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Show 466 DR. R. W. SHUFELDT ON Nov. 16, 2. Contributions to the Anatomy of Geococcyx calijvmianus. By R. W . SHUFELDT, C.M.Z.S. [Eeceived June 28, 1886.] (Plates XLII.-XLV.) The investigations I am enabled to record in the present paper have been made possible through the kindness of Mr. W. a. Peacock, of Marysville, California. This gentleman on the 23rd of July, 1885, came into possession of a fine male Geococcyx, which had been captured for him alive by a man who had run the specimen down on horseback. Mr. Peacock, having been informed by me that I only desired the skeleton of the species, killed and eviscerated it, and filled the abdominal cavity with powdered charcoal and pyroligneous acid, which preparation brough it safely into my hands after three days' travel during the most sultry weather. . . Upon receiving it I at once consigned it to a vessel containing strong alcohol; so that, at this date (May 1886), the specimen is before m e in excellent condition. _ Owino- to the fact, however, that it has been eviscerated, 1 am unable upon the present occasion to say anything about those organs which are situated in the thorax and abdomen, and will confine myself principally to examinations of the muscles of the limbs, the carotids, the trachea (if it be not injured), and the pterylosis. It will be remembered by those who are familiar with my work that I have already published a full account of the skeleton of Geococcyx elsewhere1, and to that paper the present memoir may be considered a second instalment. Just now I am far removed by many thousand miles from the libraries and museums, and in a country where such American forms as mi^ht with profit be compared with our present subject do not occur? I have by me, however, an excellent field library, consisting of many of the standard anatomical works, including the collected "Scientific Papers" of Garrod and Forbes. Neither of the ast-named anatomists have anything to say about our Ground-Cuckoo, and I am inclined to think that neither of those untiring workers in avian morphology ever came into possession of such material. Further, so far as my memory serves me, no one has yet paidany special attention to the structure of Geococcyx calif or nianus. This being the case, I have reason to hope that my present contributions will not come amiss. Garrod's investigations upon the anatomy of the Cuculidae demonstrated the fact that both of the carotid arteries are present in these birds (Coll. Scientif. Papers, p. 169). His statement to this effect is based upon his having examined the following species :- 1 Journ. of Anat. and Physiology, Lond. vol. xx. pt. 2, Jan. 1886, pp. 244- 266, pis. vii., viii., and ix. |