ACCENTORINJE. 283 



by Blyth to have some affinity with the FringillidtB, and especially 

 with the Estreldce. It appears to me to have relations with the 

 Timaline group, near Pyctomis ; and the Australian genus Xerophilaf 

 formerly referred to the Timaliuce {vide p. 10,) is also placed here 

 by Gray. Other genera placed in this family are Cerihipams, Lafr., 

 from New Zealand; and /^amowa, Swains., an African group, already 

 alluded to, {vHe p. 74). Ihe former probably belongs to the last 

 sub-family; and Ant}ioscoi>i/s, founded on Si/lvia minuta, Shaw, 

 perhaps belongs to the slender-billod 'iits, or Flower-peckers, in the 

 last sub- family, near S(/lviparus. 



Sub-fam. AcCENTORlXiE. 



Bill straight, stout, somewhat conic, high at the base, entire, 

 or slightly notched at the tip, which is barely bent down ; nostrils 

 exposed ; wings moderate, more or less rounded ; tail moderate or 

 somewhat short ; legs and feet stout, fitted both for walking and 

 perching. 



The birds composing this group offer a most perplexing task to 

 the systematic Ornithologist, both as to the position they should 

 occupy in the natural system, and as to the extent of the division. 

 I have placed it here as the last group of the Dentirostral tribe, 

 and as a sub-family of the most aberrant and quasi-Conirostral 

 family of the tooth-billed Perchers, partly because it really appears 

 to have affinities for some of this series ; and partly because I 

 know not where else to locate it satisfactorily. Vigors and Hors- 

 field class it as a sub-family of the Warblers, between the Pipits 

 and their Pipridce, our Ampelidce. Swainson places it among 

 the Tits, with the Mniotiltinoe. Gray locates it between the 

 SdxicolincB and Parince. Bonaparte formerly, in his Conspectus, 

 placed it between the Pratincolce and the Si/lvicolince, but, latterly, 

 considered it to be a sub-family of the Thrushes. Blyth in his 

 Catalogue located it between the Buntings and the Larks; and others 

 also look upon its nearest allies as being the Finches. It will thus 

 be seen that most systematists have allowed it to have some 

 near relations with the Tits, or their allies of the Ampelidee, 

 with a tendency towards some Saxicoline and Motacilline forms. 

 Bonaparte and Blyth may be said to represent the extreme view*, 

 on each side. 



