THE STRUTHIONIDAE. A65 
of birds under the name StRUTHIONES, assigns to it three sub-families 
Struthioninae, Apteryginae and Otidinae, the bustards. The latter 
indeed are not destitute of power of flight, but they possess it in a 
moderate degree with a generally Rasorial structure, and considerable 
length of neck and legs. Their greater length and power of wing than 
any others in the tribe with the depressed and feeble beak of the most 
typical speciés will mark their position as the Fissirostral type of the 
family. If we inquire what other families of birds may be suspected. 
of near affinity with these, that we may mark the limits of the family 
satisfactorily, a slight acquaintance with descriptive Ornithology will 
suggest two as proper subjects for examination,—first, the Tinamous ; 
secondly, the Trumpeters. The Tinamous consist of a group of three or 
four genera, with but few species inhabiting the woods and plains of 
South America, considered as decidedly Rasorial, yet so distinct as to 
have been treated as a separate family, though in numbers so few that 
they would more naturally form a sub-family. They are remarkable for 
short rounded wings, very moderate powers of flight and great strength 
in running. Some have the hallux, or hind toe, entirely wanting, 
others remarkably small ; some of them are known to roost in the low 
branches of trees, near the roots of which they lay their eggs. From 
their characters and habits Dr. G. Gray places them as the /ast family 
of Rasores immediately adjoining Struthiones. Considering the latter 
also as a Rasorial family, and expecting its sub-families to display 
varying analogies, I rank the Yinaminae as the lighter and more 
arboreal form of SrrurHionr1pag, the peculiar port of which they 
strikingly manifest, their sternum, though not rounded or deprived of 
its ridge, as in Struthioninae, is very peculiar, and quite inconsistent 
with powers of flight. Their comparatively small size might seem an 
objection to their introduction into this family, but only indicates their 
representation of the arboreal or most active type, the special character 
of the class Birds, whose prevailing tendency is to small size; and 
I cannot but think their relation quite as obvious as that of Ozzdinae, 
which, nevertheless, I am so far from questioning, that I believe it to 
be established on the soundest principles. Latham, like Buffon, placed 
the Trumpeters (Psophinae) among the Rasores. More recent natu- 
ralists have combined them with Grallatores, and according to Dr. G- 
Gray, they form (as being nearest to the Rasorial structure) the first 
sub-family of Ardeidae, the Herons. Their beaks and plumage resem- 
ble Rasores, as well as their food and habits. They are easily domes- 
