246 SAXICOLINiE. 



racter unless there were equally natural groups of a large or mode- 

 rate size, and that uniformly. The bill is slender, but in many 

 cases it is not distinctly notched, for example in the Wheatear, and 

 especially in his own sub-family "Parianse,'"' of which the charac- 

 ter as expressed by himself, " Bill either entire or very slightly 

 notched," cannot be reconciled with the general character of 

 " bill distinctly notched." To say that the feet are " formed 

 for walking, perching, or climbing," is simply to state what is 

 not peculiar to the family nor in any way distinctive of it. Nor 

 is the tarsus always lengthened, for in the Parinse it is very 

 short. The characters which he gives to his Saxicolinae, includ- 

 ing " Grillivora," Thamnobia, Saxicola, Erythaca, andPetroica, 

 are equally uncharacteristic, and contradicted by those which 

 he assigns to the different genera. His Philomelinse we are 

 informed are " larger and more robust than the typical war- 

 blers," which is a character equally applicable to his Saxicolinae ; 

 their " feet formed more for perching," which is no character 

 at all. " Sylvianae : — size very small, structure weak. Bill 

 very slender, straight, and with the under mandible much 

 thinner than the upper." These attempts at legislation are poor 

 indeed, and cannot fail to excite some surprise in those who 

 may have been induced to purchase the " Natural History and 

 Classification of Birds." 



SYNOPSIS OF THE BRITISH GENERA AND SPECIES. 

 GENUS I. ACCENTOR. CHANTER. 



Bill short, straight, slender, a little broader than high at the 

 base, compressed toward the end, the tip slightly declinate, 

 the notches very slight ; tarsi of ordinary length, rather slender, 

 with seven anterior scutella ; claws rather long, arcuate ; wings 

 rather short, much rounded, the fourth and fifth quills longest ; 

 tail rather long, slightly arcuate, rounded. 



1. Accentor modularis. Hedge Chanter. Upper parts red- 

 dish-brown and grey, with dusky streaks ; lower dull ash-grey, 

 the sides streaked with brown. 



2. Accentor alpinus. Alpine Chanter. Upper parts light 



