70 THE MUSCICAPIM:. 



bristles round the mouth, and their obvious affinity 

 to other genera truly insectivorous, might be 

 placed at once with the true fruit-eaters (Ampe- 

 lidce), was there any hiatus wherein they could 

 be introduced. According to our views, however, 

 such an hiatus does not exist, the passage from 

 the Leiotrichince to the Jlmpelidce, although many 

 links to render it perfect are wanting, is yet suffi- 

 ciently well marked out, and we therefore decide on 

 placing these fruit and insect eaters within the con- 

 fines of the Muscicapidw. 



One of the chief peculiarities of the flycatchers is 

 certainly found in their short and weak feet, a struc- 

 ture beautifully adapted for their perching habits, 

 but quite incompatible with the power of walking. 

 Yet it must be remembered that this, as well as 

 every other, natural group, must have a rasorial type, 

 and we therefore find that one of the aberrant di- 

 visions of the Muscicapidce is distinguished by the 

 length and strength of the legs. In all other re- 

 spects, however, these walking flycatchers preserve 

 the characteristics of their family, and although the 

 bills of some are less flattened than usual, the stiff 

 bristles of the mouth sufficiently indicate their true 

 relationship. It may be proper in this place to ob- 

 serve, that no typical Muscicapidce, as here defined, 

 have yet been discovered in that part of America 

 which lies north of Mexico : The flycatching tribe, 

 which formerly bore that name, having been removed 

 out of this circle to the confines of the next, where 

 they now form part of the, Tyranninae or Tyrants. 



