F L U V 1 C O L A cursoria. 

 Courier Waterchat. 



Family Todida?. Siib-Fainily Fluvicoliiise. 



Fluvicolin.i:. Bill, in general, strong; depressed, the tip abrupt- 

 ly bent and notched: gape \\\i\\ stiff' bristles. Tarsi long; 

 toes nearly free, clcnvs slender and acute. Scapular covers 

 long. Quill and /o?7 feathers very broad; but the latter of 

 various shapes. Frequent marshy situations in the New 

 World. Nobis. 



Generic Character.— Zool. Journ. No. 10, p. 172. 



Specific Character. 



IVIiile, back bi-oicn ; wings, stripe on each side the head, and broad 

 rounded tail, black; the latter tipt with tvhite. 



There is to be found, in Tropical America, a singular race 

 of flycatching birds, whose plumage is black and white. 

 Their haunts are only in the vicinity of water: they pursue 

 their prey upon the ground, running with great celerity, 

 and are constantly in motion. They have, in short, all the 

 manners and habits of the Stone Chats, and when we pub- 

 lished the definition of this genus, we were led to believe it 

 belonged to the Saxicolinae. The present species we met 

 with in abundance at Pernambuco, frequenting the sides of 

 the rivers and lagoons. 



It is not surprising that ornithologists, who are so fre- 

 quently compelled to form their ideas of natural divisions 

 from mere skins, should be entirely unacquainted with the 

 group, of which this genus is probably the type. But it is 

 strange that the full and accurate information concerning 

 it, which has long ago been furnislied by Azara, should 

 have been so utterly neglected. In the views which we 

 have taken of the affinities of these birds, we consider they 

 present a point of junction witli the Saxicolae ; passing on 

 one side into the genuine Flycatchers of America, fT(/- 

 iHintiula Sw.^ and on the otlier into the typical Todies. 

 The contents however of this group, we are but partially 

 acquainted with. It will comprise Nengetus, Sw. Alectu- 

 7'us, Vieil, and several other forms now widely scattered in 

 the newest systems, together with one or two others not yet 

 defined, which we have only seen in the Paris Museum. 



Since the above was printed, we find the name of Xolmiis has just been 

 proposed for tliis genus by M. Boie, he not being of course aware that thin, 

 and some of his other groups, were published by us three years ago. 



