108 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND. 



being present. The pterylosis stops above the sufifrago ; the inner rem- 

 iges reach to the ends of the primaries in the folded wing. As to the 

 exterior portions of the body not covered with feathers, the feet are en- 

 tirely different from those of the pigeons, in the shortness and elevation 

 of the hallux and other features, while the bill, aside from the sheathed 

 portion, is altogether diverse. The reference of this form, therefore, to, 

 or even near, the Golumbce is out of the question. 



The only external character indicating ii imsserine afSnity is the form 

 and size of the beak, which are decidedly corvine ; an analogy which, 

 however, is as feeble as that deduced from the croaking note of the 

 bird when on its feet, and has, of course, no taxonomic significance. 



The external resemblances to the GalUnce are much more obvious and 

 important. The contour-feathers have large after-shafts — at least half 

 as long as the main shafts. There is a curious gallinaceous trait exhib- 

 ited in the mode of holding the wings during life — drooi3ing and par- 

 allel with the tail instead of meeting each other above it. The frontal 

 caruncular casque presents an obvious resemblance to the combs which 

 ornament so many of the typical Gallinm. The few tail feathers and 

 contour of those of the forehead are, however, columbine rather than 

 gallinaceous, while the elongation of the inner remiges and general 

 shape of the wing is rather grallatorial. The feet, in almost every 

 particular, are thoroughly gallinaceous, even to the character of the 

 marginal fringe of the toes, which retains strong pectinations instead 

 of presenting the smooth border characterizing the feet of many of the 

 Grallatores. The points in which the feet differ from those of most 

 Gallmw are : The reticulation instead of the anterior scutellation of the 

 tarsus, and nakedness of the lower portion of the tibise ; both these 

 features being essentially grallatorial, though shared by the gulls. As 

 to other naked portions of the body : The presence of the wing-spur 

 indicates affinities lower than the GalUnce so far as it has any taxonomic 

 value, such spurs being a rare accident of higher {i. e., more recent) 

 birds, and its development being most i^ronounced in older, more gen- 

 eralized types — struthious birds, for instance. The abundance of gray 

 down is an indication of relationship with pelagic birds, and by so far 

 removes the bird from the neighborhood of Gallinw. The legs are alto- 

 gether below the average grallatorial length, and the small extent (one- 

 half inch) of the unfeathered part of the tibia seems to assimilate it, 

 as De Blaiuville has observed, with the gulls. The system of coloration 

 also is extremely gull-like. The bird, in fact, closely resembles super- 



