426 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE [JunC 3> 



of uniting them with some of the Rails ; and all those writers 

 who have themselves studied the structure of the bird take this 

 view. Thus Nitzsch [13] places the Heliormthidce with Aramiis 

 and Pnrra in the " Fulicarise " ; Brandt [7] unites them with 

 Fulica, but removes the group thus formed to the " Natatores." 

 Giebel [6] unites the Beliornifhidce with the Fulicarise. This 

 view is accepted by Fiirbriuger [4], who, however, is only able to 

 base his opinion upon the investigations of others, particularly of 

 those who have just been mentioned ; but the reasons for this belief 

 are stated in the tables which conclude his review of the different 

 groups of birds. Schlcgel [8] places Heliomis with Sjjheniscus, Alca, 

 Podiceps, and Coh/mbus in his Urinatores. One of the most recent 

 writers, who believes that the Beliomithidce are not closely allied to 

 Coots or Rails, is the late Mr. W. A. Forbes [12] ; he associates the 

 family with the Cohjmhkla and Podicij)edidce to form an order 

 Eretopodes. I believe, however, that Mr. Forbes's knowledge of the 

 bird was only derived from the writings of others. 



The Helioniithida' appear to consist of only two genera, viz, 

 Heliomis or Podoa, which is Neotropical, and Podica, which is 

 Ethiopian and Oriental. The former genus is at present the only 

 one which has been investigated anatomically '. It is clear that, 

 as Fiirbringer points out, the Old- World forms require a close 

 investigation before the position of the family can be fairly con- 

 sidered. The following description will be found, I trust, to contain 

 some materials for a more detailed consideration of the affinities of 

 the family. 



§ 1. Pterylosis. 



Dr. Biittikofer has recently published some notes upon the African 

 species Podica senegalensis and P.pctersi ; being desirous of studying 

 further the skin of the present specimen, he requested me to have 

 the skin prepared. I have been able to comply with his request 

 and to study the pterylosis, partly by ascertaining the distribution 

 of the apteria before the skin was removed and partly by examining 

 the feather-tracts from the inside. 



Nitzsch, in describing [13] the pterylosis of Podoa surinametisis, 

 distinguishes it from other Rails on account of the broad and un- 

 divided ventral tracts and the absence of continuity between the 

 anterior and posterior regions of the dorsal tracts. In the latter 

 character it resembles Psophia and the Limicolas, but the two dorsal 

 tracts only unite just in front of the oil-gland, whereas in the Limicolae 

 they unite at a point considerably anterior to this. 



1 find, however, that in Podica senegalensis the two halves of the 

 dorsal tract unite about 2^ inches in front of the oil-gland, showing 

 that the above character is not one of family value. 



I find also that the ventral pterylosis is less peculiar than might 

 be inferred from Nitzsch's description. In Podica senegalensis 



' Witb tlie exception of sonic obseivnl ioug upon the Intcstiiiiil Coils by 

 Dr. Gadow [f)]r,i Podka. 



