466 DR. J. MURIE ON THE DERMAL AND VISCERAL STRUCTURES 
derivative from a different stock, respectively—the Rails, the Herons, and the Cranes. 
Looked at inversely, including the Plovers as a stem, the three above-mentioned genera, 
according to him, form the summit of a truncated pyramid; while they are interwoven 
in characters with the genera of the four families supporting the basal structure. 
The Boatbill Mr. Parker regards as a true Heron. Such are the affinities drawn 
from the skeleton! 
For my own part, in the present communication, I shall chiefly invite attention to 
the dermal and visceral structures of the Kagu, Sun-bittern, and Boatbill, comparing 
those together, and with such other forms as have come within my reach. 
In this way I hope to throw a side light on the subject. If unable to supply suffi- 
cient data for a just disposition of these aberrant forms, I may thus at all events furnish 
desirable information respecting some parts of their anatomy at present but imperfectly 
known and understood. 
The Kagu* which I have had the opportunity of dissecting was a healthy male pur- 
chased by our Society on the 5th February last (1867). But on the 18th March fol- 
lowing it accidentally choked itself while attempting to swallow a piece of flesh. 
The body weighed 2 lbs.?, and was loaded with a thick layer of light-coloured fat, 
which, however, did not extend to the wings or legs. I shall speak of the structure of 
the feathers further on, but here mention that the plumage was rather imperfect, the 
tail- and wing-feathers having their plumes chafed and broken. 
Throughout the body tracts of young feathers, here and there, sprouted forth. In 
such of the tail-feathers as were tolerably complete, traces of imperfect development, 
technically called “ hunger-marks”®, prevailed on the vanes; but the barrels bore evidence 
of a recent and vigorous accession of growth. ‘Taking these appearances into considera- 
tion, it seemed as if the bird had previously been in poor condition, and had afterwards 
become invigorated and plump when placed in more favourable circumstances. 
The Sun-bittern used for comparison was a male specimen received in presentation 
from our Corresponding Member, Dr. Huggins, on the 16th September 1861. Upon 
the right foot of the bird there grew a fibroid tumor, which ultimately attained the size 
of a walnut; and through irritation from it, or otherwise, death ensued. The plumage 
was intact, and the body in moderate condition. 
Only recently (6th March, 1867), and for the first time, has the very rare Boatbill 
been added to the Collection. This male bird unfortunately lived only three weeks 
after its receipt. It suffered from dry gangrene of the feet. The viscera were healthy, 
' For an excellent delineation of this bird from life see Wolf's ‘ Zoological Sketches,’ 2nd ser. pl. 45. 
* This, I believe, to be under the average of a plump full-grown bird; for, although fat, the specimen bore 
poor comparison with some of the Society’s old prime-conditioned Kagus. 
% These (in bird-fanciers’ parlance also denominated ‘“ hunger-lines”) are the cracks or wavy bars across 
which the feather easily breaks, and are supposed to indicate imperfect growth through disease, starvation, 
and such like. 
