CLASS II. AYES: ORDER 2. 



PASSERES. 



121 



term Chatterer is wholly inapplicable to them, as they have only a faint chirp, generally uttered 

 as they rise to fly. Nuttall tells a curious instance of politeness which he noticed among them : 

 one having caught an insect gave it to his neighbor ; this took it and gave it to another, and he 

 to another, and so it went round for some time before it was devoured. 



The Japanese Wax-Wing, B. ph(xnicoptera^ resembles the American species, but is smaller, 

 and is without the wax-like appendages. 



THE COTINGAS. 



These are considered as allied to the preceding, and comprise several genera, remarkable for the 

 splendor of their plumage. The Piauhaus, so called from their cry, live in flocks in South Amer- 

 ica, and feed on insects. The Great Piauhau, Coracias militaris of Shaw, is entirely purple. 

 The True Cotingas inhabit humid places in South America. The Scarlet Cotinga, Ampelis 

 carnifex, is seven inches long, scarlet above, and reddish-brown below. The Pompadour Cotinga, 

 A. Pompadora, is a reddish-purple ; the Blue Cotinga, A, cotinga, splendid ultramarine, with a 

 violet breast. Our common bluebird resembles these, and was formerly included in the group. 





THE COLLARED FLY-CATCHER. 



THE MUSCICAPID^ OR FLY-CATCHERS. 



In this extensive and interesting family, which -closely resemble the shrikes in their habits, 

 the bill is generally straight, broad, and depressed at the base, with the gape Avide, and fur- 

 nished with long, stout bristles springing from the base of the upper mandible. The wings 

 and tail are long, and the legs short and weak, with the toes more or less elongated. They are 

 small birds, feeding for the most part upon insects, which they take upon the wing. They estab- 

 lish themselves in some elevated position, from which they dart oflf after their prey, returning 

 again to their post to swallow it. The larger species, however, like the Shrikes, are not content 

 with such small game, but make war upon the smaller vertebrate animals. They include five 

 groups, or sub-families, the Vireos, the True Fly-Catchers, the Becards, the Tyrant Fly- Catchers, 

 and the Cock-Tails. 



THE VIREOS OR GREENLETS. 



This is a group of small American birds, of which the general plumage is usually more or less 

 tinted with green or olive. They have a short, straight bill, and tlie bristles of the gape are short 

 and weak ; the wings are long and pointed, and the toes of moderate size, the lateral ones being 

 about equal, and both more or less united to the middle one at the base. They migrate from 

 the tropical regions of America — Brazil, Guiana, and the West Indian Islands — to the United 

 States, arriving here about the month of May, and returning southward in August and Sep- 

 tember. Some of them have an exceedingly sweet warbling note, while the song of others ap- 

 peal's to have little merit. They feed almost entirely upon insects, some apparently preferring 



Vol. II.— 16 



