380 STRUCTUEE AND CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS 



discovered by E. Bartlbtt/ who found and described 

 briefly the powder-down patches. 



The bird has sixteen rectrices, and apparently — but there 

 is some little doubt about the matter — a nude oil gland. The 

 contour feathers have no aftershaft. There are five pairs of 

 powder-down patches. The most anterior pair lie in the 

 interscapular region, and are enclosed by the dorsal tracts. 

 The second pair are upon the rump, the third pair at the 

 commencement of the pectoral region ; the fourth pair lie 

 also on the ventral region, but posteriorly ; the fifth pair, 

 finally, are axillary. The number of these pairs is greater 

 than in any known bird, and their definition and complete 

 separation as distinct patches contrasts with the diffused 

 arrangement characteristic of Bhinochetus and Eurypyga. 



There are four apteria on the neck, since both dorsal and 

 ventral tracts divide early. The dorsal tracts converge inter- 

 scapularly, and then become much feebler, and are continued 

 on to the Y-shaped posterior part of the tract. The ventral 

 tracts cease altogether at the commencement of the pectoral 

 region, but recommence behind the powder-downs. The 

 outer branch is present, but is quite unconnected with the 

 main stem. 



The muscle formula is complete, ABXY -I- . Both carotids 

 are present. 



As FuBBBiNGEE, removed Aptomis from the rails and 

 placed it in the present group largely on account of its 

 schizorhinal nostrils, it is remarkable that he did not also do 

 so with the present bird. The bony nostrils are, in fact, of 

 the type that has been termed pseudo-holorhinal. They are 

 rounded at their end, but elongated and curved inwards ; they 

 are exactly like those of Glareola. 



Mesites is schizognathous, with delicate maxillo-palatines. 

 The descending process of the lacrymal abuts upon, but 

 does ]t!ot fuse with, the very stout square ectethmoid. This 

 part of the skull, again, is more like Glareola than any gruine 

 form ; but it is also like Pterocles and various other birds. 



There are seventeen cervical vertebrcB, and four ribs reach 

 ' 'Remarks on the Affinities of Mesites,' P. Z. S. 1877, p. 292.' 



