456 Classification of Birds. 



circle of the Parlance, are the genera Varus, Linn., Sylvicola, Sw., 

 Sctophaga, Sw., and Trichas, Sw. Upon each of them he digres- 

 ses at considerable length, proving, we think satisfactorily, the cor- 

 rectness of his views by a minute analysis of their contents, and 

 showing that their analogies or the law of representation exists in 

 as great perfection in the sub-generic or lowest groups, as they do in 

 those of a higher value. From the Parlance he passes to the Syl- 

 vianse by the intervention of the gnat snappers or genus Culicivora, 

 Sw. an American group, with a bill intermediate between Setopha- 

 ga and Sylvia, to which latter genus the pre-eminently typical 

 groups of the whole family Sylviadce, it directly leads. Besides 

 Sylvia, Lath, under which he ranks Regulus, Sylvia, Acanthiza, 

 and Cyanotus, as subgenera, he includes in it Malurus, Vieil. the 

 subgenera of which are also given in the Synopsis, Orthotomus, 

 Horsf : and perhaps Praticola, Sw. a remarkable Australian form, 

 but whose economy and habits require to be better known before its 

 real station can be precisely established. 



The Philomelinw, typified by the nightingale and its immediate 

 congeners, form the fourth subfamily. In addition to the genus 

 Philomela, it contains Curruca, Bechst. under which he has also in- 

 cluded the genus Salicaria, Selb. represented by the hedge and 

 reed warblers, which we think upon investigation will be found 

 entitled to rank as a generic group, and not as a subgenus of Cur- 

 ruca, the last being more likely to prove a subgeneric form only of 

 Philomela. The other members are classed under the generic heads 

 of Phamicura, Sw. Bradyptetus, Sw. and Agrobates, Sw. the last 

 typified by the Sylvia galactotes of Temminck. From Phaznicura 

 the passage to the robins, Erythaca, Sw. which introduces us to 

 the fifth subfamily or Saxicolinae, is easy. In this last division, we 

 also find the genera Saxicola, Bechst. Petroica, Sw. Thamnobia, 

 Sw. and Gryllivora Sw. the types of which will be found in the 

 synopsis under their respective generic heads. The union of all 

 the subfamilies of the Sylviadse is there stated as being effected 

 by the genus Gryllivora, just mentioned, uniting with that of Eni- 

 curus, which, as will be remembered, stands on the confines of the 

 Motacillinae, with which he commenced his analysis of the family. 



The Ampelidw or chatterers, forming the fourth great division or 

 family of the Dentirostral tribe, is next brought under review. He 

 remarks, " it is a family more remarkable for beauty and singu- 

 larity, than for its extent ; hence much difficulty has arisen in mak- 

 ing out the subordinate divisions and successions of its groups." He 

 has, however, pointed out what he conceives to be the types of the 



