1232 CLASS AVES. 



other group of this order. They are confined to the New World, 

 and are represented in a fossil state by remains of existing species 

 of Crypturus, Nothura, Tinamus^ and Rhynchotus, in the Pleistocene 

 cave-deposits of Brazil. 



Suborder 3. Impennes. — The Penguins (Aptenodytes, &c.) of 

 the Antarctic regions form a peculiarly interesting and well-defined 

 group of Birds, in which the wings are modified for swimming, and 

 the component bones of the tarso-metatarsus are separated by vacui- 

 ties. It has recently been proposed that the Impennes should form 

 a primary group of equivalent rank with the Carinatae, under the 

 name of Eupodornithes. Unfortunately scarcely anything is known 

 of their palaeontological history, the only fossil type being Palce- 

 eudyptes from the Tertiary of New Zealand. 



Suborder 4. Tubinares. — The Petrels, or Procellariidcz, are 

 the only family of this group. The only known fossil representa- 

 tives are members of the existing genus Puffinus (Shearwater), which 

 have been recorded from the Lower Miocene of Allier, in France, 

 and also from the Miocene of the United States. 



Suborder 5. Pygopodes. — According to the opinion of Pro- 

 fessor Newton this and the two following groups should be regarded 

 merely as sections of a single suborder, but since no name has been 

 proposed for this larger group the three divisions are retained. Of 

 the Pygopodes, the Alcidce, or Auks, include the Great Auk (Alca 

 impennis) of the Arctic regions, which now appears to be totally ex- 

 tinct, but of which the remains are found abundantly in the peat 

 and other superficial deposits of northern Europe. Remains re- 

 ferred to the genus Uria (Guillemots) are found in the Upper Plio- 

 cene of Italy; and Guillemots also occur in the Tertiary of the 

 United States, where they have been described under the name of 

 Catarractes. In the Colymbidce, which includes the Grebes and 

 Divers, remains of the Red-throated Diver (Colymbus glacialis) are 

 found in the Pleistocene deposits of Mundesley, in Norfolk ; while 

 the extinct Colymboides of the Lower Miocene of Allier appears to 

 be an allied form. 



Suborder 6. Gavi^e. — Of the Laridce (Gulls and Terns) a species 

 of Larus occurs in the Allier Miocene ; while Hydrornis of the lat- 

 ter deposits may probably be referred to the same family. An 

 undetermined genus from the London Clay may perhaps be also 

 referable to the present group. 



Suborder 7. Limicoije. — The Limicolae are somewhat abun- 

 dantly represented in Tertiary deposits ; the subaquatic habits of 

 many of its members being probably conducive to the preservation 

 of their remains. In the family Scolopacidce the genus Numenius 

 (Curlew) is recorded from the Middle Miocene of Gers, in France, 

 and the Pliocene of Italy ; Limosa (Godwit) occurs in the Upper 



