Eur hip i dura (uripidura)

pl. [NL. (Gill, 1873), neut. pl. of eurhipidurus: see eurhipidu rous.] A primary group of birds, distinguished by the concentration of the caudal vertebræ into a coccyx terminated by a pygostyle, around which the tail-feathers are arranged like a fan, whence the name. It includes all existing birds (com monly placed in the two subcla es Ratitæ and Carinate ), as distinguished from the Saururæ, or lizard-tailed birds of the Jura ic period. The most homogeneous [cla ] is that of Birds, all the living representatives of which seem to be members of a single order (which may be distinguished by the name Eur hip i dura ). Gill , Amer. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., VI. 435. eur hip i duro us (ū-rip-i-dūrus), a. [ eu rhipidurus , εὐ , well, + ῥιπίς (ῥιπιδ-), a fan, + οὐρά, tail.] Having the tail-feathers disposed like a fan, as a bird; not saururous; specifically, belonging to or having the characters of the Eur hip i dura .