Order II. PASSERES. Tribe III. Dentirostres. Family II. Turdim. 



The fourth Subfamily, 



ORIOLIN.E, or Orioles, 



have the Bill as long as the head, broad at the base, and compressed on the sides, with the culmen 

 more or less elevated at the base and curved to the tip, which is emarginated ; the nostrils lateral, basal, 

 exposed, and partly closed by a membrane ; the "Wings long, with the first three quills equally 

 graduated, and the third and fourth the longest ; the Tarsi short, and strongly scaled ; the Toes 

 moderate, and the lateral toes usually unequal. 



Sphecotheres Vieill.* 



Bill short, broad at the base, with the culmen curved to the tip, which is emarginated ; the sides 

 compressed, and the lateral margins nearly straight ; the nostrils basal, lateral, with the opening partly 

 closed by a membrane. Wings long, with the third and fourth quills equal and longest. Tail rather 

 long and even. Tarsi as long as the middle toe, and strongly scaled. Toes moderate, the lateral ones 

 equal ; the hind toe long and strong ; the claws short and much curved. 



The birds that compose this genus are found in Australia and the Island of Timor. They frequent the topmost 

 branches of the lofty trees, feeding chiefly on fruits of various kinds, and occasionally on insects. 



1. S. maxillaris (Lath.) Lamb. Icon. ined. ii. 25. — Sphecotheres I 2. S. viridis Vieill. Analyse, &c. p. 68., Gal. des Ois. t. 147., 

 viridis Vig. fy Horsf. ; S. Vieillotii Vigors; S. canicollis Swains. \ Voy. de 1'Uranie, Ois. t. 21. — S. virescens Vieill. 

 Jard. & Selby, 111. Orn. pi. 79- ,' S. australis Swains. 3. ? S. grisea Less. Tr. d'Orn. p. 351. — Lanius asturinus Mus. 



Par. 



Oriolus Linn.-f 



Bill the length of the head, broad at the base, with the culmen slightly depressed and curved to the 

 tip, which is emarginated ; the sides compressed, and the lateral margins straight ; the nostrils basal, 

 lateral, ovoid, exposed, and the opening partly closed by a membrane. Wings long, with the first quill 



* Established by Vieillot in 1816 (Analyse, p. 42.) ; in 1825 he used Sphecothera. 



+ Linnaeus established his genus in 1766 (Systema Nature?). Moehring had previously proposed the name of Turdus in 1752 ; while, 

 in 1777, Scopoli proposed that of Galbula for the same birds. It includes Mimeta of Vigors and Dr. Horsfield (1826), Analcipus of 

 Mr. Swainson (1831), with which, Artamia of M. I. Geoffroy (1832), Pilocarpus of M. Muller (1835), Psaropholus of Sir W. Jardine 

 and Mr. Selby (1839), and Erythrolanius of M. Lesson, (1840), are synonymous. 



