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Show 510 MR. A. H. GARROD ON THE ANATOMY [June 6, Struthidea, Pitta, Cotinga, Heteralocha, Rupicola, Furnarius, Dicrurus, Lipaugus, Picolaptes, Prosthemadera, Tyrannus, Thamnophilus, Melanocorypha, Chasmorhynchus, Grallaria, Strepera, Pipra, Pteroptochus, Menura, Tityra, Hylactes. Atrichia, Hadrostomus, The only apparent exceptions I have found are the following. In Pteroptochus albicollis and in Hylactes megapodius the muscular fibres of the extensor met. rad. longus almost surround and enclose the tendons in question. Such being the case, the arrangement does not at first sight appear typically Passerine. Nevertheless, upon removing or pushing to one side these covering fibres, the two tendons are seen arranged exactly as in other members of the Order. In Menura superba and in Atrichia rufescens, feeble-winged birds again, the arrangement is not typical, and the disposition of the parts is almost exactly as in the Pici, as above described. In other words there are not two tendons, one only being found, simple and broad, apparently produced by the blending of the two. Plate LI. fig. 2 represents the elbow-region of Menura as seen from its outer side. All other Passerine birds which I have examined follow the single type, differing only in the angular divergence of the tendons, their humeral attachments being much separated in most Sturnidee, Gjmnorhinee, and Tyrannidae for example, but closely approximated in Tropidorhynchus, Bupicola, and others. A short review of the peculiarities of the insertion of the tensor patagii brevis muscle in other birds will tend to render the importance of the character more clear, and may add some facts of interest in an ornithological point of view; for it is not in the least difficult for any one who has compared these structures in the various orders of the class to decide by an inspection of the outer surface of the elbow to which division any specimen belongs; and for the satisfaction of those naturalists who consider it essential that characters of importance should be verifiable on all occasions, it may be mentioned that from almost any skin it is possible to decide the point by soaking it, or the wing alone, in cold water, and carefully removing the tegument thus relaxed. On the present occasion the arrangement in the Anomalogonatae will also be almost solely discussed, although among the Homalogonatae characters of nearly equal significance are attainable, somewhat diminished in clearness in some cases by the diffused state of the tendons. In the Galbulidae, as represented by Galbula albirostris and Urogalba paradisea (spirit-specimens of both of which genera have been kindly placed at m y disposal by Mr. Salvin), the tendon of the short tensor is simple, or it splits slightly before it meets the metacarpal extensor (where the distal moiety there terminates). Its main continuation sends back to the outer side of the lower end of |
