440 Mr. N. A. Vigors 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 Troglodytes^ , 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 Anlhus, 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 



* 1 speak only of the genus Malar us as originally instituted by M. Vieillot {Ana- 

 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 grouji pointed 

 out and characterized by M. Vieillot. Mr. Swainson, following the views of M. Tem- 

 minck, has added a BraziUan species to the genus {Zool. lllust. PI. 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 Certhiada, which will hereafter be seen to come in among 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 Certhiada, is marked out in the fonuer 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 Sylviada ; 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 



