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Show fi 486 DR. MURIE ON FREGILUPUS VARIUS. [June 16, Proportional Lengths of the Limb-bones of Genera of the Starling Group. Fregilupus Pastor Sturnus Gracula varius. griseus. vulgaris, intermedia. Ulna to humerus 120:100 110 114 127 Metacarpus to humerus 66: 100 57 76 73 Mid digit to humerus 40:100 45 57 50 Tibia to femur 185:100 182 173 152 Tarso-metatarse to femur 128:100 127 105 105 Mid anterior toe to femur 103:100 104 93 92 Humerus to wing 30:100 32 28 28 Ulna to wing 36:100 35 33 36 Metacarpus to wing 20:100 18 22 21 Mid digit to wing 12:100 14 16 14 Femur to leg 19:100 19 21 23 Tibiatoleg 36:100 35 36 34 Tarso-metatarse to leg 25:100 25 22 22 Anterior mid toe to leg 20:100 20 20 21 Femur to humerus 93:100 90 90 90 Tibia to ulna 144:100 148 137 108 Tarso-metatarse to metacarpus 180:100 200 125 118 Mid ant. toe to mid dig. of wing ... 241 : 100 209 150 166 Leg to wing 142:100 148 123 113 With certain other Families and Genera.-Likeness to Pastor obviates prodigality of comparison; but I nevertheless throw out a few desultory remarks. Levaillant's introducing Fregilupus into the company of his " Promerops et Guepiers" insinuates rather than propounds cognation. Possession of a long beak certainly does not warrant their keeping company when incongruity in other particulars dissociates. As regards the Grand Promerops (Epimachus speciosus), a study of its cranium shows small oval nares, lofty, broad maxillo-nasals, prepalatine ossification, and sundry other differentiations. The skull of the 12-wired Bird of Paradise, Seleucides alba, substantiates these distinctions; and, moreover, in its sternum, pelvis, and construction of various parts of its limb-bones it offers deviation of type. As to Paradisea (P. minor and P. apoda), quite as telling osteological discrepancies obtain. What between these and external characters, alliance of Fregilupus to the Paradiseidae, at best, is of a secondary or tertiary grade. The tenuity and elongation of praemaxillae exhibited by the Mero-pidae is but a seeming analogy, not borne out by the entire conformation. From this group our bird stands remote. The quotation from Diet. d'Hist. Nat. (vide footnote, p. 478) gives, in Vieillot's own words, the attributes by which he affines Fregilupus with Coracias. Although the characters he mentions undermine Upupine alliance, yet a study of the skeleton does not support Coraciine affiliation. The skull, sternum, pelvis, and limb-bones all justify separation. In brief, Coracias is a coccygomorph, Fregilupus a coracomorph; and with this I dismiss the idea of union. Among the Corvidae I select Fregilus (F. graculus) and Gymnorhina |
