194 MUSCICAPA. 



fore, we have a flycatcher possessing two out of the 

 three characters here assigned to the genus Musci- 

 capa, we may safely search for it in the aberrant 

 genera; but if two out of the three are wanting, 

 it may be concluded that the bird does not enter 

 into this group. As to the wings, their formation 

 has already been explained ; the first quill-feather 

 is invariably spurious, or very short, a character so 

 absolute, that we know not a single exception : yet 

 notwithstanding this diminution in the length of the 

 primaries, the wings themselves are rather long than 

 short, far exceeding those of Todus, and even the 

 generality of the small Tyrannulw, or tyrants of 

 America. The feet are very peculiar, and are re- 

 markable for their comparative shortness and feeble- 

 ness of structure, when compared to the todies. 

 Thus, although the toes are very small, and the 

 hind one not unusually long ; this latter is but little 

 shorter than the tarsus, and this, again, is about 

 equal with the length of the middle toe and claw* : 

 the lateral toes are always unequal, and the outer, 

 which is the longest, is attached to the middle as 

 far as the first joint. This syndactyle structure of 

 the toes, and the general shortness of the feet, is 

 quite in unison with the sedentary nature of these 

 birds, who scarcely use their feet for any other 

 office than to support them on their perch. The 

 scutalation, or form and disposition of the scales 

 upon the tarsi, deserve attention ; because, although 



* The exceptions occur in the two aberrant sub- genera 

 Cryptolopha and Muscicajoa. 



