155 ON THE UNITED STATES COLUMBID.E. [Mar. 3, 



15. Sternum large, vpith very deep carina ; two pairs of flaring 

 xiphoidal processes, usually making the bone 4-notched, but 

 the posterior or more inconspicuous internal pair of xiphoidal 

 processes may unite by their extremities with the mid-xiphoi- 

 dal prolonsation and thus create fenestrsB behind. Manu- 

 brium small. Corpus sterni often narrow for its entire length. 

 Usually four articular facettes upon each costal border. 



IG. The humerus is straight, pneumatic, and its radial crest is 

 triangular in form. The radius is straight and the ulna is 

 bowed. 



1 7. Trochanter of femur elevated above the summit of the shaft. 

 Patella mav be very small and in two pieces, or it may be 

 larger with a single minute piece near it {Starnoenas). 

 Ossific centres in tibial cartilage. 



IS. Hypotarsus of tarso-metatarsus of short cubical form, and is 

 both pierced and grooved for the passage of tendons. 

 Hallux on a level with the other toes, and its metatarsal 

 peculiarly twisted. Phalanges of pes 2, 3, 4, 5 for the 

 1st to 4th toes respectively. 



Conclusions. 



Our Suborder of Golumlin; in the United States contains but one 

 family — the Columbidce. "Whether the Quail-Doves of the genus 

 Stanicenas should be awarded a subfamily of the Columbidte can 

 onlv be settled when we are in possession of a full knowledge of 

 their anatomy. So far as the osteology of Starnoenas cyanocephala 

 goes, it would seem to indicate that a subfamily line separates it 

 from our other Pigeons ^ 



One of the best established facts in ornithology is that the 

 Columbidce are nearly related to the great gallinaceous group of 

 birds, so then the nearest relatives they have in our avifauna are 

 the Tetraonidte, especially the Grouse. Then beyond them are the 

 Cracidce and Turkeys. Huxley has said (P. Z. S. LS67, p. 460) 

 that "on the other side they seem to be allied with the Owls and 

 Vultures." Such affinities, however, must be quite remote. There 

 is no question about the links that connect the Columbine types 

 with the Grouse and Ptarmigans {Lagopus), for they are most 

 perfectly seen in the Sand-Grouse, holding as these latter do a 

 morphological position directly between them. The Plovers are 

 not so far off in another direction, and Tinamus and Hemipodius 

 have al;0 distant claims to kinship. The extinct Dodo and the 

 existing Didunculus of Samoa show other and perhaps nearer 

 relations. Fossil remains of Pigeons, so far as the present writer is 

 aware, have not as yet been found in this country, though those of 

 several species of Turkeys have. 



1 With its enormous sternum, its differently constituted vertebral column, and 

 a number of other points, it will at once be seen tbat, osteologieally, Utarncenas 

 is quite ditferent from any of our other Pigeons. These characters are also 

 supported by others already pointed out by Coues (Kej-, 2nd ed. p. 571), wlio 

 has created for it the subfamily Starnxnadinee, and I am strongly iucliued to 

 believe he is ri;'ht. 



