State of the Systema Avium. 407 
them at the end of his division Psilopzedes*), and, no doubt, 
belong to a new line of departure from the Passeres towards 
the Galline. It is very hard to have to mar the symmetry 
of the Columbine group by adding to it the Pteroclide. Yet 
there can be no doubt that in most respects the Sand-Grouse 
are more truly Pigeons than Grouse, and that the only way 
to escape from the dilemma is to recognize the Pterocletes 
as a separate order, as Prof. Huxley has proposed to dof, 
intermediate between the Columbe and Galline. 
As regards the divisions of the Columb into families I 
have recognized two in the last edition of the ‘List of 
Animals ’—Carpophagide and Columbide. To these should 
have been added a third (Gouride) for the Crown Pigeons, 
in which the tarsi have a very peculiar conformation, and 
perhaps a fourth (Didunculide) for Didunculus. 
The Dodos must be held to belong to quite a separate 
section of the order. 
12. Gauuina, and 13. OpistHocom1. 
As regards the true Galline, which we now come to, we 
cannot do better than adhere to Prof. Huxley’s excellent 
division of them into Peristeropodes and Alectoropodes. In 
the former section I have recognized two families, Cracide 
and Megapodide ; in the latter two also, Tetraonide and 
Phasianide. Whether the Meleagrinz and Numidine should 
stand as subfamilies of the Tetraonide (as arranged in the 
‘List of Animals’ for 1879), or as separate families, is, I 
think, not quite certain. The Turnicide, there treated as 
only a family of the Galline, as also Opisthocomus, must, I 
think, after Prof. Huxley’s elaborate discussion of the sub- 
jectt, be definitely constituted as separate orders, Hemipodii 
and Opisthocomi—the former leading off towards the Crypturi, 
the latter most nearly allied to the Cracide, and also showing 
manifest signs of alliance with the Coccyges among the 
Picarie. 
* Tentamen, p. 97. + P. ZS. 1868, p. 254, 
t P. Z. S. 1868; p, 311. 
