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Show 1882.] DR. GADOW ON THE ANATOMY OF PTEROCLES. 313 pleasure that a specimen of Pterocles arenarius in the flesh was received by me during the short time that I was intrusted with the duties of its prosector during his absence from England1. INTEGUMENT. The arrangement and form of the feather-tracts in Pterocles and Syrrhaptes is almost the same as that in the Pigeons ; but too much weight has been laid upon the peculiar bifurcated shape of the shoulder part of the spinal tract. Nitzsch himself, in his description of the Gallinacei, mentions that a very similar arrangement of the shoulder-tract we meet with in Numida and Penelope and partly in Tetrao and Crypturus. He points out that in this respect Numida in particular approaches the Columbine type. Again, the Charadriidse and many Laridse present nearly the same type of feather-tracts, although they differ in the lower and ventral part of the spinal tract. The contour-feathers of Pterocles possess a very small after-shaft, whilst this organ, although likewise small, is present in the Limi-colse and Gallinacei, but altogether absent in the Pigeons. The number of the rectrices and of the primaries is of no systematic importance in these birds, as will be seen from the following table:- Pterocles Plovers Fowls Total number of quills. 27-28 up to 25 24-20 22-29 Primaries. 10 10 10 10, 11 Wbicb of the primaries the longest. first second first 4th, 5th, 0th Number of rectrices. 10 12, 14, 10 12 10-20 1 Principal books and essays referred to in the text:- W . K. PARKER. "On the Osteology of Gallinaceous birds and Tinamous," Trans. Zool. Soc. v. pp. 149-241. A H GARROD. " On certain Muscles of the Thigh of Birds &c", P. Z. S. 1873, pp. 020-077, and 1874, pp. 111-123. " O n the Disposition of the deep Plantar Tendons in different Birds," P. Z. S. 1875, pp. 339-348. . '• O n the Carotid Arteries of Birds," P. Z. S. 1873, pp. 457-472 (for PtsTodcs SGG T) 468). . "Nasal Bones of Birds," P.Z.S. 1873, pp. 33-38 (Pterocles, see pp. 30, 37). , NITZSCH. ' System der Pterylographie, 1840. B. B L A N C H A R D . " Caracteres osteologiques des Gallinaces ou Gallides," in Ann. Sciences Natur. s<§r. 4, tome vii. (1857), pp. 91-100, plates 10-12. M. OUSTALET. " Monographie des Oiseaux de la famille des Megapodiides," Op. cit. ser. 4, tome x &xi. (1881). H. G A D O W . "Beitrage zur vergleich. Anat., Verdauungssystem d. Vogel," Jenaische Zeitschrift, 1879. B O G D A N O W . In 'Melanges biologiques,' 1880, pp. 49-55. D G ELLIOT. "A Study of the Pteroclidae or Family of the Sandgrouse," P.Z.S. 1878, p. 233-201. |