LEUCOCIRCA. ] 27 



can be entertained ; the only difficulty seems to be, 

 where we are to draw our imaginary line of demar- 

 cation. Considering, however, the remarkably 

 small and universally compressed bill of Rhipidura, 

 as seen in R. flalellifera, as the most obvious, if 

 not the real typical, character of that division, we 

 place under Leucocirca all others which have the 

 bill more lengthened, broader at the base, and less 

 compressed towards the tip ; the bristles at the 

 corners of the mouth, although very rigid and often 

 much lengthened, are not so long as the bill ; the 

 tail, in both, is the same, but in this the feet are 

 more developed ; and in one species (Z,. laticauda), 

 which is probably the type, particularly long and 

 stout. We can hardly suppose that none of these 

 species have been described; but as they do not 

 appear to be figured, excepting, indeed, the M. 

 Javannica by Sparman (Mus. Carl. pi. 75), a 

 specimen of this species, obligingly communicated 

 to me by Dr. Horsfield, perfectly agrees with Le 

 Vaillant's account and figure of his Gole-mouckes 

 a lunettes*. This circumstance is of more import- 

 ance than the mere correction of synonymes ; for it 

 establishes the fact, on the evidence of Le Yaillant, 

 that this bird has the same habit of spreading out 

 its tail, in the shape of a fan, as is possessed 

 by Rhipidura ty a habit which no doubt extends to 

 all the other species having the same structure. 

 These latter, indeed, we have been compelled to 



* Mus. Stdlaris of subsequent writers, 

 f See Ois. <TA/. iv. pL 152. 



