ANOMALOGONATyE 169 



In the above table I have used twelve characters. The 

 Picidae, Bhamphastidse, and Capitonidse agree in ten of these, 

 and are undoubtedly nearly allied birds. The BucconidaB are 

 unfortunately not well known, but of the nine characters 

 which are set forth in the table they agree in eight with one 

 or othei;^ of the three families just mentioned. 



The Coraciidse and Meropidse agree pretty well in all the 

 characters except the exact arrangement of the deep flexor 

 tendons, the carotids being variable. There will be but little 

 violence done if these groups are associated. The Cypselidse 

 and Trochilidse. clearly come near together, agreeing as they 

 do in nine of the selected characters. 



The CaprimulgidsB on the one hand, and the owls on the 

 other, each form a distinct group with no such near affinities 

 to any of the others as those which we have been considering. 



The trogons are the only other group with basipterygoid 

 processes ; they do not, however, come very near to the 

 CaprimulgidsB or to the owls ; out of the selected twelve 

 characters they have at least four in which they totally 

 differ from the first, and five in which they differ from the 

 second. This group may be left as equivalent to the other 

 compound groups already considered. 



The Todidse are placed by Gadow close to the motmots ; 

 *by Forbes, on the other hamd, they are widely' separated. 

 ^They agree with them in ten out of the twelve, showing 

 thus, it appears to me, a considerable nearness. They agree 

 equally closely with the Meropidas on the one hand and the 

 Galbuhdae on the other. These four groups appear to me to 

 be worthy of association into one larger group. 



We have left the Bucerotidse, Upupidae, Alcedinidae, and 

 Coliidse. The kingfishers undoubtedly come near to all of 

 these, in only at most four of the characters differing from 

 any one of them ; but they are as near to the motmots and 

 Ehamphastidse. They should form a group apart. 



The same may be said of the coHes ; they are very near 

 to the hornbills and kingfishers, but equally near to the mot- 

 mots and Ehamphastidse ; we may therefore place them in a 

 group apart. On the other hand the Bucerotidse come nearer 



