SAXICOLIN^. 129 



church, although generally similar, differs in the form of the 

 wing, and is said to agree with a Hamburgh specimen figured 

 and described by Mr Gould under the name of Turdus Whitei. 

 Not having examined these two specimens, I cannot decide 

 upon their identity or dissimilarity. M. Temminck holds them 

 to be the same ; but in very many instances he has made 

 similar assertions, and yet afterwards altered his mind. 



Turdus varius, Horsf. Zool. Res. in Java. Turdus Whitei, 

 White's Thrush, Eyton, Rarer Brit. Birds, 92. Turdus varius 

 seu Whitei (Gould), Temm. Man. d'Ornith. iv. 602. Turdus 

 varius, Variegated Thrush, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, ii. 146. 



FAMILY XVII. SAXICOLINJE. SAXICOLINE 



BIRDS, OR STONECHATS. 



i 



Body rather compact ; neck short ; head rather large, 

 broadly ovate, anteriorly convex. Bill rather short, 

 straight, slender, tapering, depressed at the base, com- 

 pressed toward the end ; upper mandible with the tip slen- 

 der, slightly decurved, the notches obsolete. Tongue of 

 moderate length, slender, emarginate and papillate at the 

 base, horny toward the end, with the edges lacerate, and 

 the tip slit ; oesophagus of nearly uniform width ; stomach 

 of moderate size, roundish or elliptical, compressed, its la- 

 teral muscles rather thick, the cuticular lining tough, thin, 

 and longitudinally rugous ; intestine of moderate length 

 and width ; coeca very small, oblong. Legs of moderate 

 length ; tarsus slender, compressed, anteriorly covered 

 with a long plate, in which the divisions of the scutella 

 are sometimes distinctly marked ; toes moderate, com- 

 pressed, scutellate, the first strong, the lateral equal ; 

 claws rather large, arched, compressed, acute. Plumage 

 blended ; bristles small ; wings of moderate length, broad ; 

 the first quill small, the next three longest, the last three 

 secondaries gradually shorter ; tail of moderate length. 



The Saxicolinse, being intimately allied to the Turdi- 

 nse, Alaudinse, and Sylviinse, present no abrupt and decid- 

 ed characters, by which they can be easily defined. They 



