaris, precedes. 

 With this species of Sturnus, Fregilupus agrees in the general pat- 

 tern of the sternum ; but the former has more delicate xiphoid bars 

 and relatively larger spaces, a deeper keel and longer rostrum, a nar- 

 row pointed angular, and not broad rounded scapula. Iu Sturnus 

 the antiliac blades and ischial production are relatively shorter than 

 in Fregilupus. With reference to the lower jaw, the type of both is 

 manifestly similar, and in this respect very unlike the preceding 

 groups. The postarticular angle is more acuminate iu the Starling, 

 the symphysial, or so-called dentary, region relatively deeper, broader, 

 and shorter than in the Reunion bird. Again, in the cranium both 

 exhibit a certain fulness of brain-region, but wanting the bilobed 

 character of Upupa ; in the latter the interorbital breadth is great, 



