2 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



now considered in detail, and a new key to the families presented, 

 based upon more extended or special study. 



CHARACTERS OF THE TRACHEOPHONE MESOMYODI. 



Mesomyodian Passeres with (usually) a single pair of syringeal 

 muscles, attached to the middle portion of the bronchial semirings, 

 the syrinx tracheal, the lower end of the trachea consisting of thin, 

 membraneous walls, about six of the usual semirings extremely thin, 

 sometimes obsolete, the bronchi with both outer and mner t3anpani- 

 form membranes, vibratory tracheal membranes being also present, 

 the few muscles (usually only one pair) wholly lateral (being thus 

 specially modified as a vocal organ ;)^ feet schizopelmous; tensor 

 patagii brevis passerine. 



The Tracheophone Passeres are (excepting the small family Xeni- 

 cidae of New Zealand) a purely Neotropical group of birds, though, 

 like many others, entirely absent from the Antillean Subregion. The 

 various members bear a more or less close resemblance in external 

 appearance as well as in habits to certain Oscinine families, though 

 very distinct in their internal structure. Thus, among the Formica- 

 riidae (An thirds), some forms closely resemble Shrikes (Laniidae), 

 others Wrens (Troglodytidae), and others again are strikingly similar 

 to the Pittas (Pittidse) '' in form, though lackmg entirely the beau- 

 tiful coloration of the latter. The Dendrocolaptidse and Furnariidae 

 embrace species which, so far as external appearance goes, might pass 

 readily for Tree Creepers (Certhiidfe), Thrushes (Turdidje), or even 

 Larks (Alaudidse); the smaller Pteroptochidse are conspicuously 

 wrenlike, while some of the ConopophagidaB are not very unlike 

 Pipits (Motacillidse). While they vary greatly in size, form, and 



« This peculiar structure of the organs of voice is thus described by its discoverer, 

 Johannes Miiller ("Ueber die bisher unbekannten typischen der Stimmorgane der 

 Passerineu" (title incomplete), von J. Miiller, Berlin, 1847): "The lower end of the 

 trachea is flattened anteriorly and posteriorly; its walls are thin and membranous 

 and contain extremely fine anterior and posterior half-rings, which are fastened at 

 the sides by long elastic bands. The position of these half-rings is altered by the 

 muscles attached to their sides. In all these birds the cartilaginous pessulus in the 

 furcation of the trachea is wanting, and is replaced by a tendinous strap. The mem- 

 brann tympaniformis passes over from one bronchus to the other. The bronchi con- 

 tain half rings only. The membranous wall of the voice organ consists of two thin 

 transparent membranes, of which the inner one is the mucous membrane." 



By Professor Alfred Newton it is described (Dictionary of Birds, Part iv, p. 940) 

 as follows: "The lower portion of the Trachea consists of thin membranaceous walls, 

 about six of the rings being extremely thin or, as often happens, deficient. Both 

 inner and outer tympaniform membranes exist in the Bronchi as well as some vibra- 

 tory tracheal membranes. The few muscles, generally but one pair, are wholly 

 lateral. The birds thus furnished are the Tracheophon.e; their voice is very loud, 

 and while it is being sounded the lower part of the throat swells out." 



f> This, however, not an Oscinine family, but a member of the Oligomyodean or 

 Haploophone group of Mesomyodi. 



