State of the Systema Avium. 403 
suggested by Nitzsch in 1829*. The affinities of this ancient 
group to other orders appear to be somewhat remote, but 
their most natural position seems to be between the Picariz 
and the Accipitres. The best mode of subdividing this order 
has long been a matter of discussion, Dr. Finsch’s mode of 
grouping, as well as those adopted by previous writers, being 
not very satisfactory. But a flood of light has been thrown 
upon this subject by Garrod’s excellent memoir on the ana- 
tomy of the Psittacidee+, and I think we may safely base our 
arrangement upon the results of his observations. This, 
indeed, I have already done in the last edition of the ‘ List 
of Vertebrated Animals living in the Zoological Society’s 
Gardens’ (1879), where I have arranged the Psittaci upon 
the following plan, of which the details are taken from 
Garrod’s investigations :— 
A. Left carotid normal. 
A’. Orbital ring complete .......... 1. Cacatude. 
B’. Orbital ring incomplete. 
A". Sternal keel aborted ...... 2. Stringopide. 
B". Sternal keel developed .... 3. Paleornithide. 
B. Left carotid superficial .....5........ 4, Psittacide. 
All the New-World Parrots belong to the last family. 
6. STRIGES. 
That the Owls, with so many peculiarities in their organiza- 
tion}, should constitute an order separate from the Accipitres 
I think there is little doubt. There is no known intermediate 
form, unless it may be said that Pandion approximates rather 
to the Striges in the absence of the aftershaft. In a previous 
paper in this Journal§ I have given my reasons for dividing 
them into two families (Strigide and Asionide), which 
Prof. Newton || and Mr. Sharpe{ likewise agree to. 
7. ACCIPITRES. 
The Accipitres, which follow naturally next to the Striges, 
* Obs. de Avium art. carotide communi. t P.Z.S. 1874, p. 586. 
t Cf. Nitzsch, Pterylogr. p. 67. § Ibis, 1879, p. 351. 
|| Newton’s Yarrell, i. p. 148, q Cat. Birds, ii. p. 289. 
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