OCR Text |
Show 1891.] ANATOMY OF THE KAGU. 21 to me, as they have seemed to Furbringer, to indicate a certain degree of relationship in this direction. The muscular anatomy as a whole is decidedly Crane-like, as will be seen by the following table, which shows some of the resemblances and differences between the Cranes, Herons, and Rhinochetus. Ambiens. Access, fem.-caud. Peroneus brevis .. Biceps slip Vinculum between flex. hall, and flex. prof. Semitendinosus ... Tensor patagii brevis. Expansor secundariorum Grus. + + + + Strong, attached before trifurcation of flex. prof. Inserted in common with tendon of semimembranosus. A tendinous slip running from insertion diag-onallv across patagium. + Rhinochetus. + 0 + o1 Strong, attached before trifurcation of flex. prof. Inserted in common with tendon of semimembranosus. N o such tendinous slip. + ArdeidcB. 0 0 0 0 Weak or absent. N o insertion on to femur. Tendinous slip present. Absent in some. At the same time the absence (?) of a biceps slip to the patagium and the presence of a peculiar additional biceps muscle are peculiarities which mark off Rhinochetus from other Crane-like birds. The syrinx is not specially like that of the Herons; it is perhaps more like that of Cariama than other types, but is also like many other Gralline birds. With regard to the special affinities between Rhinochetus and Eurypyga they are evidently very close ; but I propose to defer the consideration of these until I have an opportunity of adding to m y notes upon Eurypyga. 1 I could not find the biceps slip in my specimen, but as I have since found M S . note by Garrod affirming its presence, I have possibly failed to see it. |