374 



AVES— ORDER PASSERIFORMES. 



The Sharp-Bills. 

 — Family 



Oxyrh amphidce : 



the greater m:i,jority of species are neotropical in habitat. They are inaect- 

 feeders, and resemble our flycatchers in habits, so much so that they are 

 commonly known as " flycatchers " in America. 



In the Tyrannidw and Uxyrhawphidce the toes are nearly free, according 

 to Dr. Sclater, as in the Oscities or ordinary passerine birds. They dififer 



from the members of the foregoing family in having a straight 



and pointed bill, instead of the flattened and hooked bill of 



the Tyrannidce. As Mr. Salvin well observes, the position 



of the genus Oxyrhaniphus is obscure, and it may turn out 



when its anatomy is known, that it is not allied to the 

 tyrants at all. In the male bird, according to Mr. Salvin, " the barbs of the 

 central portion of the outer web of the outermost primary have their ex- 

 tremities destitute of barbules, and these bare points turned rather abruptly 

 backwards and slightly inwards, the margin of the wing thus forming a 

 strongly serrate edge. In the female the outer web of this feather is normal." 

 Nothing has been recorded of the habits of the species of Oxyrhamphus, 

 which are three in number. 



The PijjridcE differ from the two foregoing families in having the toes 

 united at the base. They are mostly brightly-coloured birds, about seventy 



in number, strictly neotropical in habitat, and dwelling in 



The Manakius. — the forests. A curious habit of one of the manakins, Chiroxi- 



Family phia linearis, of Central America, is recorded by Mr. Nutting. 



Fipridcu. Instead of fighting for the female, as is the case with most 



birds, this manakin dances himself into her favour. Mr. 

 Nutting once saw two males dancing upon a bare twig about four feet from 

 the ground. The two birds were about a foot and a half apart, and were- 

 alternately jumping about two feet into the air, and alighting exactly upon 

 the spot whence they jumped. They kept time as regularly as clock-work, 

 one bird jumping up the instant that the other bird alighted, each bird 

 accompanying himself to the tune of toledo, tole'do, toUdo, sounding the 

 syllable " <o " as he crouched to spring, " le" while in the air, and "c(o" as 

 he alighted. 



In the Cotingidce the tarsus is " pycnaspidean," with the scales of the 

 hinder aspect of the tarsus (jplanta tarsi) separate, small in size, and generally 



arranged without any order. The 



bill is elongated, compressed, and 



not serrated. Six sub-families are 



recognised by Dr. Sclater, and all 



the species are neotropical. They 



comprise very varied forms, buti 

 the most striking are the cocks-of-the-rock (Riqn- 

 cola) and the bell-birds (Ohasmorhynclnis). 



The plant-cutters are only four in number, and 

 are found in Western South America from Peru 



to Chili, thence to the Argentine 



The Plant- Republic and Northern Patagonia. 



Cutters. — Family There is only one genus, P/n/fci^(>»i«., 



Phytotomida.'. which agrees with the Cotinglda; 



as regards the scaling of the tarsus, 

 but is distinguished by its short, conical, and ser- 

 rated bill. 



In the following small family the tarsus is ' ' taxaspidean, '' with the spaces on 



The American 



Chatterers. — 



Family 



Cotingidce. 



Fig. 116.— The Bell-Bikd 

 (V)msinorhyndms niteus). 



