314 SYLVIAN^. 



lacerated. The oesophagus is of moderate width, destitute of 

 crop ; the stomach elliptical, with the lateral muscles strong, 

 and the epithelium thin, tough, and longitudinally rugous ; 

 the intestine short and rather w ide ; the coeca very small ; the 

 cloaca an ovate or oblong dilatation of the rectum. 



The Sylvianse are distinguished from the Saxicolinse by be- 

 ing less robust, by having the bill narrow'er at the base, and 

 the tarsi more slender ; but the two groups blend into each 

 other. They are active, lively, and generally gifted with the 

 faculty of emitting agreeably modulated notes, several of them 

 being among the most celebrated songsters. They feed on in- 

 sects and larvae, but not exclusively, for almost all the species 

 are fond of juicy fruits, and many occasionally eat small seeds. 

 They search for their food chiefly on trees and bushes, not 

 often betaking themselves to the ground for that purpose. 

 Most of them, owing to their being essentially insectivorous, 

 are migratory, retreating southward as the cold increases in 

 autumn, and returning northward in spring. They form an ela- 

 borate, neatly constructed, generally cup-shaped nest, lay from 

 five to eight eggs, and usually rear two broods in the season. 

 In migrating they do not generally proceed in flocks ; the males 

 precede the females several days ; and their flight is rapid, pro- 

 tracted, and undulated. 



All the species met with in Britain are migratory, except- 

 ing two, and most of them are generally distributed ov^er the 

 island. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE BRITISH GENERA AND SPECIES. 

 GENUS I. PHILOMELA. NIGHTINGALE. 



Bill of moderate length, straight, its outlines declinate and 

 slightly convex ; tarsus rather long, slender, compressed, with 

 eight scutella, of which the upper are indistinct ; toes of mode- 

 rate length, slender ; claws arched, extremely compressed, very 

 acute ; wings of moderate length, broad, the first quill scarcely 

 a third of the length of the second, which equals the fifth, the 



