INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 257 



appearance only occasionally. The 37 are made up of the 

 following divisions (but there are probably more) : 



3 Shrikes : two very occasional stragglers, and one a local 

 summer visitant. 



2 Fly-catchers : both summer visitants. 



1 Dipper : a local resident. 



6 Thrushes : three resident, two winter visitants, one 

 summer. 



12 Warblers : one resident, eleven summer visitants. 



2 Wrens : resident. 



3 Chats : two summer migrants, one resident. 



2 Accentors : one resident. 



3 Wagtails : two summer migrants, one resident. 

 3 Pipits : one summer migrant, two residents. 



Though, among such a number of birds, there must be 

 great diversities both of character and habits, yet there are 

 sufficient resemblances among all these tribes to warrant the 

 referring of them all to a distinct, though not a very strongly 

 marked, order. There is a softness and indistinctness of the 

 individual feathers in the plumage of their bodies ; their bills 

 are slender and compressed, with some tendency to a hook at 

 the tip of the upper mandible, and also a notch ; their feet 

 are generally more adapted for perching than for walking on 

 the ground, as they have the middle and outer toe united at 

 their bases ; their notes are generally soft, and in most 

 'cases melodious ; and they nestle in the shade, in trees, in 

 bushes, under stones, or under herbage, and never associate 

 in flocks during the breeding season, though many of the 

 summer migrants do before they take their departure, and 

 the winter ones generally come in flocks. Some of the resi- 

 dent ones change their localities, and partially change their 

 food and some of their habits, during the winter months ; but 

 they never congregate in such numerous flocks as those birds 



VOL. i. s 



