76 



LATHRIA. 



IT is about the size of a thrush, entirely of a dull 

 brownish olive, and having every appearance, at first, 

 of being a tyrant flycatcher (Tyrannm). On ex- 

 amining it, however, more attentively, we detect 

 some of the peculiar characteristics of the Piauhau, 

 blended with the more strongly bristled rictus and 

 front, the flatter and weaker bill, and the diminished 

 stature of the tyrants. The structure of this bird, 

 indeed, is peculiarly interesting, because it not only 

 shows a decided affinity to Querula, but opens an 

 obvious passage to the next sub-family by means of 

 a second species, rather smaller, which has recently 

 come into our possession, as if to confirm the lo- 

 cality in the series we had previously assigned to its 

 congener. But the relations of nature are so intri- 

 cate and ramified, that the more we investigate them, 

 the more do they seem to multiply ; and no sooner 

 do we get over one difficulty with " toil and trouble," 

 but another comes to light ; and this we find in the 

 present instance ; there is a curious dull coloured 

 bird, about the size of a very small thrush, which we 

 described some years ago under the name of Tyran- 

 nus calcaratus, on account of its having a series of 

 little spines at its knees. Now this bird has so 



