BIRDS OP NOETH AKD MIDDLE AMEEICA. 



if, indeed, they be not more distinct from one another than are the 

 two orders Charadriiformes and Gruiformes themselves.' These 

 Gruiform g'roups differ as follows:*^ 



a. Metastemum entire; deep plantar tendons of Type I, the tail not large and fan- 

 shaped; young nidifugous. 

 b. ISTasals holorhinal or else (Jacanidse), the claws excessively elongated; hallux 

 large, incumbent; cervical vertebrae 14-15; metastemum with a long lateral 



proceess Ealli ( =Rallidae of Gadow). 



bb. Nasals schizorhinal ; hallux small, elevated, or else (Aramidse) first primary 

 faloate-spatulate; cervical vertebrae 17-20; metastemum entire. 



Grues (=Gruidse of Gadow) 

 aa. I\Ietasternum 2-notched or else (Eurypygae) powder-down patches present and 

 the tail large and fan-shaped; deep plantar tendons of Type II or IV, or if of 

 Type I (Eurypygae) the tail large and fan-shaped; young nidicolous. 

 b. Rectrices 12; aftershaft present; oil gland nude (except Eurypygse, part) ; deej) 

 plantar tendons of Type I or IV; toes not lobated; young ptilopaedic. 

 c. Furcula Y-shaped; nasals holorhinal; cervical vertebrae 14-15; myological 

 formula BXY; biceps slip absent; deep plantar tendons of Type IV; quinto- 

 cubital; tail moderate; no powder-down patches; bill shorter than head, 

 strong, the maxilla decurved; hallux elevated, with strongly curved claw. 

 (Terrestrial and arboreal; cursorial. )..Cariam9e ( =Dicholophidse of Gadow)' 

 cc. Furcula U-shaped; nasals schizorhinal; cervical vertebrae 18; myological for- 

 mula ABXY; biceps slip present; deep plantar tendons Type I; aquinto- 

 cubital; tail large, fan-shaped; powder-down patches present; bill longer 

 than head, straight; hallux decumbent, with small and moderately curved 

 claw. (Aquatic and arboreal; grallatorial). 



Eurypygae (=Eurypygid£e + Rhinochetidae of Gadow). 



66. RectriceslS; aftershaft absent; oil gland tufted; deep plantar tendons of Type II; 



toes lobated; young gymnopaedic--Heliornitlies(=Heliornithida3 of Gadow). 



Reverting to the order Charadriiformes, it may be stated that Dr. 

 Gadow recognizes four suborders (Limicolse, Lari, Pterocles, and 

 Columbse) as groups of equal value; nevertheless, that the Columbse 

 are far more different from the Limicolse or Lari than these two are 

 from one another is perfectly obvious from the evidence, which may 

 be summarized as follows: 



Limicol^-|-Laki. — Aquatic, limicoline, or cursorial; vomer well 

 developed; syrinx tracheo-bronchial ; cseca functional; young nidi- 

 fugous (or at least not strictly nidicolous) and ptilopsedic. 



CoLUMBJE. — Arboreal and terrestrial; vomer rudimentarjr or absent; 

 syrinx tracheal or sterno-tracheal; cajca nonfunctional; young nidi- 

 colous and gymnopgedic. 



^So far as I am able to ascertain, the essential anatomical differences between 

 Charadriiformes and Gruiformes, as constituted in Dr. Gadow' s scheme, are as follows: 



Chaeadriifoembs. — Dorsal vertebrae opisthocoelous; metastemum 4-notched. 



Geuifoemes. — Dorsal vertebrae heterocoelous; metastemum 2-notched or entire. 



^ The author is, of course, perfectly aware that groups are more often characterized 

 by combinations than by sets of absolutely exclusive characters; but in an analytical 

 "key" it becomes necessary to employ the latter, when they can be discovered, 

 without regard to their relative taxonomic value, otherwise the keys become com- 

 plicated and unmanageable. 



