CATALOGUE 



BIRDS 



Order II. PASSERIFORMES 



(Cat. E. Tol. iii. p. 1). 



Suborder I. PASSERES 



(Cat. B. vol. iii. p. 1). 



Section B. FRINGILLIFORMES 



(Cat. B. vol. X. p. 1). 



Family CGEREBIDiE. 



The Ccerehidie, or Guit-giiits, are a group of nine-primaricdOsciiies 

 peculiar to the Neotropical Region, and, indeed, to the forest-covei'cd 

 portion of that region, which extends from the tierra caliente of 

 Southern Mexico on the north to the Gulf of Guyaquil on the western 

 coast of South America, and to the southern limits of the wood- 

 region of S.E. Brazil and the great Amazonian valley on the eastern 

 side of the Andes. 



The Ccerebidce are all of small size : they have typical Oscinine 

 tarsi, with the posterior face smooth, and with indications of several 

 scutes more or less obsolete on the anterior face. The wings are of 

 moderate length, without any indication of the first or external 

 primarj', and with the second, third, and fourth primaries usually 

 nearly equal and longest. The bill is small and slender and without 

 any notch at the extremity of the upper mandible, but varies in 

 structure in the four Subfamilies. The tongue is pencilled at the 

 extremity. 



The members of this family are mostly of brilliant colour, and 

 when such is the case the plumage of the male is usually quite distinct 

 from that of the female. 



It is in some instances difficult to distinguish the C'oerehidce from 

 the Tanagridce on the one side and from the Mniotiltidce on the other; 

 but the more slender unnotched bill and filamentous termination 

 of the extensile tongue, when the latter character is discernible, will 

 usually serve to indicate a Coerebine bird. 



VOL. XI. B 







