MOTACILLIN^:. 



Muscisaxicola D" 1 Orb. § Lafr* 



Bill moderate, slightly depressed, and straight, with the culmen slightly curved, and the sides much com- 

 pressed to the tip, which is emarginated, the lateral margins straight, and the gonys long and scarcely 

 ascending ; the nostrils lateral, oval, and partly concealed by the projecting plumes. Wings long, and 

 pointed; with the first quill nearly as long as the second and third, which are equal and longest. Tail 

 moderate, broad, and slightly emarginated. Tarsi longer than the middle toe, slender, and covered in 

 front with transverse scales. Toes moderate ; with the outer toe somewhat longer than the inner, and 

 slightly united at the base ; the hind toe rather short, and armed with a rather long curved claw. 



These birds are found in South America. " They frequent," says Mr. Darwin, " the open places, as the sandy 

 dunes, rocky coasts, and sea-beaches, or near the summits of the high mountains, where vegetation and other birds 

 cease to occur. They are usually observed in very small flocks, hopping and flying from stone to stone, at the same 

 time frequently jerking and spreading out their tail like a fan. Small insects form their chief subsistence." 



1. M. rufivertex D'Orb. & Lafr. Syn. Av. p. 66., Voy. dans 

 l'Amer. Mer. Ois. t. 40. f. 2. 



2. M. mentalis D'Orb. & Lafr. Syn. Av. p. 66., Voy. dans 

 l'Amer. Mer. Ois. t. 40. f. 1. 



3. M. maculirostris D'Orb. & Lafr. Syn. Av. p. 66., Voy. dans 

 l'Amer. Mer. Ois. t. 41. f. 2. 



4. M. striaticeps D'Orb. & Lafr. Syn. Av. p. 66., Voy. dans 

 l'Amer. Mer. Ois. t. 41. f. 1. 



5. M. albifrons (Tschudi), Fauna Peruana, p. 16., Ois. t. 12. 

 f. 2. 



6. M. Macloviana (Garn.) Voy. de la Coqu. Zool. i. p. 663. 



7. M. brunnea Gould, Voy. of Beagle, Birds, p. 84. 



MuSCIGKALLA.f 



Bill moderate and straight, with the culmen slightly curved at the tip, which is emarginated, the sides 

 compressed, and the gonys long and slightly ascending ; the nostrils lateral, with the opening oval and 

 partly concealed by the frontal plumes. Wings short ; with the first quill shorter than the second, third, 

 and fourth ; these are equal, and rather shorter than the fifth, which is the longest of all. Tail short and 

 even. Tarsi much longer than the middle toe, very slender, and covered in front with a series of 

 transverse scales ; the tibia very long, the exposed part half the length of the tarsus, and covered in front 

 with transverse scales. Toes rather short ; the outer toe rather shorter than the inner, and united at its 

 base ; the claws rather long, compressed, curved, and acute. 



The type of this genus is found on the high lands of South America. 



M. brevicauda D'Orb. & Lafr. Voy. dans l'Amer. Mer. Ois. t. 39. f. 1 . 



* Established by M. D'Orbigny and the Baron de Lafresnaye in 1837 {Syn. Avium, p. 65.). Ptionura of Mr. Gould (1841) is 



^T^D'Orbigny and Baron de Lafresnaye established this genus in 1837 (Syn. Avium, p. 6l.) M. Cabanis changed the name 

 to Ochthites in 1840. 



