184 



AVES. 



The Phibalures (Phihalura, Vieillot) — 



Have an arcuated ridge to the bill, as in the Drongos, but the beak is shorter than the head. 



The only known species (Ph.flavirostris, Vieillot) inhabits Brazil, and has a deeply-forked tail ; its plumage is 

 spotted with black and yellow, and there are some red feathers on the head, which recal to mind the 

 Tyrant Flycatchers. [This is a very curious species, which is closely related to the Swallows, as well as the Cotinga 

 group, and to the Tyrants.] 



The Tanagers (Tanagra, Lin.) — 



Have a conical beak, triangular at its base ; the upper mandible emarginated towards the tip, with its 

 ridge arcuated ; wings and flight short. They resemble the Sparrow tribe in their habits, and feed on 

 grain as well as on insects and berries. The greater number are conspicuous in our collections for 

 their brilliant colours. [All are peculiar to America.] We subdivide them as follow : — 



The Lindos (Euphonia, Vieillot ?) — 



Or Bullfinch Tanagers, which have a short beak when viewed vertically, bulging on each side of its 



base : their tail is proportionally shorter than in the others. 



Such are the Tanagra violacca, cayennensis, diademata, viridis, chrysogastcr [and several others. The Spanish 

 name Lindo, applied by Azara, intimates their brilliancy]. 



The Finch-tanagers {Habia, Vieillot) — 

 Have a thick, bulging, conical bill, as broad as high, the upper mandible of which is rounded above. 

 Such are Tan.flammiceps, Pr. Max., T. superciliosa, psittacbia, and atricollis, Spix, &c. 



The Tanagers, properly so called, — 

 Have a conical beak, shorter than the head, as broad as high, the upper mandible arcuated and slightly 

 pointed. 



T. episcopus, multicolor, and numerous others [many of them remarkable for the variety of contrasting, brilliant 

 hues, which variegate and adorn their plumage]. 



T. talas and some others have been separated by Mr. Swainson under the name Aglaia. 



The Oriole-tanagers (Tachyphonus, Vieillot), — 

 Have the beak conical, arcuated, pointed, and notched towards the tip. 



T. cristatn, Tern., of which T. brunnea, Spix, is the young, and various others. 



The T. yularis and pileota, Tern., and T. speculifera, Spix, approximate the Bee-fins in the slenderness of their 

 bills. " Mr. Swainson makes of them his genus Spermagra." 



The Pyranga of Vieillot is founded on an individual deformity. We will designate his species T. cyanictera. 



In the Patmiste, Buff., the emargination of the upper mandible is very slight, and it almost entirely disappears 

 in a proximate species, of which M. Vieillot has formed his genus Icteria. This bird is the Pipra pnlyglotta, 

 Wilson, [a very curious species, the affinities of which are by no means obvious]. It conducts to the Weavers. 



The Cardinal-tanagers [(Pyranga, as now generally accepted)], — 



Have a conical and slightly bulging beak, with an obtuse salient dentation on each side. 



T. mississipiensis, Tern., or T. (estiva, Wils. Also T. rubra and T. ludoviciana, Wils., &c. 



Lastly, 



The Rhamphocele-tanagers (Jacapa, Vieillot), — 



Have a conical beak, the rami of the lower mandible of which are enlarged behind. 

 Such are T.jacapa and brazilia, Tern., and T. nigrogularis, Spix. 



[We may remark that the great group of Tanagers is simply a ramification of the Cotinga family, 

 peculiar to the same restricted locality.] 



The Thrushes (Turdus, Lin.) — 

 Have the beak arcuated and compressed ; but its point is not booked, and the lateral emargination 

 does not produce so marked a dentation as in the Shrikes. Nevertheless, as already stated, there are 

 gradual transitions from one to the other of these genera. 



The regimen of the Thrushes is more frugivorous : they feed much on berries, and their habits are 

 solitary. [The majority are however gregarious during the winter ; and some (as our common Field- 

 fare) even throughout the year.] 



The name of Merle is applied to those species, the colours of which are uniform or distributed in large masses. 

 [They are generally also more bulky ; but pass, by insensible gradations, into the spotted-breasted Thrushes.] 



