Genus ACCENTOR, Bechstein. 



MOTACILLA, Linn. GW/.— STURNUS, Lath. 



Ordo II. INSESSORES ; Tribus 2. Dentirostres ; Fam. 4. Sylvian, Vi- 

 gors. — Ord.II. LES PASSEREUX; Fam. 1. Les Dentirostres, Cuvier 

 — Ord.IIL INSECTIVORES, Temminck.—OKi). III. PASSERES, La- 

 tham.—ORT>. II. AMBULATORES ; Fam. 6. Canori, Illiger.— Out*. II 

 SYLVICOLiE ; Tribus 2. Anisodactyli ; Fam. 20. Canoki, Vieillot. 



Char. Gen. — Rostrum subconicum, rectum, acuminatum, basi depressum, tomiis in- 

 trorsum inclinantibus, maxilla emarginata. Nares basales, nudse, in membrana lata 

 sitse. Lingua fissa. Alee mediocres, remige primo brevissimo, tertio quartoque 

 longissimis, secundo paulo breviori. Pedes insessores subfortes. Acropodia scutu- 

 lata, digito externo cum medio basi coalito. 



Typus genericus, Accentor alpinus, Bechst. 



The genus Accentor was first established by Bechstein, to separate from 

 the other Sylviada, a small but well marked group of birds, confined, as 

 far as has yet been observed, to the mountainous and temperate parts of 

 Europe and Asia. By Linn^us and the earlier writers, two of the species 

 then known, the Accentor alpinus and Ac. modularis, were included in his 

 genus Motacilla, which, as then constituted, contained not only the diffe- 

 rent species of the genus Motacilla as now restricted, but the whole of the 

 genus Sylvia of Latham, and several other nearly allied groups. By La- 

 tham the Accentor alpinus was placed among the Starlings, under two dif- 

 ferent specific names, Sturnus collaris and Sturnus Muritanicus ; at the 

 same time, the Accentor modularis, though possessing precisely the same 

 characters, was ranged in his genus Sylvia. The distinguishing charac- 

 teristic of Accentor consists in the form of the bill, which is considerably 

 stronger than the more typical representations of the family, and indi- 

 cates a different economy and mode of living, it being subconic, the upper 

 mandible considerably depressed at the base, and the margins or cutting 

 edges of both mandibles ' bent inwards ; the legs also are more robust. 

 In its affinities, it serves as a link to connect the Merididce with the 

 more typical groups of the Sylviadce, and, according to the views of Mr 

 Vigors, holds a station between the genera Hylophilus and Iora, and the 

 genus Curruca, of which the Nightingale (Cur. Luscinia) may be cited as 



