PHYLOGENY OF THE PALZOGNATHZ AND NEOGNATH2. 161 
APTERYGIDZ. 
APTERYX AUSTRALIS MANTELLI. 
Apteria :— 
A. spinale.—This is wanting. 
A. mesogastrei.—This is a well-marked space, extending forwards from the cloacal 
aperture, along the middle line, as far as the base of the neck, to a point corresponding 
to the interclavicular region of the Neognathe. Its greatest width (1 in.) is on 
the abdomen; in the middle of the sternum it is nearly } in. 
A. trunci laterali is of very considerable extent. It runs from a point immediately 
over the head of the femur downwards and forwards as a conspicuously broad bare 
space of about 1 in. in width; terminating at the base of the neck. At the wing it 
gives off a branch downwards and backwards between the thigh and the pteryla 
ventralis as usual, and terminates about 24 in. from the cloacal aperture. 
Pteryle :— 
Pt. capitis—This is very dense, and bears numerous rictal bristles of great length. 
Pt. spinalis—Forms a broad saddle-shaped tract blending posteriorly with the 
femoral tract, and anteriorly passing into the pt. colli. 
Pt. ventralis is well defined. Anteriorly it blends with an incipient pé. colli ventralis, 
and is continued backwards as a sharply defined tract bounded on the one side by the 
apterion trunci laterale and the other by the apt. mesogastrei. 
The p#. colli is almost divided into a dorsal and ventral tract by the forward extension 
of the apt. trunci laterale. 
Pt. alaris (Pl. XLV. fig. 13)—Remiges 13. Cubitals 9. Metacarpo-digitals 4= 
metacarpals 1; addigital 1; mid-digitals 2. 
The innermost cubital is very weak, and is counted a remex solely on account of its 
position. Yet I think that most would agree with me in this decision. The 3rd 
metacarpal remex (? mid-digital) is cramped in position, and forced dorsalwards almost 
into the position of a major covert. The calamus of these quills is very long in pro- 
portion to the length of the whole feather, and is fusiform in shape. The form of 
these quills is exactly reproduced, as will be seen in the figure (Pl. XLV. fig. 15), in 
the first quills of the nestling Cassowary (see p. 165). 
The proximal end of the forearm, over the region of the elbow-joint, is bare, as in 
many Neognathe. 
The arrangement of the coverts is that of obliquely-transverse rows, as in Neo- 
gnathe. Only tectrices majores, however, can be certainly made out. There appears 
to be but one major covert on the manus. 
The index-finger bears a large claw. ‘There is no pollex. 
Pt. femoralis.—Uniformly feathered, passing forwards into a sharp, cone-shaped 
point. 
