Genus TITYRA, vieillot. 



LANIUS, Linn.— PSARIS, Cuv. 



Ord. II. Insessores ; 2 da . Fam. Laniad^:, Vigors; Sub-Fam. Tyrannina, Swain- 

 son. — Ord. VI. Passeres, Linnaus. — Ord. II de . Les Passereaux, Cuvier, 

 l re . Fam. Les Dentirostres. — Ord. III me . Insectivores, Temminck. 



Char. Gen. — Rostrum validum, crassum, rectum, culmine rotundato ; maxilla apice 

 adunco, emarginata ; nares rotunda?, fere nudae ; rictus inermis. Alee elon- 

 gates, remige primo breviore, tertio quartoque longissimis ; alula spuria, brevis, 

 angusta, rigida. Pedes mediocres, incessores. Acrotarsia scutulata ; paratarsia 

 squamis lateralibus, numerosis, ovatis, obtectis. Acrodactyla scutulata. Digiti 

 externi ad primam phalangem connexi, interni liberi. Cauda mediocris, sequalis 

 vel rotundata. 



Typus Genericus, Lanius cayanus, Linn. 



At is our intention in the present work, when deciding upon the name to be 

 given to a genus already characterised by various authors, to be guided by 

 the right of priority, wherever it can be accurately ascertained, and where 

 the appellations are all equally applicable. Modern ornithologists have adopt- 

 ed for this genus Cuvier's name of Psaris, in preference to Tityra of M. 

 Vieillot, notwithstanding the System of the latter was published consider- 

 ably prior to the Regne Animal of Cuvier, where that naturalist first cha- 

 racterised this group : it is on this account that we now retain Tityra, the 

 right of priority being unquestionably due to M. Vieillot. 



Lanius cayanus, Linnaus, for a long period continued the only species 

 known ; and from it the generic characters of Cuvier and Vieillot were 

 taken. Since that time, three new species have been added by an indefati- 

 gable British ornithologist Mr Swainson, under the titles of Psaris Cuvieri, 

 cristatus and niger ; another by Mr Selby, Psaris erythrogenys ; and we 

 have now much pleasure in being enabled to give the figures and descrip- 



[a, pl. 10.] d2 



