12 New Investigations into the Distribution of the Vocal Muscles. 



Scytalopus Gould. Cypselus 111. 



PJiaefornis Sw. Caprvmulgns L. 



OrtJwrki/nchus Cuv. Steatornis Humb. 



Oriiismyia Less. . Alcedo L. 



Lampornis Sw. Pr'wtiites 111. 



Campylopterus Sw. Opisthocomus Hoffm. 



If tbe g-enera Selophaga Sw., CejjJialopiierm Geoffr., and Fteroptoclms Kittl., be classed 

 witb tbe above, tbere are as many as fifty genera of tbe Passerine order already known 

 as wanting tbe muscular vocal larynx, of whieb tbe greater number are Soutb American. 

 I am acquainted witb sixty-four American genera, whicb conform to tbe type of tbe 

 European Singing Birds ; namely, Lanim, Fniigilla, Tauagra, Sj/lnia, Hirundo, Cassicus, 

 Tardus, Quiscalus, Sturnella, Caereia, Bacnis, Troglodytes, and tbeir subgenera. If we reckon 

 tbe American Scansores as Plcarlae, in Nitzscb's sense, in addition to tbe already mentioned 

 fifty genera, tbe number of Picariae in tbe New World will amount to more tban 

 balf of all tbe Insessores of tbis bemispbere, tbat bave been observed. And tbis explains 

 tbe well-known fact that tbe forests of tropical America resound mucb more witb cries 

 tban songs. 



In tbe Old World, tbat is in Europe, Asia, and Africa, tbere are to my knowledge 

 seventy-two genera of Passerines witb a vocal larynx, but tbere are only nine Picariae — 

 witbout reckoning Scansores — namely : 



Upupa L. Cypselus 111. 



Alcedo L. Caprimulgus L. 



Coracias L. Podargus Cuv. 



Eiirystomus Vieill. ' Colius Briss. 



Eurylainvus Horsf. 

 Tbere bave been only five genera altogether of Passerines from Australia and 

 Polynesia, tbat bave been examined. Psopliod.es and Gymnorldna, examined by Eyton, 

 and tbe latter dissected by myself also, together with the s]3ecies of Brepanls from tbe 

 Sandwich Islands, which I have examined, appear to be true Singing Birds, while 

 Eyton thinks that Maenura and Gralllna also belong to tbe group. From my examina- 

 tion of tbe East Indian genus Phyllornls, I bave no doubt tbat tbe Australian MeUpliagidae 

 are also true Singing Birds. 



The number of birds dissected by me, for my first communication (1845) amounted 

 to some hundreds of species of Passerines, which belonged to about one hundred genera 

 or subgenera. The Americau forms were obtained iu their travels by V. Olfers, Sello, 



