CANTATRICES. 119 



elliptical, compressed ; its muscular coat thick, and form- 

 ing two distinct lateral muscles, its cuticular lining dense, 

 tough, and slightly rugous ; intestine short, rather wide ; 

 cceca very small, cylindrical, adnate ; rectum with an el- 

 liptical dilatation. Eyes of moderate size. Nostrils ob- 

 long, or linear, direct. Aperture of ear large, roundish. 

 Legs of ordinary length, or short ; tarsus much compress- 

 ed, with about seven anterior scutella, and two longitudi- 

 nal plates behind ; toes four, compressed, the three ante- 

 rior slightly spreading ; the first stouter, the lateral about 

 equal, the third and fourth adnate at the base, all scutel- 

 late ; claws rather long, arched, slender, compressed, la- 

 terally grooved, tapering to a fine point. Wings of mo- 

 derate length, broad, with the first quill extremely small, 

 sometimes wanting, the third and fourth longest ; tail of 

 twelve feathers. 



The Cantatrices are remarkable for their finely modu- 

 lated song. Their trachea is nearly uniform, with four 

 pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles, but does not differ from 

 that of the Vagatrices or Deglubitrices. Species occur in 

 all parts of the globe. Their food consists chiefly of in- 

 sects, larvae, worms, mollusca, and soft fruits. They ge- 

 nerally advance by leaping, although some run ; but none 

 walk in the sedate manner of the Vagatrices. Their flight 

 is generally rapid, light, and undulated. In summer they 

 are unsocial, in winter often gregarious. Very many are 

 migratory, being unable to procure subsistence in cold 

 climates in winter. They may be arranged into several 

 groups, of which those that have representatives with us 

 are the ORIOLTN^E, MYRMOTHERIK/E, TURDIN^E, SAXICO- 

 LIX.E, SYLVIIN^E, MOTACILLIN.E, ALAUDIN^E, AMPELIX/E, 

 and PARING. These groups differ only in circumstances 

 of little essential importance, their internal organization 



