458 Classification of Birds. 



The family of the Muscicapidae, which closes the circle of the DeH' 

 iirostres, is next brought under review, and after a few appropriate 

 observations upon the distinctive characters of its typical members 

 and their peculiar habits, he proceeds to trace its primary divisions, 

 referring the reader to a separate work upon the subject, entitled 

 " the Natural History and Arrangement of the Muscicapidce, or Fly- 

 catchers, in which"* " the contents of the whole family, together with 

 the singular and beautiful analogies presented by the minor groups, 

 even in their most minute details, are fully illustrated." These pri- 

 mary divisions or subfamilies are represented by the five following 

 types, Eurylaimus, Horsf. Muscicapa, Linn., Fluvicola, Sw., Psaris, 

 Cuv., and Qiierula, Vieil., under each of which he mentions the va- 

 rious genera and subgenera of which they are composed. The ge- 

 nera composing the Eurylamince, are stated to be Eurylahmis, Cym- 

 birynchus, Vig., Platystomus, Sw., Psarisomus, Sw., and Serilophus, 

 Sw. ; but we think that further investigation is required to deter- 

 mine the exact value of each of these, and whether they are all really 

 entitled to stand as subgenera, or even to attain that rank. By Serilo' 

 phus, the crested or rasorial type, and its apparent analogy to Bom- 

 bycilla, he finds a link of connection with the Ampelidae. The nu- 

 merous subfamily Muscicapidce, embracing the ordinary fly-catchers, 

 contains the genera, Todus,Ij\nr\., Muscicapa,Linn., Megalophus,Sw,, 

 Monach.a, Horsf. and Vig., and Rhipidura, Horsf. and Vig. Upon 

 the two first of these the typical groups, and which are divisible into 

 assemblages of lower value, he enters at considerable length, detail- 

 ing the characters of the subgenera, and exemplifying the circles of 

 the two genera, and their analogies by a table and diagram. 



Under the Fluvicolince or water-chats, he enumerates, as types of 

 generic groups, Seisura, Horsf. and Vig., Fluvicola, Sw., Perspicilla 

 Sw., Alecturus, Vieil., and in the synopsis Gubernetes, Vig., which 

 last leads to, if it does not actually enter the subfam.ily Psariance, 

 of which only two generic forms, allowing Gubernetes to remain 

 among the Fluvicolince, are at present recognized by Psaris, 

 Cuv., and Pachyrynchus, Spix. The fifth subfamily or Querulince, 

 represented by Querida, Vieil., and Lathria, Sw., closes the circle 

 of the MuscicapidcB ; and although these birds evince a strong ana- 

 logy, indeed afiinity to the chatterers, we believe the present to be 

 their true station, in which they form that prominent link which 

 immediately connects the Ampelidae with the Muscicapidae. 



From the Dentirostral he now passes to the Conirostral tribe, 



* This will form an early volume of the " Naturalist's Libraiy." The draw- 

 ings are now in the hands of the engraver — Ed. 



