SHUFELDT : OSTEOLOGY OF THE STEGANOPODES 



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ridiculously small for the size of the bird to which it belongs, it might, with truth, 

 be said to be very well developed. 



The ungual joints are powerfully curved, and considerable curvature character- 

 izes the majority of the others, especially those of the first, second, and third toes. 

 Although a digression from the consideration of the osteology of Fregata, it is inter- 

 esting to note that the greatly developed podotheca of the ungual joint of the middle 

 toe is beautifully pectinated, — a fact, in the present instance at least, that distinctly 

 militates against the view, still entertained by a few ornithologists, that the function 

 of the toes of birds so armed is the possession of an instrument wherewith they may 

 rid themselves and their plumage of vermin. 



Relationships of the Steganopodes . 



If we base our judgment on the osteology of the birds that have been exam- 

 ined in the present memoir, it would seem that we are justified in regarding the 

 Suborder Steganopodes as being composed of three superfamilies. These may be 

 designated as, first, the Pelecanoidea ; second, the Phaethontoidea ; and third, and 

 lastly, the Fregatoidea. 



Arranging these, and arraying the existing families of them, with their genera, 

 a taxonomic scheme on such a basis would stand thus : 



Superfamilies. 



Pelecanoidea 



Families. 



Pelecanidse. 

 Phalacrocoracidfe 

 Anhingidse. 

 SulidfB. 



Phaethontoidea. 

 Fregatoidea. 



Genera. 

 Pelecanus. 

 Phalacrocorax. 

 Nannopterum. 

 Anhinga. 

 Sula. 

 Phaethon. 



Fregata. 



Phaethontidse. 

 Fregatidse. 



The genera and families of fossil forms are not taken into consideration in this 

 scheme. 



Ornithotomists are agreed that the Steganopodes, constitute a well-defined group, 

 but beyond this the majority are reticent as to the question of the affinities existing 

 among the families and genera making up this group, and the relations of it as a 

 whole to other avian groups in the system. 



If from among the PhcUacrocoracidas we select the genus Phalacrocorax, there is 

 no doubt, in so far as its osteology indicates, that it is closely related to the genus 

 Anhinga. This, as has been shown above, is evident from a direct comparison of 



