LIMIC0LJ3 



349 



It is usual to separate the two genera Thinocorus and 

 Attagis, both South American birds, into a family, Thinoco- 

 ridae. In contradistinction to their allies they are grain- 

 eating birds, connected with which habit is the presence of a 

 crop, an absolutely distinctive character so far as the present 

 group is concerned. Their anatomy has been chiefly studied 

 by Gaeeod.' The differences which distinguish them from 



Fig. 170. — Skull of Attagis Gayi (aftek Gakeod). 



other Limicolse are neither great nor numerous. In the shull 

 the basipterygoid processes are absent, and the vomer is broad 

 and rounded in front as figured by Paekee ; "^ the skull, in fact, 

 as has Been mentioned on a previous page, is segithognathous 

 rather than schizognathous. There are no occipital foramina, 



Chionis minor,' Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. iii. 1876, p. 85 ; B. 0. Cunningham, ' On 

 Chionis alba,' J. Anat. Phys. 1870, p. 87 ; Blainville, ' M^mcire sur la Place 

 que doit occuper le Genre Chionis,' Ann. Sci. Nat. 1836, p. 97 ; Stddeb, 

 Forschungsreise S. M. S. ' Gazelle,' Bd. iii. ' Zoologie u. Geologie,' p. 107. 



' ' Notes on the Anatomy and Systematic Position of the Genera Thinocorus 

 and Attagis,' P. Z. S. 1877, p. 413. 



* ' On iEgithognathous Birds,' Zool. Trans, vol. x. 



