OF GALLINACEOUS BIRDS AND TINAMOUS. 189 
Os femoris. Tibia. Tarso-metatarse. Mid toe. 
in. lin. in lin. in. lin. in, lin. 
Hemipodius varius ........ 1 4 l 9 0 10 0, eee ti 
Hemipodius Leto tears ys 1 1 6 0 9 0 8 
Vanellus cristatus .......- 1 7 Z 10 2 0 1 2 
Coturnix dactylisonans...... 1 8 2 1 1 2 1 2 
Columba livia ......... «. 1 64 2 2 1 1 1 3 
I have purposely omitted the Sandgrouse and Tinamou from the list, as they must 
be spoken of hereafter. 
The proportions of the bones in the hinder limbs of the two species of Hemipodius 
(Pl. XXXYV. fig. 5) are pretty much the same; but in H. varius the toes are longer 
relatively by nearly 2 lines. The Pluvialine type has a shorter thigh-bone by far than 
the Galline, Columbine, or Hemipodiine types. Indeed all the bones of the hind limb 
in the true “‘ Grallz” are exquisitely constructed for running, stalking, or wading. 
Where the limbs are very long, the motions are solemnly measured and slow ; if hurried, 
they become odd and grotesque—the sublime soon passing into the ridiculous, as may 
be seen in the Storks, Herons, Cranes, and Flamingos. When, however, the parts are 
not over-long, as in the Plovers, Tattlers, Curlews, &c., the movements of the bird in 
running, walking, or wading are very elegant. ‘‘Some on the ground walk firm, the 
‘© Crested Cock,”’ for instance ; and these birds differ as much in their manner, both of 
walking and running, from the Long- and Short-billed Pluvialines, as a dray-horse does 
from aracer. The heavy-bodied Pigeon might almost be accused of waddling ; and the 
gait of the Syrrhaptes is something between waddling and sliding. The Hemipodius is 
intermediate between Péerocles arenarius and Syrrhaptes paradoxus in the structure of 
its tarso-metatarse and toes (t.ms. 3, 4, 5) ; but the relative length of the main divisions 
of the whole limb are much the same as in the Quail. The Hemipodii are evidently 
good walkers and tolerable runners. The muscular crests on the hind limbs of Hemi- 
podius are very moderately developed; far inferior to the Lapwing in this respect, 
especially in the epi-, ecto-, and entocnemial ridges (¢b.) on the head of the tibia. 
That very characteristic cavity at the base of the tibia in front, with its corresponding 
knob on the head of the tarso-metatarse, which is so beautiful a feature in most 
Grallatorial legs, is aborted, as is the knob also, in these Hemipodii. 
The same state of things occurs in the Gallinacew. There is a distinct rudiment of 
this structure in Syrrhaptes. I see a large osseous “‘ patella” (fig. 5) in Hemipodius 
varius, and also in the small kind ; but no calcaneal sesamoid, as in Pterocles arenarius. 
The fibula is scarcely a third the length of the tibia (fb., tb.). In the absence of the 
heel or hallux, the Hemipodii seem to be separated widely from the Gallinacez ; but 
the heel disappears in the genus Pterocles, and is absent from the little abortive foot of 
Syrrhaptes, reminding one of the still weaker foot of the Swift. The nails of the toes 
(3, 4, 5) are, as in Syrrhaptes, large and thick in Hemipodius ; they remind one in both 
