CRYPTOLOPHA. 199 



the last of the divisions in Todus ; and we may 

 therefore naturally expect to find the same colour 

 continued to the group which succeeds, although 

 that group is in the next circle, namely, that of 

 Muscicapa. We already possess three species of 

 Cryptolopha, and are acquainted with two or three 

 others. In all these the upper plumage is olive- 

 green, which, added to a prevalence of yellow on 

 some part of their upper plumage, gives them all 

 the appearance of being American Tyrannulce. 

 But this, in truth, is merely an analogous resem- 

 blance, a disguise, as it were, in which nature has 

 clothed them, while the structure of their wings 

 and tarsi are in complete accordance with the rest 

 of the Old World flycatchers. Such species as 

 evince the nearest approximation to Lepturus have 

 consequently the bill less broad, the tarsi longer, 

 and the tail more narrowed and slender; while 

 such, on the other hand, as advance towards 

 the sub- genus Muscipeta, or rather, as we suspect, 

 constitute the types of this sub-genus, have the bill 

 broader, the rictal bristles long, thick set, and very 

 stiff (as in Rhipidura\ with the tarsi shorter, and 

 the tail broader and even. There is nothing there- 

 fore to associate these oriental flycatchers with the 

 little tyrants of America, beyond their olive plumage; 

 for they may be immediately recognized by that pri- 

 mary character, a short spurious quill-feather, 

 which, without a single exception, distinguishes 

 the Old World flycatchers from those of the New. 

 There is a very interesting species of Cryptolopha 



