PASSERINiE. 271 



live on insects, and chiefly on ants. They are found in both conti- 

 nents. 



Those of the eastern world, however, are remarkable for the 



brilliant colours of their plumage: they are the Breves of Buf- 



fon(l) Corvus brachyicrus, Gm., Enl. 257 and 2585 Edw. 324, 



to which have been added since, several other beautiful spe- 



cies.(2) We must also add the ^zurin Turdus cyamirus, Lath,, 



and Gmel.j Corvus cyaniinis^ Shaw, Enl. 355,(3) which only 



differs in the tail, which is somewhat pointed. 



The species belonging to the western continent, are much more 



numerous, their tints are of a deeper brown, and they vary as to 



strength, and the length of the beak. They obtain their living from 



the enormous ant hills which abound in the woods and deserts of 



that country^ the females are larger than the males. These birds 



seldom fly, and have a sonorous cry, which, in some species, is 



even extraordinary. 



Among those with a thick and arcuated beak, we remark, 



M. rex; Turdus rex, Gm.; Corvus grallarius, Shaw, Enl. 

 702. (King of the Ant-Catchers.) The largest of all, and 

 stands the highest; its tail, on the other hand, is the shortest, 

 and at the first glance it might be taken for a Wader; it is 

 about the size of a Quail, and its grey plumage is agreeably 

 chequered. It is more solitary than the others. (4) 

 The species with a straighter, but still tolerably strong beak are 

 allied to the Shrikes, with a similar one. (5) 



(1) Vieillot has g-iven to these birds the name of Pitta. 



(2) Such as the Fitta erythrogaster, Cuv., Enl. 212; P. gigas. Tern. Col. 217; 

 P. cyanoptera, Id. lb., 218; P. superciliosa, C. P. strepitans, Leadbeater, Col. 

 333. 



N.B. The Breve des Philippines, Enl. 89, is not, as Vaillant says, tha.t of Angola, 

 Edw., 324, with the head of a Thrush artificially attached to it; we have a natural 

 specimen of tlie same. 



(3) The Azurin is not from Cayenne, as Buffbn declares it to be, but from the 

 East Indies. It \s th.& Pitta cyanura, Vieill., 153. Add Myiothera affinis, Horsf. 

 and even his Turdus cyaneus, which is the Breve-hleuet, Tem. Col. 194, but which 

 leads to the straight-beaked Shrikes. 



The Pitta thoracica. Tern., Col. 76, which Messrs Horsf. and Vigors make the 

 type of their genus Thimalia, is but little removed from the azurin, if we except 

 its sombre hues and its beak, which latter diminishes more regularly in front, and 

 thereby approaclies the Tanagers. 



(4) M. Vieillot has taken his genus Grallaria, Galer. 154, from this bird. 

 Add the Grand beffroi {Turdus tinniens), Enl. 706, 1 of which Vieill. makes his 



genus MroTHERA: its beak is smaller; Myrmothera guttata, Yie\U. Gal. 155. 



(5) Such are the Tetema [Turdus-colma, B.) Enl. 821; the Palicour {T fm-nii- 

 civorus,) Enl. 700, 1; the Petit beffroi {Turdus lineatus), Enl. 823, 1; the Tham- 



