AVES. OM 



Genus 2.—Cl^CLUS.—Bechsteiii. 



Generic Character.— BiW rather slender, slightly bent upwards, compross- 

 eil at the sides ; upper ni;indible emarginated at tip, and encompassinff the 

 lower one ; nostrils basal, lateral, longitudinally ck-ft, and partly covered by 

 a n'.embrane ; head small ; wings short, first quill not quite the length of the 

 second, which is also shorter than the third ; three toes before and one be- 

 hind, the exterior one attached at its base to the middle toe, which is longer 

 than the tarsus. 



Cinchis aquations. — The European Dipper. Plate xxx.* fig. 8. Upper 

 parts blackish-brown, feathers margined with grayish-black ; throat, eyelids 

 sides of the neck, and as low as the epigastrium, white ; venter chestnut- 

 brown, crissuni darker ; bill blackish-brown ; legs dusky ; irides yellowish- 

 brown. Seven inches long. Inhabits Europe. 



Gen!(S 3.— MENURA.— S/iaw. 



Generic Character. — Bill broader than deep at its hasQ, provided with se- 

 taceous plumes, directed forward, straight, and slender, slightly inclined at 

 the tip, which has a small notch ; upper mandible longer than the lower one ; 

 nostrils placed in the middle of the bill, oval, large, and protected by a mem- 

 brane ; clawa same length as the toes, broad, obtuse, and convex above ; 

 wings short. 



Menura superha. — The Superb Menura. Plate xxx*. fig. 6. 'Brown above, 

 reddi^h-brown on the wings and neck ; cinereous browu below ; tail erect, 

 consisting of fourteen internal extremely thinly fibred webs, the external 

 feathers also erect, beautifully clouded with chestnut and brown on their 

 iimer margins, silvery-grey externally, the tips reflected, dusky-brown and 

 black ; head crested ; legs dark gray, claw of the hallux very long. Size of 

 a small pheasant. Inhabits New South Wales. 



Genus 4.— PITT A — Vieillot. 



Generic Character. — Bill of medium size, strong, hard, and compressed, 

 with a slight curvature from its base, where the ridge is elevated, bent at 

 the tip, with a slight notch ; nostrils at the base of tlie bill, lateral, and partly 

 closed by a naked membrane ; legs very long, slender ; tarsus frequently 

 double the length of the middle toe, internal toe attached to the first joint ; 

 wings short, rounded, the tlu'ee first quills equally graduated, the fourth and 

 fifth longest ; tail short, equal, or rounded. 



Pitta a/anura.— The Blue-Tailed Pitta. Plate xxix». fig. 3. Chestnut^co. 

 loured above, straw-coloured beneath, and streaked with blue ; head with 

 black fillets ; with a blue band on the breast, and another on the tail. Eight 

 inches and a half long. Inhabits Guiana. 



Genus 5.-MYI0THERA.— /;%er. 



Generic Character. — Bill long, straight, convex above, with the top slight- 

 ly arched, bent at the tip, and notched ; lower mandible arcuated in the cen- 

 tre, and a little bent upwards at the point ; nostrils basal, lateral, and partly 

 closed by a membraue ; long legs, or of a medium length ; the tarsus grreatly 

 longer than the middle toe ; lateral toes nearly of equal length, the internal 

 one attached the length of the tirst phalange ; wings short, rounded, the 



