1890.] 



THE STRUCTURE OF PSOPHIA. 



337 



The following table shows the number of cervical and dorsal 

 vertebrae, of ribs, &c., in a series of birds more or less closely allied 

 to Psopliia. The letters r, r , R represent rudimentary ribs, often 

 spoken of as cervical, which precede the complete ribs ; the number 

 of complete ribs (?. e. those which reach the sternum) is indicated, and 

 also that of the incomplete ribs (never more than two) which lie 

 behind them and do not reach the sternum. 



Tefrapteryx paradisea 



Balearica chrysopelargiis . . 



Psophia Icneopfcra 



Kurypijga Mia.< 



Parra jacanK 



Knpodotifi aenegalensis 



Chunga burmeistcri 



Cariama cridata 



(Edknemus grallarins 



Trihonyx morficri 



Otis tarda 



Ocydroinus aitirtrali.s 



Fulica ardesiaca 



Cerv. 



vert. 



17 

 10 

 10 

 Ifi 

 14 



ir. 

 i.". 

 13 

 13 



13 

 13 

 13 

 13 



Eibs. 



(10) r+r'+(\-\-2 (lumbar) 

 (0) /■'+7 + 1 (lumbar) 



(10) r +8+1 (lumbar) 



(8) »• + !•'+.'!+ 1 (lumbar) 

 (8) /•+!•' + .')+! (lumbar) 

 (7) )''+R+5(l lumbar) 

 (S)r + )-' + 5 + /' (lumbar) 

 (7) r+r'+o (2 lumbar) 

 (U) 2;-+y'+5+l (2 lumbar) 



(11) /•+r'+u+4 (1 lumbar) 

 (10)r+,-'+R+G + /' (lumbar) 

 i(10) r + 7-'+G+2 (1 lumbar) 

 (10) r + ;-'+7 + l (lumbar) 



The above tabic does not appear to me to bring out any very 

 valuable results. Indeed, the differences between Otis and Euj)odoiis 

 are quite as great as those between genera usually referred to distinct 

 families. 



On the whole Psopliia appears to come nearest to the Cranes. 



Myologij. 



I have nothing new to record under this head ; I have simply 

 been able to confirm the statements of Garrod and Fiirbringer. 

 In the leg the ambiens, seniitendinosus, accessory semitendinosus, 

 and accessory femorocauda I are ju'eseiit, the/<;/«o/oc«wc?ft/ itself being- 

 absent ; in these particulars Psopliia agrees with Otis, Serpentarius, 

 Cariama, Aramus, and Phoenicopterus, and differs from the Cranes 

 and Kails. 



In the fore limb there is, as Fiirbringer has recorded, a conspicuous 

 biceps slip to the patagiuni. 



T^'achea. 



The structure of the syrinx (woodcut fig. .3, p. 338) is nearest to 

 that of Cariama among the ])0ssible allies of this bird, but no 

 trenchant characters distinguish it from many Rails and the Cranes. 



