OSTEOLOGY OF BIRDS 



227 



10 The os furcula is V-shaped, and always possesses a hypo- 

 cleidium. 



1 1 The sternum has a large, lamellar, vertically placed manubrium 

 which is transversely pierced at its base so as to make the cora- 

 coidal grooves continuous ; its costal processes are long and prom- 

 inent; it is deeply 2-notched upon either side of the carina, and 

 thus gives origin to long internal and external pairs of xiphoidal 

 processes. 



12 The humerus is pneumatic; and there may or may not be a 

 claw to the pollex digit. 



13 A good sized, osseous patella is found in the tendon in front 

 of the kneejoint. 



RELATIONSHIPS OF THE UNITED STATES GALLINAE 



The nearest relatives of the Gallinae in this country are the 

 pigeons on the one hand and the Limicoline birds on the other. 

 The nearness of this kin in the first mentioned instance is seen to 

 be between the grouse and such columbine types as represent the 

 genus Starnoenas. In the second case, the Tetraoninae again seem 

 to be as nearly related as any of the others of the suborder Gallinae 

 to the more typical Charadriomorphs among the Limicolae. 



I consider the quail partridges (Perdiciclae) to be the most lowly 

 organized forms of the suborder now under consideration, and the 

 highest those grouse which are the least closely affined to them. The 

 turkeys and guans hold a middle place. Bonasa is more nearly 

 related to the Perdicidae than any other genus of grouse we have, 

 and Canachites and Lagopus come very near each other. Species 

 of the genus Tympanuchus are osteologically quite different in many 

 particulars from any of our other grouse, and in those particulars 

 are only approached by species of the genus Pediocaetes. Then 

 Pediocaetes in turn shows its next nearest affinities to be with the 

 Sage cock (Centrocercus) . 



Ortalis leads out in another direction, being related to the curas- 

 sows, and other forms that have not been especially examined in 

 the present connection. Perhaps of all, Meleagris shows the closest 

 relationship to G . b a n k i v a and the true fowls, while on the 

 other hand the skeleton of this typical galline bird presents certain 

 other characters that evidently connect it with the Phasianidae. 



Taken as a whole, the Gallinae show kinship in one direction with 

 the anserine birds through Palamedea ; in another, through the 

 tinamous with struthious types. Elsewhere I have already indi- 

 cated their relations with the plovers and the pigeons. 



