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Show 426 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE [June 3, of uniting them with some of the Rails ; and all those writers who have themselves studied the structure of the bird take this view Thus Nitzsch [13] places the Heliornithidce with Aramus and Parra in the " Fulicariee"; Brandt [7] unites them with Fulica, but removes the group thus formed to the " Natatores." Giebel' [6] unites the Heliornithidce with the Fulicariae. This view is accepted by Fiirbringer [4], who, however, is only able to base his opinion upon the investigations of others, particularly of those who have just been mentioned; but the reasons for this belief are stated in the tables which conclude his review of the different groups of birds. Schlegel [8] places Heliornis with Spheniscus, Alca, Podiceps, and Colymbus in his Urinatores. One of the most recent writers who believes that the Heliornithidce are not closely allied to Coots or Rails, is the late Mr. W . A. Forbes [12] ; he associates the family with the Colymbidce and Podicipedidcc to form an order Eretopodes. I believe, however, that Mr. Forbes's knowledge of the bird was only derived from the writings of others. The Heliornithidce appear to consist of only two genera, viz. Heliornis or Pocloa, which is Neotropical, and Podica, which is Ethiopian and Oriental. The former genus is at present the only one which has been investigated anatomically1. It is clear that, as Fiirbringer points out, the Old-World forms require a close investigation before the position of the family can be fairly considered. The following description will be found, I trust, to contain some materials for a more detailed consideration of the affinities of the family. § 1. Pterylosis. Dr. Biittikofer has recently published some notes upon the African species Podica senegalensis and P.petersi; being desirous of studying further the skin of the present specimen, he requested me to have the skin prepared. I have been able to comply with his request and to study the pterylosis, partly by ascertaining the distribution of the apteria before the skin was removed and partly by examining the feather-tracts from the inside. Nitzsch, in describing [13] the pterylosis of Podoa surmamensis, distinguishes it from other Rails on account of the broad and undivided ventral tracts and tbe absence of continuity between the anterior and posterior regions of the dorsal tracts. In the latter character it resembles Psophia and the Limicolae, but the two dorsal tracts only unite just in front of the oil-gland, whereas in the Limicola. they unite at a point considerably anterior to this. I find, however, that in Podica senegalensis the two halves of the dorsal tract unite about 2^ inches in front of the oil-gland, showing that the above character is not one of family value. I find also that the ventral pterylosis is less peculiar than might he inferred from Nitzsch's description. In Podica senegalensis 1 With the exception of some observations upon the Intestiual Coils by Dr. Gadow [5] of Podica. |
