BRADTPTERT. 93 



Group II. BRADYPTERI. 



These birds are aberrant Reed- Warblers, and should, in m}' 

 opinion, be placed in future classifications of the Cichlomorphs 

 near the genera Cdtia and Acrocej^ihalus, from which they are sepa- 

 rated by their larger first primary only. Through Megahn-us and 

 Sphenoeacus they approach the Grass-AVarblers and C'isticolce espe- 

 cially. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. With ten tail-feathers. 



a'. Tail-feathers stiffened with spiny shafts and 

 loose webs, the latter lax and separate. 

 a". Tail about equal in length to the body of 

 the bird ; no perceptible rictal bristles. 

 a'". Bill short, higher than broad at nostrils 1. Sphenoeacus, 

 b'". Bill more slender, about as high as it [p. 94. 



is broad at nostrils 2. Drom^ocercus, 



b". Tail much longer than the bird's body; [p. 99. 



rictal bri.stles very strong " . 3. Stipituhus 



b'. Tail-feathers ordinary and soft ; shafts elastic [p. 100. 



but not spiny. 



c". Wing a little longer than the tail 4. Psamathia, 



d". Tail longer than wing. [p. joi. 



c'". Under tail-coverts short, not reaching 



half the length of the tail. 



a*. First primary half the length of the 



second ; bill slender and longer than 



middle toe and claw ; rictal bristles 



inconsiderable 5. .Bebrorxis, p. 102. 



6*. First primary about half the length of 

 the tifth ; bill stouter and shorter 

 than middle toe and claw, 

 a". Rictal bristles very strong, three in 



number, and recurved G. Sphenura, p. 104. 



6". Rictal bristles weaker, five in num- 

 ber, and not recurved 7. Amytis, p. 106. 



d'". Under taU-coverts longer and very 

 broad, reaching more than half the 

 length of the tail ; tail-feathers very 

 broad, equal in breadth to liind toe 

 and claw 8. Schcexicola, 



b. With twelve tail-feather.*. Tp. 109. 

 c'. Tail longer than wing. 



e". Upper tail-coverts completely hidden by 



the long feathers of the nunp 9. Phlexis, p. 111. 



/". Upper tail-coverts ordinary and not hid- 

 den by the long plumes of the rump. 

 e'". Under tail-coverts very lonpr and broad, 



reaching to more than half the length [p. ] 19. 



of the tail 10. Bradypterus, 



