AVES. 341 



Sub-fam. 7. MotacilUncB, or Wagtails. Bill rather long, slender, and 

 straight, sides much compressed ; nostrils lateral ; wings long, pointed ; tail 

 generally long ; tarsi long, slender ; feet rather strong. Size small. 



About seventy-five birds are classed here. They inhabit all parts of the 

 world, and habitually frequent the ground, and very often are partial to the 

 vicinity of streams of water. 



One of the best known species is the grey wagtail of Europe, M. hoarula 

 (pi. 103, Jig. 17). It inhabits all Europe and contiguous parts of Asia and 

 Africa, but does not appear to be very common. It lives in the vicinity 

 of streams, and frequently nestles in the immediate neighborhood of mills 

 or other buildings. 



The birds of this sub-family all bear more or less resemblance to the 

 wagtails of Europe. 



Fam. 2..Turdid^, or Thrushes. Bill various, but always more or less 

 strong and curved, generally compressed ; wings generally more or less 

 long, frequently pointed, sometimes rounded ; tail generally moderate ; tarsi 

 and feet generally strong. Size moderate, but larger than the last family. 



The thrushes constitute a very extensive and completely cosmopolitan 

 family of birds, generally distinguished by considerable powers of song, and 

 frequently familiar and sociable in their habits. 



There are not less than six hundred species of thrushes. 



Sub-fam. 1. Formic ar in cb, or Ant-thrushes. Bill long, straight, curved 

 at the tip, which is frequently hooked ; wings generally short, rounded ; 

 tail short ; tarsi long ; toes generally long and stout. Size moderate. 



A sub-family, nearly all the species of which subsist upon insects 

 captured upon the ground. They are almost invariably long-legged and 

 short-tailed birds, with long stout bills, and are frequently of gay plumage, 

 though of odd, and, in fact, rather droll general appearance. 



The ant-thrushes are natives of all parts of the world, though most 

 numerous in India and South America. The species which inhabit the 

 former and some other countries and islands of Asia, form the genus Pitta 

 of naturalists, and are for the most part very beautiful. They live almost 

 entirely upon the ground, and, if disturbed, like almost all other birds of 

 this group, seek safety in running rather than by flight. The short-tailed 

 Indian ant-thrush {P. brachyura) and the blue-tailed ant-thrush {P. cyanura) 

 are frequently met with. 



The American ant-thrushes are numerous, and, though inferior in size 

 and beauty of plumage to their Indian relatives, are represented as precisely 

 the same in general characters and habits. About seventy-five species 

 inhabit tropical America, some of the best known of which are the Cay- 

 enne ant-thrush {Formicaria colma), the king ant-thrush (Grallaria rex), 

 the rufous crowned {G. ruficapilla) , and others. 



Sub-fam. 2. Turdinoi, or true Thrushes. Bill long, generally strong, and 

 more or less curved and compressed ; wings moderate ; tail long, broad, 

 and generally graduated ; tarsi and feet moderately long and strong. 



Contains all the birds commonly known in Europe and America as 

 thrushes, of which there ar& about one hundred and fifty species. They 



ICONOGRAFHIC ENCYCLOPEDIA. — VOL. II. 35 545 



