State of the Systema Avium. 405 
Again, to divorce the Flamingoes from the Herons simply 
because of their webbed feet, seems by no means satisfactory. 
Nor is it easy to find any point of resemblance between the 
true Anseres and other Natatores, except the one single 
character of palmatipedism. Under these impressions I have 
thought it better to follow Prof. Huxley’s plan of associating 
together the three great groups of Grallatores and Natatores 
that resemble the Accipitres in the formation of the palate. 
It appears to me that the great ‘ Gallino-gralline” series 
runs off much more smoothly when these excrescences are 
removed, and that at the same time the three Desmognathous 
groups, even leaving the palatal conformation out of conside- 
ration, show much affinity znfer se. 
Acting on these ideas I placed the Steganopodes, Herodi- 
ones, and Anseres in the ‘ Nomenclator’ immediately after 
the Accipitres, putting the Steganopodes first, amongst which 
the Fregatide show some sort of (at least superficial) resem- 
blance to the birds of prey. I divided them into the following 
five families, which may, I think, be readily diagnosed :— 
1. Fregatidee. 4, Phalacrocoracide. 
2. Phaethontide. 5. Plotide. 
3. Pelecanidee. 
9. HERODIONES. 
The Herodiones (Pelargomorphe of Huxley) come very 
naturally, I think, between the Pelicans and the Ducks. In 
the ‘ Nomenclator’ they are divided into four families— 
Ardeide, Ciconiide, Plataleide, and Pheenicopteride. I 
have, however, lately come to the conclusion that the last- 
named group should not be included in the Herodiones, 
although, as Nitzsch has told us, the pterylosis is completely 
Stork-like, and occupies a middle place between Ciconia and 
Tantalus. Prof. Huxley says ‘‘the genus Phenicopterus is 
so completely intermixed between the Anserine birds on the 
one side and the Storks and Herons on the other, that it can 
be ranged with neither of these groups, but must stand as a 
division by itself.’ In this opinion I am not quite disposed 
to agree, and propose to use Nitzsch’s appropriate term 
“ Odontoglosse” to designate the order. 
