136 INSESSORES. MERULIDM. 



more slender, with the notch less prominent or tooth-like; 

 but sufficiently developed to assist them in taking firm hold 

 of their food, which is not restricted to insects, but extends 

 to worms and other soft animal substances, as well as the 

 smaller fruits and berries. In the structure of their limbs 

 and feet they shew a decided superiority over the Laniadae, 

 these members being more muscular, and so formed as to 

 be equally well adapted for moving upon the ground or 

 perching on trees. According to Mr Swainson, whose 

 views in relation to this family agree with my own, the cir- 

 cle of the Merulidae is formed of the five following groups 

 or subfamilies, viz. 1st, Bracht/podina, or Short-legged 

 Thrushes, of which Brachypus dispar (Swains.) may be ta- 

 ken as a typical example ; 9,dly, Merulina, containing the 

 true Thrushes (genus Merula of Ray), the Mocking 

 Thrush (genus Orpheus of Swainson), Rock Thrushes ge- 

 nus Petroc'incla of Vigous), &c. ; ^dly, Myntherina, which 

 includes the genera Myothera, Pitta, Myophonus, Cindus, 

 &c. ; 4!thly, Oriolana, including genus Oriolus, as now re- 

 stricted, Mimeta, Sericulus, &c. ; and, 5thly, Crateropodina, 

 or Strong-legged Thrushes, embracing many forms, arranged 

 in various orders and genera by the earlier systematists, and 

 of which the genus Crateropus of Swainson is the type. 



Subfamily MERULINA. 



As we have no birds belonging to the first and aberrant 

 subfamily Brachyopodlna, I pass on to that of Meridina, 

 one of the typical groups of the family, and composed of 

 Ray's genus Merula (now restricted to the true Thrushes); 

 Petrocincla (a genus instituted by Vigors for the reception 

 of certain species that frequent rocky situations) ; Orpheus 

 (adopted by Swainson as a generic appellation for the 

 Mocking Thrushes of America), and other nearly allied ge- 

 nera. In this subfamily, the bill is tolerably strong, rather 



