Families constituting the Order Passeres. 413 



and structure of the wing is very similar to that of the Stur- 

 nidsBj while it is quite unlike that of most of the other groups 

 near which they have been placed. We may consider them, 

 therefore, to be a short-legged Hirundine modification of the 

 Sturnoid type. 



We now come to a final series of ten families, characterized 

 by possessing ten primaries, of wliich the first is typically fully 

 developed and very long, although it is exceptionally so much 

 reduced as to resemble its condition in some forms of Series A. 

 But in these cases no difficulty arises, since the majority of 

 the family to which these birds belong possess the typical 

 form of the series. This form is highly characteristic of the 

 New World, to which seven of the families are exclusively 

 confined. The other three, of small extent, are Australian 

 and Oriental. 



Series D. Formicarioid Passeres. 

 Wing with 10 primaries, the first well developed and typically long. 



1. Menuridse. 6. Tyrannidse. 



2. Pteroptochidse. 7. Cotingidse. 



3. Dendrocolaptidae. 8. Pipridse. 



4. Formicariidse. 9. Eurylsemidse. 



5. Pittidse. 10. Phytotomidae. 



About the American members of this series there is now 

 little difference of opinion ; but the three Old- World families 

 haA'e been the subjects of much discussion. The short- winged 

 Pteroptochidae would seem, at first sight, to be better placed 

 near the Troglodytidse, in the Turdoid series, but for their 

 close affinity to the FormicariidjE. Yet although the first 

 primary is short, it is always broad and about two thirds the 

 length of the second. In the Wrens, with which these birds 

 were formerly placed, the first primary is much narrower 

 as well as shorter. The Australian Menuridse must be kept 

 close to these, as they have no other near allies. The Pittidae 

 are still classed near the Thrushes by Professor Sundevall; 

 but they seem much better placed near the Formicariidse, with 

 which their wing-structure more nearly agrees. The Euiy- 

 Isemidse have generally been located near Coracias among the 



