676 

 6 



DR 



J. MURIE ON THE SKELETON OF TODUS. [May 21, 



Relative proportions of the several segments of the wing to their 

 homologues of the leg, and of the one entire extremity to the 

 other. 



Excepting in shortening of wing-digit, an Ispidine character, 

 Table 2 demonstrates that Todus exhibits proportions of individual 

 arm-bones likest the Flycatchers. 



As to the wing-segments, and their reference to that extremity as 

 a whole (Table 4), the characters throughout are much akin, the 

 elongation of the ulna of Ispidina being a trifle in excess of its 

 brethren the Kingfishers. 



Among the leg-bones one to the other (Table 3) the difference 

 of tibia to femur is not so manifest ; but in tarso-metatarse to femur 

 there is a wide distinction, the Tody even far surpassing Euryfaimus. 

 It is noticeable in the former also that the middle toe acquires undue 

 preponderance. This abnormal elongation is apparently modified 

 when the comparison or the length of the digit with the proportional 

 height of the entire leg is taken into account. 



Thus collated {vide Table 5), the tarso-metatarse of Todus still 

 retains a magnitude corresponding to what obtains among the Fly- 

 catchers, but, contrariwise, a decrease of femoral length even below 

 these latter and all the genera of Coccygomorphse examined by me. 

 In the last set of calculations (Table 6), humerus versus femur, it 

 is shown that the Tody and Kingfisher are partners. The same 

 well nigh holds good in the proportion of the tibia to the ulna ; and 

 the Motmot comes betwixt the Tody and the Flycatcher. That 

 peculiar feature of Todus, tarso-metatarsal length, is very conspicuous 

 when collated with corresponding metacarpal size, and it becomes 

 apparent that the Motmot and Tody embrace the Eurylaimidae and 

 Muscicapidse, and disjoin themselves from the whole of the King- 

 fishers ; for I must observe that Ispidina stands aloof from its tribe 

 in the above respect. 



The ratio of the entire length of the leg to the wing serves to point 

 out that even the Muscicapidse have it shorter than Todus ; and I 

 may further assert from my researches that not one of the King- 

 fishers comes near the former group in this peculiarity. 



1 am not oblivious to the fact that such arithmetical generalizations 

 are founded on limited data ; but they nevertheless explain several 

 points which were a puzzle to me. The Rose-cheeked Kingfisher 



