1890.] THE STRUCTURE OF PSOPHIA. 335 



In (1) Psophia most resembles Eurypyga, Cariama, Chunga. 

 ,. ,, ,, Cariama, CJtunr/a, Tlhinochetus. 



,, ,, ., Cariama and Chunga. 



,, ., ,, Rallidse, Rhinochetiis, Cariama, 



Chunga, (Edicnemus. 

 ,, ,, ,, RJii7iocheii(s, (Edicnemus, Cariama, 



Clninga. 

 :, ., ., Cariama, Chunga, Rallidfc, (Edi- 



cnemus. 

 ,, ,, ,, (Edicnemus. 



Cariama, Chunga. 

 Cariama, Chunga. 

 (Ediaiemus, Cariama. 

 (EiUcnnnus, (-(iriama, Chumja. 

 (Edicnemus, lihinochelus, Cariama, 

 CJiUiujii. 



In(l.'>) ,, ,, ,, (Edicnemus, Ithinochefu.'i, Chuinjii, 



Cariama, Eur)jp)j(ja. 



In the greatest percentage of tlie above characters Psophia resembles 

 the Cariamidfe, next come (Edicnemus and Grux, then Rlunochetus. 



Pelvis. 



A coiiiparison with the pelvis of a Crane {Tetraptcnjx pai'adisea) 

 may conveniently serve to indicate some of the peculiarities of the 

 pelvis in Psophia, before comparing it with those of other types. 



The pelvis in Psophia is narrower, and the anterior part (bimed 

 by the prolongation of the ilia is not much longer than the posterior 

 part ; it covers only two ribs. 



The inner borders of the postacetabular portion of the ilia are 

 straight and lie close to the caudal vertebrae. The pubes come into 

 close relations with the ischia. The process of the ilium overhang- 

 ing the acetabulum is not very well developed. 



In the Crane the contrary of all these conditions is found. The 

 whole pelvis is broader and the anterior narrow region is longer than 

 the posterior broader region. The inner borders of the postace- 

 tabular region of the ilia are concave and widely diverge from 

 the vertebrae of the tail. The suprailiac crest is well developed. 



Cariama and Chunga ' come nearer to the Cranes in every one of 

 the points enumerated except in the connection between the pubes 

 and ischia. 



Aramides, FuUca, and Oci/dromus come nearest to Psophia ; so 

 also do Parra and j)erhaps (Edicnemus. 



I do not lay any stress upon the preacetabular process (pubis of 

 some writers), as it is absent or present in very closely allied forms ; 

 e. g. in Tetraptergx paradisea (present) and Grus australasiana 

 (absent). 



1 Prof. Parker says (Osteology of the Xagu, loc. cit. p. 51fi) :— " Plere let it be 

 reniiirked that the pelvis of Vs^ophia is more like tliat of Oci/droiiius than that 

 of the typical Cranes." 



