256 MR. W. K, PARKER ON THE OSTEOLOGY __[ Nov. 23, 
«The Gemitores might stand as they are, as to the examples given; 
but they are not Rasores. 
“In the same lecture in which the ‘classification’ is given, the 
Notornis is said to be ‘allied to the Coots,’ and the Cassowaries 
* still more modified Coots.’ 
‘This seems to me to be an inversion of the natural order of 
things; for the Cassowary, every one knows, is in all respects typi- 
cally struthious in its whole skeleton, but is most decisively seen to 
be so in its cranium and facial bones ; and all the Struthiones are 
low, embryonic, unspecialized forms. 
‘That there is a near relationship between the Rail-tribe and the 
Ostriches I feel certain ; but the former seem to me to stand on the 
same level typically (or in relation to the highest style of bird) as the 
Rasorial group, and in some respects on a higher one ; but I would 
not press this too far, as the skulking habits of these birds seem to 
point to a lower brain-development than even the Fowl possesses, 
and to place them in near contiguity to the Ostriches: moreover 
Brachypteryzx is, in respect of its wings and sternum, but little in ad- 
vance of the great ‘ Brevipennes.’ Cranially, however, it is in ad- 
vance; and it seems to be a more philosophical way of putting the 
matter to say that a Coot is a modified Cassowary, than that a Cas- 
sowary is a modified Coot. Whether Mr. Darwin is right in all 
respects or not, yet we all believe with him that nature does notere- 
trograde, but ascends from the simpler to the more highly specialized 
forms. 
“T shall not take up either the Society’s time or my own in merely 
arguing about these puzzling affinities, but hope soon to be able to 
bring forward some simple drawings and descriptions, such as shall 
enable any one to judge for himself as to what type these birds really 
do belong. 
«T intend moreover in my larger paper to consider the relationships 
of Oreophasis derbianus. 
«But the birds hitherto mentioned are all easily referred to their 
proper zoological position ; those, however, of which it is my prin- 
cipal business to speak stand just above the Struthionide, in such 
a doubtful position that it is at first hard to say whether they have 
declared for any one of the families by which they are surrounded. 
«The Sand-Grouse, the Hemipodes, and the Tinamous have in 
their composition such a mixture of characters, that they seem to be 
the very birds which might in the lapse of ages, through climatal 
change, a different diet, ‘the struggle for existence,’ and ‘natural 
selection’ give rise to such divaricating and dissimilar types as the 
Pigeons, the Gallinaceous birds, and the Plovers. 
“These last-mentioned families are those the characters of which 
the osculant forms under consideration most affect, with, let it be 
remembered, a more or less broad struthious basis. 
«There are other genera, however, the osteology of which I long 
to know, viz. Thinocorus, Attagis, and Chionis. 4 
“Speaking of these birds, Mr. Darwin, in his most pleasant 
* Journal’ (ch, 5, p. 94), makes the following remarks :— 
