1889.] | MR. W. K. PARKER ON STEATORNIS CARIPENSIS. 179 
length of the ulna, whilst the manus is more than three and a half 
times as long as the humerus. 
In Steatornis, on the contrary, the humerus (2.) is seven eighths 
the length of the manus, whilst the former is only two thirds the 
length of the ulna, and the manus less than four fifths. 
Caprimulgus is intermediate between these two extremes 3 Its wing- 
regions increase in size in a regular manner (from above down- 
wards) ; it is a sub-typical ‘* Macrochire,” 
Buceros is the most remarkable in one respect ; its manus is only 
four-sevenths the length of its ulna. 
In the two good instances of birds with a light buoyant flight, the 
White Owl and the White Gull, the greater length of the ulna as 
compared with the humerus is similar in both birds; but the 
Gull has its ulna and manus of the same length, whereas in the Owl 
the latter is only six sevenths the length of the ulna or cubitus. 
All these birds have to be considered separately in their various 
modifications, and no inference as to their genesis made rashly from 
some one or more similarities in their adapted structures, 
I might have included Podargus humeralis amongst the birds 
whose wings were measured ; but it gives me little help in seeking to 
find the affinities of Steatornis. Podargus appears to me to be more 
allied to Hurystomus; its sternum and pelvis differ greatly from 
those of this Neotropical bird, and its wings are more normal in 
the relative length of the three regions. Thus the humerus in 
Podargus is 74 millim. long, the ulna 88 millim., and the manus 68 
millim. 
The relations of Podargus must be sought for in the Australian 
Region and the Eastern Notogiea, generally; those of Steatornis in the 
Neotropical Region; whilst the true Goatsuckers, or Caprimulgide, 
must find their ancestors where they can. I cannot see my way to 
“father them” on either Steatornis or Podargus; yet both of 
these types may possibly be not unlike the birds that, during time, 
have been specialized into the true Goatsuckers. 
I can only find a pneumatic foramen in the humerus (4.); that 
bone is quite normal ; its upper crest for the insertion of the great 
pectoral muscle is large, and the dilatation below is hooked inwards, 
hollowed out and perforated to let in the air. The distal condyle is 
well developed, and there is above it, ou the flexor side, a semi-oval 
hollow for the origin of the flexor muscles?. 
The long, slender, gently sigmoid radius (r.) and arcuate ulna (u.) 
are quite normal; the latter is marked very slightly for the secondary 
quills. The radiale and the ulnare are also well developed and per- 
fectly normal ; I see no “sesamoids ” attached to them. The top of 
the manus has the large 2nd distal carpal (d.c.*) over the large 
middle metacarpal, the lesser 3rd distal carpal (d.c.*) on the outer 
side of the top, and the Ist distal carpal (Plate XX. fig. 2, d.c.') is 
seen as a knob looking towards the Ist metacarpal, but ankylosed to 
the 2nd. 
1 Mr. Frederic A. Lucas finds an Os humero-capsulare ” in this bird (see 
Plate XX. fig. 1, 0.h.c.). 
