that connect the Orders and Families of Birds. 445 
The typical groups are for the most part omnivorous; the ex- 
tremes chiefly granivorous. The latter are those which are com- 
prised by Ray among his * Hard Bil'd Birds." The families of 
the tribe, among which are included the most powerful birds of 
the order, and those whose general conformation is the most 
perfect, may be thus arranged *. 
Fringillide. 
Sturnida. 
Corvidæ, Leach. 
Buceride, Leach. 
Loxiade. 
In treating of the preceding tribe, I have observed that the ge- 
nus Anthus has been separated from Alauda and placed among 
the Sylviade, in consequence of its near affinity to that family, 
and more particularly to Motacilla, in food, in habits, and struc- 
ture. Alauda, on the other hand, with equal attention to the same 
characters, has been arranged with the succeeding groups which 
form the tribe of Conirostres. "These two genera, however, ap- 
proaching so closely in the form of their wings and of their 
hind toes, and in the distribution of the colours of their plum- 
age, cannot be allowed to be far separated from each other. 
The difference even in the bills of the two genera is softened 
down by the intervention of a Javanese genus, the Megalurus of 
. Dr. Horsfield, which unites the greater length of that of An- 
thus to the superior robustnéss of that of Alauda. The affinity . 
between them is even still further preserved by the medium of a 
* Or thus, with the normal and aberrant families separated : 
Normal group. 
Structurá magis perfectä : vic- f Sturnida. 
ti universali ......, Corvide. 
germen x: Loriade. 
tu præcipue ve; l.. 398572 
T Fringillide. 
3M2 second 
Aberrant group. { Buceride. 
