PASSEEES 183 



some systematists placed in a group Pseudoscines, equivalent 

 to the remaining Passeres. 



The anatomy of the two genera has been mainly investi- 

 gated by Gareod, who studied principally the syrinx. They 

 are purely Australian in range. According to Fuebringer 

 this group of passerines is in many respects intermediate 

 between the other passerines and the Pici. With the latter 

 group Menura probably and Atrichia certainly agree in the 

 following myological points : the origin of the rhomboideus 

 profundus from the pelvis ; in the tendon of insertion of the 

 supra-coracoideus upon the shoulder joint ; in the origin of 

 the latissimus dorso-cutaneus from the ilium and its covering 

 by the leg musculature. Gaerod also called attention to 

 the fact that the patagialis brevis was picine and not passerine. 



The syrinx of Menura^ has three pairs of intrinsic mus- 

 cles, which are inserted respectively into the last tracheal 

 ring and on to the second and third bronchial semi-rings. 

 There are three modified bronchial semi-rings. So too in 

 Atrichia, where, however, there are but two pairs of syringeal 

 muscles, as shown in the figure. 



The clavicles are rudimentary in Atrichia ; there is no 

 hypocleidium in Menura, another picine character. Menura 

 has, furthermore, a chain of three supra-orbital bones. 



pici 



Definition. — Feet zygodaotyle ; aftershaft smaU or rudimentary ; 

 oil gland tufted. Muscle formula of leg, AXY (AX) ; Gall 

 bladder elongated. Skull without basipterygoid processes. 



The woodpeckers, which form the first family of the 

 assemblage, PicidsE,^ are a well-marked group of birds, contain- 

 ing about three hundred and fifty species, as allowed by the 

 late Mr. Hargitt.^ They inhabit most parts of the world, 

 excluding only Madagascar, Australia, and Polynesia. 



' For passerine syrinx see Jwh.Mulleb in .Iftfe.BeWm. Akad., 1845 ; Hekbe, 

 IHssertaUo de Avium Passerinarum La/rynge Bronchiali, Gryphise, 1 859 ; and 

 Gakrod and Foebes in papers already quoted. 



2 W. Makshail, Die Spechte. Leipzig, 1889. 



' Brit. Mils. Oatalogiie, vol. xviii. 



