114 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



perhaps join the Titmice in the next family ; and lastly the Pipits 

 are barely separable from the Larks, a conirostral group. 



Sub-fam. Saxicolin.32. 



Bill stouter, more depressed at the base than in the other 

 sub-families ; wings moderate or somewhat long ; tail moderate 

 in most, short in some, long in a very few ; tarsus moderately 

 long, stout; feet moderate, fitted for terrestrial habits; claws 

 slightly curved. 



The Saxicolinm are a group of ground birds, of solitary habits, 

 frequenting in general open and rocky ground, and affecting the 

 neighbourhood of man ; a few however being more sylvan, and 

 courting concealment. The song of most is pleasing, very fine in 

 a few, and they are exceedingly pugnacious. They nestle on 

 banks, or rocks, or holes in buildings, occasionally in a hole of a 

 tree ; and the eggs of most are bluish white, with a few dark spots. 

 The plumage of many is pied, and the sexes usually differ more or 

 less in colour. The young are usually spotted like the young of 

 Thrushes. They comprise some of the largest birds of the present 

 family, and Bonaparte unites with them some of the Rock-thrushes 

 of the Old World. They are chiefly inhabitants of the Old World, 

 many of them being migratory ; but there is a peculiar group in 

 Australia, and another in America. They approach the Wagtails 

 on one side, and certainly grade into the next sub-family, Ruticillince. 



Gen. Copsychus, Wagler. 



Syn. Gryllivora, Sw. — Dahlia, Hodgs. 



Char. — Bill moderately long and strong, straight, tip slightly 

 bent, distinctly notched; rictal bristles almost absent; nostrils 

 large, exposed, basal ; wings moderate, 4th and 5th quills longest 

 3rd nearly equal to them ; tail rather long, graduated, or with 

 the six central feathers equal, the outer ones graduated ; tarsus 

 moderately long, stout, nearly entire ; feet moderate, middle toe 

 long, hind toe and claw moderate ; claws slightly curved. 



475. Copsychus saularis, Linn. 



Gracula, apud Linnaeus— Blyth, Cat. 970— Horsf., Cat. 422 

 — SYKES,Cat. 62— Gryllivora intermedia, Swainson, and Jerdon 



