1882.] DR. GADOW ON THE ANATOMY OF PTEROCLES. 313 
pleasure that a specimen of Péerocles arenarius in the flesh was 
received by me during the short time that I was intrusted with the 
duties of its prosector during his absence from England’. 
INTEGUMENT. 
The arrangement and form of the feather-tracts in Péerocles and 
Syrrhaptes is almost the same as that in the Pigeons ; but too much 
weight has been laid upon the peculiar bifurcated shape of the 
shoulder part of the spinal tract. Nitzsch himself, in his description 
of the Gallinacei, mentions that a very similar arrangement of the 
shoulder-tract we meet with in Numida and Penelope and partly in 
Tetrao and Orypturus. He points out that in this respect Numida 
in particular approaches the Columbine type. 
Again, the Charadriide and many Laridz present nearly the same 
type of feather-tracts, although they differ in the lower and ventral 
part of the spinal tract. 
The contour-feathers of Péerocles possess a very small after-shaft, 
whilst this organ, although likewise small, is present in the Limi- 
cole and Gallinacei, but altogether absent in the Pigeons. 
The number of the rectrices and of the primaries is of no systematic 
importance in these birds, as will be seen from the following 
table :— 
Total number wie B of ee Waniberide 
of quille.,\;,| Primaries. | Fo tongent: |*" zootriess, 
Pteroeles ......... | 27-28 10 first 16 
Pigeons ............ up to 25 10 second 12, 14, 16 
IPIOVErS esctesctest: 24-26 10 first 12 
OWIS'. Pac cpeccaness 22-29 10,11 =| 4th, 5th, 6th 10-20 
1 Principal books and essays referred to in the text :— 
W. K. Parker. “On the Osteology of Gallinaceous birds and Tinamous,” 
Trans. Zool. Soc. y. pp. 149-241. 
A. H. Garrop. ‘On certain Muscles of the Thigh of Birds &c.”, P. Z. 8. 
1873, pp. 626-677, and 1874, pp. 111-123. 
-—. ‘On the Disposition of the deep Plantar Tendons in different Birds,” 
P. Z.8. 1875, pp. 339-348. 
——. “On the Carotid Arteries of Birds,” P.Z. 8. 1878, pp. 457-472 (for 
Pteroeles see p. 468). 
——. “Nasal Bones of Birds,” P.Z.8. 1873, pp. 33-38 (Prerocles, see 
pp. 36, 37). 
Nirzscu. ‘System der Pterylographie,’ 1840. 
H.Brancuarp. “Caractéres ostéologiques des Gallinacés ou Gallides,” in Ann. 
Sciences Natur. sér. 4, tome vii. (1857), pp. 91-106, plates 10-12. 
M. Ovstater. “ Monographie des Oiseaux de la famille des Megapodiides,” 
Op. cit. sér. 4, tome x & xi. (1881). 
H. Gavow. “Beitrage zur vergleich. Anat., Verdauungssystem d. Vogel,” 
Jenaische Zeitschrift, 1879. 
Bocpanow. In ‘Mélanges biologiques, 1880, pp. 49-55. 
D. G. Exuior. “A Study of the Pteroclide or Family of the Sandgrouse,” 
P. Z. S. 1878, p. 283-264. 
