1891.] ON THE ANATOMY OF THE KAGU. 



3. Contributions to the Anatomy of the Kagu {Rhinochetus 

 jubatus). By Frank E. Beddard, M.A.^ Prosector to 

 the Society. 



[Eeceived January 6, 1891.] 



The structure of the Kagu, so far as it is at present known, has 

 shown it to be a bird which stands in a central position with respect 

 to several groups. It cannot be included in any of the existing 

 families without doing violence to some one of its structural charac- 

 teristics. 



All that is known of the anatomy of this bird refers to external 

 features, to the skeleton, to the viscera, and to a few of its muscles ; 

 and opinions as to its affinities, based more or less upon these 

 characters, are varied. There can be no doubt, however, that it 

 stands somewhere in the Ardeogralline group. 



With a view to assist in the more accurate placing o^ Rhinochetus, 

 I offer here an account of some of the principal muscles which I 

 have dissected in a specimen that died in the Society's Gardens a 

 a few years since. 



The Kagu was described so recently as 1860 by MM. Des Murs and 

 Yerreaux [1] ; but the first account of its anatomy is contained in 

 a short paper by Prof. Parker [6] on certain points in the Osteology, 

 expanded later [7] into an elaborate description of the entire skeleton. 

 After the publication of these two papers. Dr. Murie contributed 

 to the ' Transactions ' of this Society a valuable account [8J of the 

 external characters and of the alimentary viscera, comparing the 

 bird in all these matters with Eurypyga and with the Boatbill 

 {Gancromd). More recently Prof. Garrod has remarked upon the 

 carotids and upon the muscles of the thigh [19]. The disposition of 

 the intestinal coils has been described by Dr. Gadow [16], while Mr. 

 Seebohm [9] has directed attention to a few points in the osteology. 



I am not acquainted with any other papers that deal with the 

 structure of Rhinochetus. 



The following is a list of the papers which I have consulted in 

 putting together the present notes : — 



(1) Des Murs and J.Verreaux. — Revue et Mag. de Zool. t. xiii. 



(I860) p. 441. 



(2) PouGET. — Note sur le Kagou. Bull. Societ. Acclim. (3) 

 t. ii. p. 162.^ 



(3) Bartlett, a. D. — Note on the Habits and Affinities of 

 the ^di^M {Rhinochetus jubatus). P. Z. S. 1862, p. 218. 



^ In this paper the author illustrates, by some good woodcuts, the attitudes 

 of tbe bird — particularly the elevation of the crest, which I have myself fre- 

 quently observed at the Gardens. He also points out that the name was written 

 by the describers " EhynocJietos" and that therefore, in his opinion, their 

 spelHng should be used. 



