204 MUSCIPETA. 



less rounded; the figures, in fact, represent the 

 lateral feathers as nearly even. Nor is the colour- 

 ing of the plumage of this species to be overlooked ; 

 it very much resembles that of the wagtail, and has 

 that broad pectoral collar which is so remarkably 

 prevalent among grallatorial and tenuirostral types. 

 All these instances of species putting on some one 

 or more of the characters seen in the primary forms 

 of nature are most remarkable, for they occur in a 

 sub-genus which does not at present exceed ten or a 

 dozen species : so that whatever doubts we might 

 have in regard to the nomenclature of other speodc 

 types, it would be thought the height of absurdity 

 to make each of these birds a sub-genus, because 

 they are, in point of fact, types of form in the serie* 

 of specie*. 



