1060 DR. p. CHALMERS MITCHELL ON THE 



possession of the generalized condition of the peroneals, but have 

 moved away from that condition, the Parrots further than the 

 Cuckoos and Plantain-eaters. 



OOEACIIFORMES. 



C o r a c i 06 



Coraeiidse. Coracias garrula, C. indica (2 examples). Eurystomus 

 orientcdis. — The P. longus is leather weak, but retains a small 

 superficial, fascial, and slight deep origins. The anchor is very 

 short, and the slip to III is extremely slender but present, at 

 least occasionally. The P. brevis is stronger than the longus ; 

 it arises from about the distal three-quarters of the shaft, from 

 the fibula and tibia, passes under a fibrous bridge and is inserted 

 by the normal flat tendon. 



Momotidse. Momotus lessoni and M. subrufescens. Aspatha 

 gularis. — In these the P. longus is well developed with all three 

 origins. It has a short anchor and is continued as a good slip 

 to III. The P. brevis is large and its tendon is just stronger 

 than that of the longus. It arises from the proximal half of 

 the fibula with the adjacent surface of the tibia and gives lise 

 to a rather long, rounded tendon which flattens out at the normal 

 insertion. 



Alcedinidse. Alcedo ispida (2 examples), A. asiatica and A. 

 hengalensis. Ceryle cdcyon, C. americana, C. inda, and C. onaxima. 

 Ceyx -ritfidorsa. Cittura cyanotis and C sanghirensis. Dacelo 

 g'igfa^iiea (3 examples). Hcdcyon pileataSinA H. ritfa. Sauropatis 

 chloris, S. sancta, S. sordida, and S. vagans. — As I have already 

 pointed out in an account of the Anatomy of the Kingfishers 

 ('Ibis,' 1901, p. 97), the P. longus is present in Kingfishers but 

 is plainly degenerating, possibly in association with the degene- 

 ration of the fibula. It is best-marked in Dacelo ; certainly I 

 cannot confirm Beddard's statement ('Structure and Classification 

 of Birds,' p. 199) that it is absent in that bird, and he makes no 

 mention of its presence or absence in other Kingfishers. It has 

 a superficial origin reduced to a narrow tendon from the external 

 corner of the tibial crest, joined by a few fibres from the tibia 

 along the region of the fibula representing the normal deep 

 origin. It is inserted to the capsule of the flexor muscles, this 

 being the usual anchor, but there is no trace of a slip to III. 

 This is the most common condition, but in a few, notably 

 Ceryle, Halcyon, and Ceyx, the muscle is reduced to a simple 

 tendon with only a few muscular fibres, the insertion being the 

 anchor. The P. brevis is always present and strong, arising 

 from the area of the tibia usually covered by the lower end of 

 the fibula and passing into a stout tendon which flattens out to 

 the usual insertion. 



Meropidfe. Merops. apiaster, M. philipjjensis. — The P. longus 

 is present but is very much reduced, having only a narrow super- 

 ficial and a few fibres of deep origin. A very short anchor is 

 present, and the slip to III although present is very slender. 



