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Show 838 ON THE POSITION OF EUPETES MACROCERCUS. [Nov. 15, genus Mesites, and suggested that that bird might be in reality closely allied to the last-named one, and not at all congeneric with the other species usually included in the genus Eupetes. Our knowledge of the internal structure of Mesites is due to M. Alphonse Milne-Edwards, who, in the "Annales des Sciences Natu-relles" * has described its osteology, with some remarks on the muscles and other points.' From its osteology, as well as from the presence of two carotid arteries, and of the ambiens and accessory femoro-caudal muscles, the non-passerine nature of Mesites is rendered absolutely certain. M. Milne-Edwards associates it with the Rails. From the presence of powder-down patches2, combined with the scbizorhinal nature of the skull, I should prefer to locate it near Eurypyya and Bhinochetus in m y group Pluviales3. It is to be regretted that M . Milne-Edwards has not in any way touched upon the pterylosis of Mesites ; and as yet I have been unable to obtain any skin of that form to supplement this deficiency. From a skin of Eupetes macrocercus I have, however, been able to ascertain a sufficient number of points to show that, unlike Mesites, this form is certainly Passerine. The pterylosis is quite Passerine, there being a nude oil-gland, twelve rectrices, and nineteen remiges, of which ten are primaries. Of these last the tenth (or so-called " first ") is half as long as the ninth. The saddle of the dorsal tract is covered by very long feathers, some being as much as 3 inches in length. The aftershaft is apparently quite absent, as is the case in some other Passpres (e. g. Artamus and Eurylamus) according to Nitzsch. There are no traces of any powder-down patches. In the leg there is no plantar vinculum, as in all the Eleuthero-dactylous Passeres4, and as in them only, if we except Upupa and certain Ardeidae. The arrangement of the terminal tendon of the tensor patagii Brevis is also Passerine, as described by Garrod5, with the slight difference that, as in Menura and Atrichia 6, the recurrent tendon is more or less intimately blended with that of the extensor metacarpi subjacent to it. The skull, extracted from the skin, is also typically Passerine, with the characteristically truncated vomer of those birds. The maxillo-palatines are long and thin, and recurved apically ; the transpalatines well developed. Like all other known Old-World Passeres, Eupetes is holorhinal. The exact place in the Passerine series of Eupetes has yet to be determined ; judging, however, from the bilaminate tarsal planta, it is a truly Oscine form, and therefore very probably to be included in the "Timeliidae." 1 Ge serie, Zool. t. vii. art. no. 6, pi. vii. 2 First discovered by Mr. E. Bartlett, vide P. Z. S. 1877, p. 299 8 Amtea,jJ. 639. ' l * P.Z.S. 1880, p. 391. 5 ' Scientific Papers,' pp. 356, 357. e L. c. p. 358, pi. xxiv. fig. 2. |
