TODDS. 167 



us the indications of a circular group ; in which, 

 although there is an apparent hiatus* ', the remain- 

 der of the series is so perfect that no reasonable 

 doubt can be entertained of its being natural. The 

 species which will represent the grallatorial form 

 may probably be found also in Brazil ; but as the 

 most aberrant types of this family, namely, Mona- 

 cha and Platystera, are of the 'Old World, we should 

 feel no surprise if this also turned out to be an inha- 

 bitant of the same region. 



Considering the great variation of structure in so 

 small a group as this, and which we merely term a 

 sub-genus, it may be fairly asked, even by those 

 who take it for granted, or who cannot controvert 

 the affinities here stated, whether this group does 

 not in reality hold a higher rank than what we have 

 assigned to it ? or, in other words, is it not a genus 

 rather than a sub-genus ? This question we have 

 more than once investigated; and the result has 

 been what we have stated. A desire of solving it 

 as far as possible, led us, in fact, to undertake the 

 analysis of the whole family. So far as we have 

 yet laid the result of this labour before the reader, 



* Since writing the above, we have procured a species of 

 Todus very much resembling the T. plumbeus of Cayenne, but 

 with the throat and breast marked with short black stripes 

 like those on the larks, which family represents the Grcdla- 

 toreg. But its chief peculiarity, and in which it differs from 

 all other species, is in having the outer and inner toes almost 

 free, and of nearly equal length. It is more than probable, 

 therefore, that this bird may really be the type we are now 

 seeking. 



