Tyrant Shrikes of America. 277 



colour. The wings are brown, having the covers and scapulars margined 

 by greyish- white, and the first quill gradually and very slightly pointed. 

 Tail brown and even ; tarsi rather lengthened, and black. 



Inhabits Brazil. 



Total length 7$, bill 1, wings 3£, tail 3£, tarsi rather more than seven- 

 tenths of an inch. 



The characters which might otherwise guide us in determining 

 the natural situation of this bird, are so slightly developed, and are 

 of such a mixed nature, that I feel some hesitation in placing it at 

 the extremity of this group. In so doing, I have been guided by 

 the size and strength of the bill, which equals that of T. intrepi- 

 diw, and by the slightly- pointed form of the first quill-feather. 

 Should this species be the Muscicapa ferox of Latham, its man- 

 ners (as described by that author) seem no less to bring it within 

 the confines of the present division. The tarsi, though some- 

 what lengthened, are weak, and apparently not adapted for 

 walking. It is very doubtful whether the figure which I have 

 quoted from BufFon is really intended to represent the bird here 

 described ; for in this, and many other instances, the artist has 

 omitted those minute but essential characters which are the in- 

 dications of separate species, apparently similar. In the copy of 

 this work now before me, the figure in question is coloured, so as 

 to resemble Tyrannus crinitus. 



Section III. 



Alee mediocres. 

 Tarsi elongati. 

 Cauda sequalis. 



The only peculiarity by which the birds of this section seem to 

 be marked, consists in the unusual length of the tarsi ; a struc- 

 ture which is strongly opposed to the shortness and comparative 

 debility of these members in all the other groups. Hence I am 

 led to conjecture, that these birds habitually frequent the ground, 

 and probably derive their chief support from apterous insects ; or 

 at least from tribes more generally found in such a situation. 

 This, at least, is the economy of one species. In other respects 

 they seem to have little specific affinity with each other, and the 

 group may be considered as somewhat artificial. 



