90 PLUVICOLINJE OR WATER-CHATs. 



nature ; because, were it otherwise, such animals 

 would no longer he representations, hut actual ex- 

 amples of the type itself, in its full developement. 

 Besides, we must not allow every little difficulty 

 to turn us aside from what is evidently the path of 

 nature. Of all the birds in this family, Querula 

 obviously makes the nearest approach to the chat- 

 terers, and it is equally certain that the water-chats 

 (Flumcolinoi) make the nearest approach to the ge- 

 nuine flycatchers and to the tyrants. These two 

 points, therefore, being incontestable, our business is 

 to trace, as far as can be, the intervening series, and 

 then to see how far the results accord with the 

 general laws of nature. 



The passage from the Black-caps to the Water- 

 chats is effected, as usual, by a representation of the 

 rasorial type. Of all known birds the Scissor-tail* ', 

 forming the genus 



GUBERNETES, 



comes nearest to Psaris cay ana in the general cha- 

 racter of its structure ; it has, however, a very long 

 forked tail, and a more perfect fissirostral bill, that 

 is, shorter, broader, and more triangular. On the 

 other hand, its legs are large and strong, perfectly 

 adapted for walking, the lateral toes being even, 



* This bird, only known in England of late years, is accu- 

 rately described by Azara, under the name of Yiperu. See 

 Sonn. ed. 3. 196. 



