481 



X. EXCURSORES. SNATCHERS. 



The fifteen British land birds which remain to be described, 

 belong to nine genera, each of which is with us the representa- 

 tive of a family. These genera are Lanius, Coracias, ISIuscicapa, 

 Bombycilla, !Merops, Alcedo, Caprimulgus, Cypselus, and Hi- 

 rundo. A detailed account of the structure and affinities of the 

 families to which they may be referred would occupy more space 

 than it might be expedient to devote to them in a work like 

 this ; and of two of them, Coracias and ISIerops, I have not had 

 opportunities of examining the internal organs. I shall, how- 

 ever, in conformity with the plan adopted, present some remarks 

 on these families, which in many essential respects differ so 

 much from each other, that I am convinced they cannot with 

 propriety be referred to less than three groups or orders, of the 

 same value as those hitherto employed. At the same time it 

 appears to me that in their general organization, Lanius, Cora- 

 cias, Muscicapa, and Bombycilla, approach so nearly to the 

 Thrushes, Warblers, and Tits, that they might perhaps be in- 

 cluded in the same group. Merops and Alcedo, which appear 

 to be nearly allied, are distinct from those just mentioned, and 

 with other genera might form an order. Hirundo appears to 

 be closely allied to Muscicapa and other genera of the same 

 family, as well as to some of the Cantatores ; while Cypselus 

 and Caprimulgus seem to belong to a separate group, the former 

 being analogous to the diurnal, the latter to the nocturnal Rap- 

 tores. Although 1 thus do not profess to place these nine 



VOL. III. I 1 



