PASSERES 



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the whole are the broad-bills Eurylsemidse and the Australian 

 Menura and Atrichia, which form a sub-family, Menuridse. 

 There are differences of opinion as to which of these is most 

 independent of the normal Passeres. FURBR.INGER separates 

 the Menuridre, GAEROD and FORBES l the Eurylaemidae. We 

 should explain that in first of all discussing this particular 

 point we are not proceeding in historical sequence. It was 

 the syrinx that first of all attracted the attention of JOHANNES 

 MULLER, whose divisions of the Passeres were the earliest to 

 be based upon anatomical structure ; and in the sequel we 

 shall show that his divisions are in the main correct, even 

 allowing for our greatly extended knowledge. It is, however, 

 in our opinion, beyond cavil that the major subdivisions of 



1 GABEOD'S contributions to our knowledge of passerine birds are as 

 follows : ' On some Anatomical Peculiarities which bear upon the Major 

 Divisions of the Passerine Birds,' i. P. Z. S. 1876, p. 506; 'Notes on the 

 Anatomy of Passerine Birds,' ii. P. Z. S. 1877, p. 447; iii. ibid. p. 523 ; iv. 

 ibid. 1878, p. 143. The following papers are due to FORBES : ' Contributions 

 to the Anatomy of Passerine Birds,' i.-vi. P. Z. S. 1880-2. 



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