440 Mr. N. A. Vicors on the Natural Affinities 
latter groups are nearly allied the Melizophilus, Leach., our 
Dartford Warbler, and the Malurus*, Vieill., the representative 
of Sylvia in Australasia, in both of which the bill deviates from 
that of the conterminous genera in the culmen being somewhat 
arched; as also those birds which are known to us under the 
familiar appellation of Wrens, or the genera Troglodytest, and 
Regulus, Cuv. To these succeed a number of groups where the 
lengthened tarsi point out their natural station on the ground, 
such as the Budytes of M. Cuvier, the true Motacilla of authors, 
and the Enicurus of M. Temminck : here also may be added the 
Megalurus, Horsf., and Anthus, Bechst., which unite, as will be 
observed hereafter, the present tribe with that of the Conirostres, 
by means of the Alauda of authors. Close to these birds we find 
a group 
* I speak only of the genus Malurus as originally instituted by M. Vieillot ( Æna- 
lyse d'un Nouv. Orn. Elem. p. 44.), and which seems to be limited to Australasia. 
M. Temminck has altered the characters of this genus and so extended them, as to 
embrace some African species, together with the Eastern Archipelagan group, Megalu- 
rus, Horsf. ; all birds, in my opinion, decidedly dissimilar to the original group pointed 
out and characterized by M. Vieillot. Mr. Swainson, following the views of M. Tem- 
minck, has added a Brazilian species to the genus (Zool. Ilust. Pl. 138) ; but very na- 
turally expresses his doubts whether the bounds of the genus have not been too much 
enlarged, and the group rendered perfectly artificial. 
+ It is a common opinion among modern naturalists, that the genus Troglodytes, of 
which the type is our common Wren, is a true scansorial bird, and should be referred 
to my family of Certhiade, which will hereafter be seen to come in amohg the Scan- 
sores. From the observations which I have hitherto been enabled to make on the 
manners of this bird, I cannot at present subscribe to this opinion. That the bird 
partially climbs in taking its food is evident to every observer; but so do the Reguli 
and Pari. The line of distinction between the present limited group of climbers, and 
the extensive family of true Certhiade, is marked out in the former using their bill and 
the latter their tongue in seizing their insect food. If the Troglodytes be found to use its 
tongue for this purpose, it must of course be removed from the Sy/viade ; but hitherto 
I have had no proof of such a fact. Mr. Wilson in his “American Ornithology" 
has described some birds closely assimilated in general appearance to Troglodytes, 
which, from actual observation of their habits and the structure of the tongue, he very 
properly 
