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BLECHROPUS> 



viewing them for the present as distinct from Flu- 

 vicolina. Of these we know four or five species, 

 and although they do not exhibit very decided pe- 

 culiarities as to structure, still it seems desirable to 

 keep them distinct ; they differ from Fluvicola and 

 agree with Alectura in their large heads ; their plu- 

 mage is more or less deep black, with a concealed 

 spot of white on the inner web of the quills, which 

 only becomes suddenly conspicuous when the wing 

 is expanded ; the feet being smaller, and the toes 

 rather shorter than in Fluvicola) would seem to in- 

 dicate even more of the perching habits than are 

 possessed by Alectura^ while their singularity <u 

 plumage leads us to believe they must have also 

 some peculiarity of manners. One of these we shall 

 now figure. 



