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Show 1874.J DR. MURIE ON FREGILUPUS VARIUS. 487 (6?. organica) as sufficiently diverse examples-the former genus, moreover, evidently being that intended by Vieillot, and not the true Rollers, Coracias. In the Chough, compared with Fregilupus, the rear of the skull is full and globular, the beak straighter, shorter, and considerably wider, but the prefrontal is relatively narrower and with scarcely any interorbital depression; lachrymal partially free; maxillo-palatines almost overlap ; postpalatine border without emargination. Thus, what between height, breadth, & c , much less cranial resemblance obtains than in Pastor; added to which a shorter triangular tongue, humerus with single pneumatic foramen, praeilium long and eflect or horizontal, lengthened pubis, shorter toes, & c , and their relationship widens. In the Tasmanian Piping Crow still more numerous differences present themselves, which it is needless to recount; suffice it to say, this Streperine section of the Crow veers quite away from our bird. Reverting a moment to allies of the Starling family, I may mention I compared Fregilupus with the skeleton of more than one species of the genus Acridotheres, to which it offers fewer points of union than to Pastor. Of the Lamprotornithinae or Juidinae I more particularly paid attention to the osteology of Lamprotornis aneus and Scissirostrum pagei. Both, particularly the latter, evince such divergence as suggest transition of type. The genus Psaroglossa and subgenus Hartlaubius (the bones of which I have not seen) alone intervene between Scissirostrum and Fregilupus, according to the late Mr. G. R. Gray. SEQUEL AS TO THE FRATERNITY OF FREGILUPUS, The study of the skeleton of this rare Reunion bird most unquestionably does not favour the idea of its being allied to the Hoopoes, nor to the Fregiline section of the Crows, other than by very subsidiary links. Its osseous structure is far from complying with that of the Bee-eaters, nor does mere beak-production draw it within the fold of the tenuirostral division of the Paradise-birds. With members of the Starling family it agrees in a host of particulars, and notably with the genus assigned it by Wagler. Yet it bears such consistent characters, that, as a genus, Fregilupus, it hails close proximity to Pastor (P. roseus), without being amalgamated as a species of the latter. It is also related to Sturnus and mayhap Sturnopastor*, but with a tincture of dilution. Even as far as bony build of itself goes, it has an affinity with the Orioles ; but these, as with the Mynahs, Choughs, and Glossy Starlings, & c , are outlying relations not at present to be included within the narrowed focus, nor as impinging with direct continuity. The life-history and soft anatomy of Fregilupus, unfortunately, are imperfectly known; but, as far as out- * The so-quoted Pastor capensis, Temm., which by Hartlaub and others is given as a synonym of Fregilupus, I find is a mistake. In Temminck's ' Tab. Meth. Planches Col.' i. p. 12, the bird referred to " Etoumeau pie du Cap," viz. pi. 280 of Buff. PI. Enlum., is the Sturnopastor contra, Linn., a true Indian form. |