180 LEPTtraus. 



Todus, haying for its prototypes a host of represen- 

 tations in nearly all the families and genera of the 

 perching birds, of which it is only necessary to 

 mention Troglodytes, Qrihotomus, Crateropus, Flu- 

 vicoZa, Synallaxis, &c. to give an accurate idea of 

 the structure of the bird before us. "We have no 

 doubt that other species of LepturiAS, and probably 

 its types of form, will be detected, when the im- 

 mense number of South American flycatchers, which 

 we already know of from books and museum speci- 

 mens, are properly examined, setting aside those 

 which still remain undiscovered in that productive 

 region, the central metropolis, as it were, of fly- 

 catching birds. The structure of the toes and claws 

 in Lepturus ruficeps will detach it from the typical 

 todies, while the length of the tarsi and the com- 

 pression of the bill, removes it far away from the 

 little tyrants (Tyrannula)* 



