ANALYTICAL TABLE OF THE HIGHER GROUPS. 
149 
wanting. Rostrum of variable shape, usually compressed and straight to 
the hooked end, sometimes entirely straight and acute, commonly length- 
ened, always corneous, without serration or true lamellae. Nostrils of vari- 
ous forms, tubular or simply fissured, never abortive. No gular pouch. 
Wings very long and pointed, surpassing the base and often the end of the 
large, well-formed, few-feathered tail. Carotids double. Palate schizog- 
nathous. Reproduction altricial ; young ptilopaedic. Eggs three or fewer. 
Habit highly volucral. 
ME. PYGOPODES. Feet palmate or lobate. Tibiae feathered, often with 
a long apophysis, always buried in common integument nearly to the heel- 
joint, necessitating a more or less erect posture of the body on land, where 
progression is difficult. Hallux small, elevated or wanting; feet lobate or 
palmate. Bill of indeterminate shape, wholly corneous, never lamellate or 
serrate, nor with gular pouch. Nostrils not abortive. Wings very short, 
reaching scarcely or not to the base, never to the tip, of the short, some- 
times rudimentary, tail. Palate schizognathous. Carotid usually double, 
sometimes single (in Podiceps and Mergulus). Nature altricial or prsecocial ; 
young ptilopsedic. Highly natatorial. 
N. SPHENIBCI. With general characters of the last group, but dis- 
tinguished by unique ptilosis and wing-structure, etc. Plumage without 
apteria, of singularly modified scale-like feathers on most parts ; no devel- J 
oped remiges. Wings unfit for flight, insusceptible of perfect flexion or 
.extension, very short, with peculiarly flattened bones and stable articulations. 
Skeleton non-pneumatic. Many bones, terete in ordinary birds, here flattened. 
Metatarsal bone flattened transversely, doubly fenestrate. Hallux elevated, 
lateral, minute, free. No free pollex. Two anconal sesamoids ; patella 
from double centres; tibia without apophysis; a free tarsal ossicle. Ster- 
num with long lateral apophyses. Pelvic connections unstable. Caro- 
tids double. Comprising only the Penguins. Confined to the Southern 
Hemisphere. 
ARTIFICIAL KEY TO THE FOREGOING HIGHER GROUPS, 
By means of which any North American bird may be readily referred to that group to which it 
is held to belong. 
I. Toes 3 ; 2 in front, 1 behind . (Pici) Picarle. 
II. Toes 3 ; all in front. Toes cleft or semipalmate . . . . . Limicoi^e. 
Toes palmate. N ostrils tubular .... Longipennes. 
Nostrils not tubular . . . Pygopodes. 
III. Toes 4 ; 2 in front, 2 behind. Bill cered and hooked Psittaci. 
Bill neither cered nor hooked. ( Cuculi or Pici) Picarle. 
IY. Toes 4 ; 3 in front, 1 behind. 
1. Toes syndactyle . ( Cuculi ) Picarle. 
2. Toes totipalmate (all four full-webbed) Steganopodes. 
3. Toes palmate. Bill curved up Limicoke. 
Bill not curved up ; lamellate .... Lamellirostres. 
not lamellate ; hallux lobate . Pygopodes. 
hallux not lobate Longipennes. 
4. Toes lobate. Tail rudimentary Pygopodes. 
Tail perfect. A horny frontal shield . . . Alectorides. 
No horny frontal shield .... Limicol^j. 
5. Toes semipalmate ; joined by evident movable basal web (A). 
6. Toes cleft to the base, or there immovably coherent (B). 
