207 



MYIAGRA 



was defined some years ago by Messrs. Horsfield 

 and Vigors as containing all those flycatchers which 

 nad the tail more or less even, and a shorter and 

 oroader hill.* This latter distinction, theoretically, 

 appears to be very good ; yet the difference is so very 

 trifling between these and the latter, as hardly to be 

 v* drtn naming. As the tail, however, is one of the 

 cnief distinctions, we may still look upon M. plum- 

 lia CH. and V.) as one of the typical forms. The 

 otner cnaracter, which has been overlooked, is the 

 superior length of the third quill-feather, which in 

 this, and two or three other birds which are equally 

 typical, is nearly, if not quite, as long as the fourth. 

 In Muscipeta, on the contrary, the third quill is 

 even shorter than the fourth and fifth. Now the 

 passage between these two closely allied sub-genera 

 may be thus traced. The first form which meets 

 us on leaving the wedge-tailed Muscipetce is seen in 

 a bird from New Holland, now before us, and 



* Three species are described as having the bill moderately 

 short, and in which it differs from the bill of Muscipeta ; but 

 in two of these, now before me, I can see no difference ; 

 while the third species, M. macraptera, judging from the de- 

 scription, I do not think belongs to the group. 



