38 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. IV. 



the Steatornithidae, Podargidse and ^Egothelidse. The next 

 order, the Haley ones, is divided into six superfamiUes, Mero- 

 poidea, Todoidea, Momotoidea, Alcedinoidea, Bucerotoidea 

 and Upupoidea, the last named and the Alcedinoidea having 

 two families, and the remaining with only one. The order 

 Pici includes four superfamilies, Bucconoidea, Ramphastoidea, 

 Capitonoidea and Picoidea. As a separate order we allow the 

 Trogoni, while into the order Macrochires three suborders, 

 Caprimulgiformes, Micropodiformes and Trochiliformes are 

 amalgamated. We are inclined to agree that the last named 

 are not accurately located, but are unable to provide a better 

 disposition at present. 



The order Menurse here intervenes, and this we are convinced 

 is not its proper place, and would indicate this location as one 

 of the ornithotomists' worst blunders. We hope to amend 

 this particular error at some later period. 



The last order, Passeres, is the most compact, but neverthe- 

 less the most numerous in species, and consequently desiring 

 the most subdivision. As pointed out above, this " order " 

 is practically the equivalent of a family, as that degree is 

 used, until we arrive at this complex, and that is the value 

 given it by ornithotomists attempting logically to subdivide 

 the Aves into groups of equal value. 



In deference to the ornithotomists six superfamilies are 

 admitted, Eurylsemoidea, Cotingoidea, Formicarioidea, Pitt- 

 oidea, Atrichornithoidea and Passer oidea, but a more arti- 

 ficial and unnatural grouping could not have been devised 

 by any ornithologist, as the basis of these superfamilies is 

 unsound. The association of a series of dissimilar birds on 

 account of the degradation of a single internal organ, espe- 

 cially as it is accompanied by geographical circumscription, 

 is just as unscientific as the conjunction of species, having 

 discontinuous range and distinctly different facies, also for 

 reason of one disused internal feature. 



The superfamily Passeroidea has always been productive of 

 subdivision and the chief tendency at present is to separate 

 further. Without attempting to rectify or add much at this 

 time, we total nearly sixty families. It is very difficult to re- 



