77 



MU3CICAPID.E. 



MUSCICAPID^E. 



978 



among those species which frequent trees; but in such, as in the 

 Stonechats, SaxicoUnce, and Motaciliina:, as habitually walk, the feet 

 are much stronger and the shanks more lengthened. Now, the very 

 reverse of this structure is the typical distinction of the Flycatchers ; 

 their legs are remarkably small and weak more so, perhaps, than 

 those of any dentirostral birds showing at once that their feet are 

 but little used ; and such we find to be the case. The Flycatchers 

 constitute the fissirostral type of form among the leading divisions of 

 the JJenlirostrea, and they consequently exhibit all the chief indica- 

 tions of that primary type of nature, as it is exhibited in the feathered 

 creation. These, as the intelligent ornithologist already knows, are 

 manifested in a large and rather wide mouth and bill ; short, feeble, 

 and often imperfect feet ; great powers of flight and often a consider- 

 able length of wing ; the development of this latter structure is not 

 always apparent, but it is the peculiar power of their flight upon 

 which they chiefly depend for procuring subsistence. They are mostly 

 sedentary, and only dart upon such insects as come within a sudden 

 swoop, without attempting to pursue their game further, if unsuccess- 

 ful in the first instance : they return, in fact, to the spot they left, 

 or to another very near, and there await patiently until another insect 

 passes within the proper distance. This habit of feeding at once 

 explains the reason of the feet being so small and weak, by showing 

 that they are merely used to support the body ; or, at least, that they 

 are not employed in constant exercise or exertion, as in the generality 

 of other birds. Other characters accompany these, no less indicative 

 of bird* which feed exclusively upon the wing : the bill is always 

 considerably depressed or flattened, particularly at its base ; and the 

 rides of the mouth are defended with stiff bristles, to confine the 

 struggles of their prey." 



Mr. Swainson thinks that the primary divisions appear to be repre- 

 sented by the genera Eurylaimiu, Mmcicapa, Fluvicola,, Psarit, and 

 Querula, and these, according to his views, constitute the types of so 

 many sub-families, very unequal indeed in their contents, yet blend- 

 ing sufficiently into each other to point out their circular succession. 

 He considers the first two of these to be the typical and sub-typical 

 groups ; and the three next to be aberrant. 



Prince C. L. Bonaparte (' Geographical and Comparative List ') 

 places the Mufcicapida between the Turdidcs and the Laniadce; and 

 he makes the M luticapida: consist of the following sub-families and 

 genera. 



a. Mutcicapince. 



Genera -.Seiopliaga, Sw. ; Tyrannula, Sw. ; Tyranmu, Vieill. ; Mil- 

 tului, Sw. ; Butalit, Boie. ; Muscicapa, Linn. ; Erythroitema, Bonap. 



6. Virconina. 



Genera : Icteria, Vieill. ; Vireo, VieilL ; Vireotylva, Bonap. 



In considering this arrangement, the student should remember that 

 it only applies to the birds of Europe and North America. 



Mr. Swainson thus defines the family : Stature small. Bill con- 

 siderably depressed ite entire length, broad ; the edge of the upper 

 mandible folding over that of the lower ; the tip abruptly bent and 

 notched. Rictus wide, defended with strong rigid bristles, pointing 

 forwards. Feet almost always short (except in the rasorial types, 

 where of course they are longer), small, and weak. Feed solely upon 

 insecta captured during flight Habits sedentary. 



Sub-Family Querulince. 



Bill strong, broad, much depresssed ; gape wide. Rictus with strong 

 bristles. Feet short, resembling those of the typical Ampelince. 

 Lateral scales minute. (Sw.) 



Mr. Swainson is of opinion that the genus Querula is the type of 

 this family, and he observes that by some of the Linnjean writers 

 this remarkable bird is classed as a Muscicapa ; while by others, even 

 among the moderns, it is considered an Ampelii; and he thinks that 

 both of these opinions may be reconciled, by viewing it as it stands 

 in his arrangement as the connecting link between these families. 

 He remarks that all the other Flycatchers, according to his system, so 

 far as we yet know, feed entirely upon insects ; but there is unques- 

 tionable testimony that this species lives also upon fruits, thus uniting 

 in itself the characteristics of the two families which it connects. In 

 the bill, he adds, there is much of the form and strength of that of 

 Piarit, but it is wide and more depressed ; whilst the stiff bristles at 

 the rictus betray its insectivorous habit : the fet are remarkably 

 short for the size of the bird, and are calculated only, like those of 

 the Ampelidce, for perching. All these characters, in the opinion of 

 Mr. Swainsou, not only point out this genus as the fissirostral type, 

 but perfect the union of the families of Muecicapidce and Ampelidw. 



Querula, Vieill., and Lalhria, Sw., are genera of this sub-family. 



Querula. Bill large, broad, and strong. Gonys long and straight. 

 Nostrils concealed by incumbent reflected feathers. Wiugs long and 

 broad, fourth quill longest. Toes unequal ; inner toe shortest, of equal 

 length with the hind toe. Tail even. 



Q. rubricollu, the Common Piahau, is black with a purple throat. 

 It is the ifuicicapa rubricollis of Uinelin. 



It is a native of America, where they go in troops in the woods in 

 pursuit of insects. 



HAT. I1MT. DIV. VOL. IIL 



Common Tiahau (Qaercla ntlricollis}. 



Psariance. 



Bill large, thick, sub-cylindrical. Culmen convex, and without any 

 ridge; the tip abruptly bent and notched. Head large, depressed. 

 Mouth very wide. Feet weak : lateral toes unequal ; interior scales of 

 the tarsi transverse; lateral scales small, numerous. Wiugs long. 



Cayenne Shrike (Ptarii Oayaneiuii). 



Mr. Swainson (who gives the above as the characters of the sub- 

 family to which, in his opinion, Alectrura immediately leads) states 

 that in the Paariame there are but three ascertained genera. " Tbeso 

 birds," says Mr. Swaiuson, "like their representatives, Monacha and 

 Psaritoma, depart considerably from the types of this family : the bill 

 is less depressed thau in any other of the Flycatchers, and its structure 

 is altogether stronger and thicker; they are all natives of tropical 

 America, and are generally found only in thick forests. Gubernetes is 

 the genus by which they appear to be connected with the waterchats, 

 through the medium of Alectrura. One species only is yet known, the 

 Gubernetes forficatus, remarkable for its long forked tail : to this succeeds 

 Ptarw, where we find nearly all the species coloured alike ; that is>, 

 they are more or less of a gray or pearl white, with black head, wing?, 

 and tail : they remind us immediately of the gulls, and this analogy is 

 one of the most beautiful, when worked out, in the whole family. 

 The smaller birds of the genus Pachyrynchus immediately follow. 



