582 MK. ¥. E. BKDDA11IJ ON THE [Dec. S. 



series is debatable, such as Dromas and Glareola. Even in Tringa, 

 where they are perhaps least observable, a careful inspection of 

 the bones shows the shallow furrows which indicate the existence 

 of the structures in question. I cannot therefore agree with Dr. 

 Shufeldt \ who remarks that in Aphriza virgata," again agreeing in 

 this respect with most if not all true Tringa, they are entirely 

 absent." I confess, however, that in Tringa cinches, a small species 

 and thus not easy of study, these furrows are so ill-impressed 

 that they are not plain ; they are, howeAer, definitely stated by 

 Mr. Forbes to be present, and I can confirm the accuracy of his 

 observations. They are plainly to be seen in Tringa canuta. But 

 I cannot see these furrows in either Scolopax or GaUinago. 



The second peculiarity of the skull of Ehynchcea, which is evi- 

 dent on the dorsal view, is the condition of the nostrils. As is 

 well known, the Limicoline birds are schizorhinal for the most 

 part, though the CEdicnemida) are purely holorhinal, and in certain 

 outlying genera, such as Thinocorus, the schizorhiny approaches 

 holorhiny. Rhynchaa is to some extent also an intermediate type 

 in the nature of its bony nostrils. As will be seen from the 

 accompanying figure (text-fig. 00) the extent of the nostril is that of 

 schizorhinal birds, i. e. they extend back beyond the end of the 

 premaxilke. But instead of their ending gradually in a gradually 

 narrowing chink between the two halves of the nasal bone, their 

 posterior outline is distinctly rounded. They belong, in fact, rather 

 tothatgroup of Limicoline birds which contains the genera Cursorius, 

 Dramas, and Thinocorus, &c, than to the more typical family 

 (Jharadriidae or its immediate allies (including Snipe and Woodcock), 

 in this particular. It is noteworthy also that in this particular, as 

 in the absence of supraorbital impressions, the genus Rhynchcea is 

 not far removed from the Parridse, with -\\ Inch family Fiirbringer 

 has on other grounds suggested a resemblance. Both liarrod and 

 Forbes refer to the Parndae as being schizorhinal ; Forbes speaks 

 of them as "strongly schizorhinal." This expression appears to 

 me to be too emphatic ; for in Hydrophasianus, of which 1 have 

 a skull before me, there is precisely the same "pseudoholorhiny " 

 that is met with in Dramas, Thinocorus, &c, a little more pro- 

 nounced than in Rhynchcea. 



The Limicoline birds differ characteristically in the number and 

 arrangement of the nerve-foramina at the end of the bony bill. In 

 Rhynchcea (text-fig. 03) there are four regular rows of four or five 

 largish foramina. In Tnnga (and the same applies to Aphriza, 

 which hardly differs generic-ally) the end of the bill is beset with 

 closely-set and very numerous foramina, which give a sculptured 

 appearance to this region of the premaxillse. This is much exag- 

 gerated in Scolopax and Tringa (text-figs. 01, 02). In Vauellus 

 the foramina are as few as in Rhynchcea, but less regular in their 



1 " On the Affinities of Aphriza cirgata," Journ. Morph. ii. 1888, p. 314. 

 " Notes on the Anatomy and Systematic Position of the Jaeanas (Parridse)," 

 P. Z. S. 1881, p. 644. 



