378 



DE. R. W. SHUFELDT's MORPHOLOGICAL 



Chcetura pelagica. 



3. The last caudal vertebra is the 35tli. 



4. Pelvis much as we find it in some 

 Swallows ; leading sacral vertebra 

 does not markedly project bejond 

 ilia. 



5. Sternum untouched posteriorly ; 

 possesses comparatively large costal 

 processes ; small manubrium ; deep 

 carina ; which latter and the body are 

 always riddled with large vacuities. 



6. Os furcula a very broad U-shaped 

 one, with lateral abutments at its 

 heads, and with rudimentary hypo- 

 cleidium ; the bone harmoniously 

 proportioned for the rest of the 

 skeleton. 



7. Coracoids much of the same form 

 as we find them in the Swallows. 



8. Blade of scapula nearly straight, 



9. General aspect of the body skele- 

 ton, aside from the unnotched ster- 

 num and rather deep keel to it, 

 like the Hirundinidce. 



Trochilus rufus. 



3. The last caudal vertebra is the 32nd. 



4. Pelvis peculiarly formed ; and two 

 entire vertebrse project beyond the 

 ilia (the 18th and 19th). 



5. Sternum unnotched posteriorly ; 

 very small costal processes ; no 

 manubrium ; comparatively a much 

 deeper carina ; sternal body and 

 keel never perforated by vacuities. 



6. Os furcula rather of a very broad 

 V-shaped variety, with small lateral 

 abutments at its heads, and with 

 rudimentary hypocleidium, with 

 the bone of hair-like dimensions as 

 compared with others of the skele- 

 ton. 



7. Coracoids very peculiar, as the 

 tendinal canal is closed by bone, 

 and the shaft perforated by a large 

 foramen below it. Totally unlike 

 the bone in the Cypseli. 



8. Blade of scapula bent at a marked 

 angle at its posterior extremity. 



9. General aspect of the body skeleton 

 has no exact counterpart among 

 living birds, that the writer has as 

 yet ever met with. 



Now a few words as to what the above table sliows : first, it is 

 evident that the spinal column of Swifts and Humming-birds is 

 fundamentally different, both in the number and arrangement 

 of the vertebrsD. It should, however, be stated that upon going 

 over a large number of specimens, I find that it is the 15th 

 vertebra that first connects with the sternum by costal ribs, and 

 not the 16th as stated in my first contribution of 1885. This 

 gives the Trochili 3 true dorsals, which is as small a number 

 as any existing bird possesses ; I found the same number in a 

 Californian Condor. Cypseli possess 5 t^^ue dorsal vertehrcB. 



Some excellent characters, no doubt, are to be obtained from 

 any bird's sternum, but the more I look into it the more I am 

 convinced that the facility with which we can say sternum 

 2-notched, sternum unnotched, sternum 4-notched (as the case 

 may be) has almost proved a detriment to avian taxonomy, for, 



