252 Mr. ViGORs's and Dr. Hojisfield's Description of the 



M. Cuvier's genus, it seems calculated to embrace all the spe- 

 cies of the family which do not belong to the European form ; 

 in fact, merely to ch-aw a geographical line of demarcation 

 between the European and extra- European species. To those 

 who have had an opportunity of observing the mode in which 

 the characters of the Miiscicnpiche vary in the numberless foreign 

 species which we already possess, and which are daily increasing 

 our collections, it must be evident that such a wide latitude in- 

 cludes in the genus iMiiscipcta a vast variety of forms : while at 

 the same time it atibrds but little relief to the student in lessening 

 the number of species detached from the original Muscicapo. 



It appears to us, however, that some advance will be made to 

 the more luminous arrangement of this family, by restricting the 

 species of Mmcipeta to those which exhibit the characters ori- 

 ginally laid down by IM. Cuvier for the group, and which accord 

 with the birds enumerated by him as its types. From these we 

 may perhaps select the Muscicapa Paradisi of Linnanis as the 

 most conspicuous, and best fitted to point out the characters 

 which that eminent naturalist designed to particularize. AVe 

 here perceive a somewhat elongated bill, which appears inter- 

 mediate with respect to its breadth between the narrower bills 

 of the European Muscicapœ, and the widely-dilated bill of 

 Vlatyrhynchus. The tail also is graduated. The group, thus 

 restricted, will contain a number of well-detined species, which 

 at present appear to us proper to Africa and India, and which 

 more or less accord with this type. In addition to this group, 

 we have ourselves already pointed out two other forms among 

 our New Holland species, which, besides the modifications of 

 their bills, exhibit by the structure of the tail, and the use to 

 which it is applied, some natural grounds for separation. AVe 

 venture in addition to proi:)ose another group, characterized 

 above, which we have reason to hope will still further serve to 



atî'ord 



