GRUES 383 



a small snag of bone, already referred to as projecting out- 

 wards from the maxillo-palatine in precisely the spot required ; 

 if this projection were to grow raore extensively, we should 

 have a palate exactly like that of Cathartes and Gypagus. 



To consider another quite different group of birds, the 

 Herodiones, I have urged on another page (p. 441) the low 

 position of Platalea among the Herodiones. In more than 

 one particular these birds recall the cranes. The occipital 

 fontanelles, the complete muscle formula are among these 

 characters. FtJRBRiNGEE has hinted at, but not accepted, 

 the dipbyletic origin of the Herodiones ; were it not for Scopus 

 and Balceniceps, this might be fairly assumed indeed ; and in 

 view of this possibility the strongly ardeine character of the 

 palatines in Bhinochetus and Eurypyga may be commented 

 upon.' This character, too, is coupled with the existence of 

 pDwder-down patches. 



Though the charadriiform birds form, in my opinion, a 

 group distinct from the Grues, there are many points of simi- 

 larity between them. This is practically shown by the fact 

 that CEdicnemus has been much bandied about between the 

 two groups. The occipital fontanelles, the supra-orbital 

 impressions are among the points of likeness. In view of 

 these facts the likeness in some matters of the skull of 

 Mesites to that of Glareola is perhaps significant. It is 

 really mainly the form of the intestinal coils as described by 

 Mitchell that leads me to dwell upon the separateness of 

 the two groups. But this question is dealt with more fully 

 under Limicolse (on p. 358). 



As an appendix to the Grues we may perhaps consider the 



STEREORNITHES 



This singular group of birds was originally discovered in 

 the lower Tertiary strata of Patagonia by the well-known 

 palaeontologist Ambghino. Of the several genera assigned 

 to the family, many of which are very imperfectly known 



' See, however, p. 373 footnote, where a similar conformation of these bones 

 in the auk, ffratercula, is described. 



