INSESSORIAL BIRDS. 235 



fication of what I propose : Musophagidae, Coliidae, Bucerotidse, 

 Prionitidse, Trogonidae, form the group. That the Coliic'se, Muso- 

 phagidse and Trogonidse are nearly related to each other, and exhibit 

 strong Scausorial tendencies, yet not sufficient to place them in the 

 order Scansores, may perhaps be conceded. In the case of the 

 Trogons, which have been placed with Eissirostres, the question is 

 whether Scansorial or Pissirostral tendencies predominate, both being 

 admitted to exist, and looking at the arched — not at all depressed — ■ 

 dentated beak, and the feet with the third toe turned so as to assume 

 some appearance of the true scansorial foot, we ought, I think, to 

 regard the Fissirostral characters of these birds as marking their 

 place in their own circle, not as carrying them amongst the true 

 !Fissirostres. More difficulty may be felfc respecting the other two 

 families, but the agreement in the serrated beak." and generally arbo- 

 real habits, and the comparison as to the beak and mode of swallow- 

 ing, of Bucero tides with the Scansorial Ramphastidae, will go far 

 towards removing difficulty, and possibly among the various stations 

 assigned to the small but distinct family of Prionitidse none is more 

 probable than that here suggested. I take the fine family of Muso= 

 phagidse as the most perfect representative of the Serratirostral type^ 

 Since the birds have become better known, the idea of their having 

 any relationship with the Easores has been abandoned, and they cer- 

 tainly do not present truly Scansorial characters, though a tendency 

 in that direction is unmistakeable. The character of the beak ia hy 

 no means conirostral, unless we give a very vague extension to that 

 division, and altogether I believe that making this family the founda- 

 tion of a new sub-order will be felt to remove considerable difficultiea. 

 The family of CoUidce is evidently near to Musophagidse, though 

 abundantly distinguished from it ; and the beak, though not precisely 

 serrated is so curiously toothed, and is used so much like a parrot's^ 

 that the representation of the Psittacidse must be readily admitted. 

 The Bucerotidse occupy the next place, and their analogy with Ram- 

 phastidas with the departure of the feet from the Scansorial tendency, 

 whilst the curved beak, strongly serrated on its margin, and the 

 arboreal mode of life, preserve the connection with the preceding 

 families, may afford good reasons for their position. I cannot but 

 think at least that the common supposition of their near relationship 

 to Crows, and Mr. Wallace's of their belonging to the Fissirostres, 

 "will appear to most ornithologists far less tenable than what is now 

 proposed. The Prionitidse, which I place next, have probably been 

 approximated to MeropidsB from a general resemblance of figure and 



