Nos. 2 & 3.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 37 



similar lines, and superficial likenesses are supposed to cover 

 divergent morphological structures. So far, anatomists have 

 been quite unable to determine the relationships of the groups, 

 and all classications are debatable. We admit two suborders, 

 Vulturiformes and Falconiformes, the latter divisible into two 

 superfamilies, Sagittarioidea and Falconoidea. Seven famiUes 

 comprise the latter, but probably three divisions are here 

 represented. The relationship of the Striges to the Falcones 

 has been much disputed by the morphologist, who would 

 interpose the Psittaci, but as he would also amalgamate the 

 Cuculi with the Psittaci, we are not accepting that scheme. 

 We therefore add the Order Striges after the Falcones, admit- 

 ting the three families, Strigidse, Phodihdse and Tytonidse, and 

 then come to the Order Psittaci. This order is in a similar 

 state to the Falcones, all the forms entering one suborder with 

 six superfamilies, Strigopoidea,Psittacoidea, etc.; the suborder 

 being represented by sixteen families. As a separate order 

 we recognise the Cuculi, two superfamilies being admitted, 

 the true Cuculoidea covering four families, Cucuhdse, Eudy- 

 namytidse, Scythropidse and Polophihdse. It is probable that 

 other famihes can be distinguished, as these are well marked 

 and just as easily characterised morphologically as they can 

 be superficially determined. 



The disposition of the " Coraciine " birds is a problem which 

 dismays every taxonomist, though the sequence of the groups 

 is not much disputed. The value of the observed differences, 

 internal as well as external, cannot be correctly estimated in 

 terms of the preceding groupings. The Pico-Passeriformes 

 are together scarcely equal in value to one of the preceding 

 orders, but the number of species demands detailed segregation, 

 and we have no names for the groups to be distinguished. 

 Consequently we now appreciate a family to the equivalent 

 of an order, and the subdivisions are termed with the same 

 names downwards, but it must be borne in mind that these 

 are not equivalent. Remembering this all the time, we can 

 divide the " Pico-Passerines " into seven " orders." The 

 Coracise comprises three superfamilies, the Podargoidea, 

 Coracioidea and Cohoidea ; the former contains three famihes, 



