178 



ANATOMY OF CERTAIN MEGAPODES. 



aperture, is a paired wliite space, bare except for a few 

 bristles (absent in " Catheturus "), which surround this 

 aperture in a double row. 



In the posterior neck region, in " Catheturus," the 

 lateral neck spaces are broad and well defined. The 

 ventral tract begins in this region, and as it passes back- 

 wards divides into two strongly-marked pectoral bands, 

 which diverge some distance in front of the sternum, 

 and are carried down on each side towards the thigh, 

 just anterior to which (about the mid length of the 

 sternum) they suddenly cease. The rest of the ventral 

 tract is wholly separated from the pectoral bands by 

 well-marked spaces. This other part commences just 

 anterior to the manubrium sterni, and immediately 

 divides, the two tracts running backwards and only 

 meeting just anterior to the anus. The two tracts diverge 

 greatly in the abdominal region before meeting. 



The arrangement in " Lipoa " is almost exactly 

 similar to the above, there being the two strong pectoral 

 tracts which are separated from the ventral tract proper, 

 the latter becoming divided into two tracts, which meet 

 in this case some. distance anterior to the anus, forming 

 a diffused tract ou the abdomen. 



The dorsal tract in " Catheturus " is bounded later- 

 ally on the neck region by the two large neck spaces. It 

 is continued caudad as far as a point lying shortly behind 

 the shoulder joint, where it abruptly ends in fairly long 

 and strong feathers. When the tract begins again, it 

 becomes diffused over the entire pelvic region as a 

 broad area, so wide as to be fused with the femoral 

 tracts on either side. The oil gland is nude. 



In " Lipoa," the arrangement of the dorsal tract is 

 similar. There is a large space, as in " Catheturus." con- 

 necting the lateral spaces of the trunk. The oil gland 

 here again is nude. 



The humeral and femoral tracts are well developed 

 in each of the two genera, the latter being fused with 

 the posterior expanded portion of the dorsal tract. 



The distribution of the feathers on the wings agrees 

 in both of the specimens examined. The number of 

 reniiges is; — Metacarpals, 10; cubitals, 15. In eagh the 



