490 Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



parts uniform in colour^ instead of being paler on the edges 

 of the wing-coverts and inner secondaries. I find that by 

 removing this species into the genus Locustella, in which I 

 propose to place it^ all these four peculiarities become typical, 

 instead of aberrant ; and the species will stand as Locustella 

 fasciolata (Gray). 



In attempting to find a niche among the Sylviidee for the 

 genus Malurus, I could find no place where it would fit 

 natm*ally ; and after an examination of its wide depressed bill 

 and long rictal bristles, I handed it over to my friend Mr. 

 Sharpe to place amongst the Muscicapidse, where it seemed 

 much more at home by the side of the equally gay-coloured 

 Todojjsis, 



For the same reasons I rejected the genus Gerygone, and 

 hope to see it also absorbed into the Muscicapidse. 



Some time ago I made a raid upon the genus Abrornis, and 

 endeavoured to absorb several species hitherto generally placed 

 in it into Phylloscopus, navaelj A.fuliffinivent7'is, A. erochroa, 

 A. maculipennis, and A. viridipennis. T now propose to make 

 away with the remaining species of this genus, A. schisticeps, 

 A. flaviventris, A. poliogenys, A. albogularis, A. castaneiceps, 

 and perhaps some others, and consign them, along with Cu- 

 licipeta burkii, C. tephrocephala, C. cantator, and C trivir- 

 gata, as well as Tickellia hodgsoni and the African Pindalus 

 ruficapilliis , to the Muscicapidse. I am also inclined to think 

 that Phylloscojms umbrovirens would look better as a Phyl- 

 loscopine Muscicapa than as a Muscicapine Sylvia, and might 

 appear as Pindalus umbrovirens (Rtipp.). 



If it were possible to place the genera of birds in a lineal 

 arrangement, so that nearly allied genera should be in close 

 proximity, I should like to see the Muscicapidse close by 

 the genus CuHcipeta, to be followed by Phylloscopus as the 

 first genus of the Sylviidse. Any one who has watched the 

 Willow- Warblers will admit that they are excellent fly- 

 catchers, and catch flics on the wing almost as habitually as 

 the Flycatchers themselves. 



Yours &c. 



London, Sept. 10, 1878. Henry Seebohm. 



