460 Classification of Birds. 



lot, which some writers, from the richness of its plumage, had asso- 

 ciated with the hirds of Paradise, but its affinities clearly show its 

 station to be in that family whether it remains in the present group, 

 or is removed to that of the Lamprotorninae, the subfamily which 

 immediately follows, and the members of which, as contained in the 

 genera Lamprotornis and Ptilonorynchus, are remarkable for the me- 

 tallic lustre of their plumage. The Stumincs, or true starlings, 

 succeed the Grackles or Lamprotorninae ; under this denomination, 

 he includes the genera Sturnus, Linn- ; Pastor, Temm. ; Graculas, 

 Auct. ; Acridotheres, Vieil. ; and Oxystomus, Sw. The passage 

 from this to the Agelaincs, or maize-birds, is effected by the Stitr- 

 nella vidgaris, a well-known species. And under this subfamily 

 are also included the genera Agelaius, Vieil. ; Leistes, Vig. ; Doly- 

 chonyx, Sw, ; and Molothrus, Sw. ; to which genus that remarkable 

 bird the Cowpen bunting belongs. The last subfamily, or Iclerince, are 

 distinguished from the preceding by their arboreal habits and shorter 

 legs. It contains the genera Cassicus, Daud. ; Zanthornis, Cuv. ; 

 Icterus, Cuv. ; and Chysomus, Sw. ; all of which, as well as the ge- 

 nera of Agelainae, are natives of the American Continent. To en- 

 ter the family of the Fringillidse we are prepared by the small co- 

 nic-billed species of the Agelaincs, some of which, as our author 

 observes, " so closely resemble finches, that only an experienced 

 naturalist can point out the distinction. The primary divisions ;! 

 or subfamilies, are considered to be the Coccothraustincs , Tana- 

 grince, Fringillince, Alan dines, and Pyrrhulhue, the two first 

 the typical, the remaining three the aberrant groups. Under the 

 Coccolhraustina? , of which our hawfinch is an example, he ar- 

 ranges " Coccothraustes, Briss. Ploceus, Cuv : Tiaris, Sw., Car- 

 duelis, Briss., and Linaria, Briss. In treating of the Tanagers, 

 " the most diversified and numerous of all the groups in this com- 

 prehensive family," he states the difficulties which at present ex- 

 ist in making an arrangement, strictly according with their natural 

 affinities. He thinks, however, that the following are likely to repre- 

 sent the genera or minor groups of which it is composed, viz. Tar- 

 divola, Sw., Tanagra, Linn., Phcsnisoma, Sw., Nemosia, Vieil., and 

 Aglaia, Sw. Of the sub-family Fringillinee he considers Frin- 

 gilla, Linn, and Emberiza, Linn., to be the typical groups, the aber- 

 rant being represented by Pyrgita or Passer, Auct. Plectrophanes, 

 Meyer, and Agrophilus, Sw. Though he adds that " some uncer- 

 tainty hangs over the latter, as to its real value," and whether it 

 may not ultimately prove to be only a sub-generic type. 



For the next sub-family, Alaudincs, we are prepared by the genus 



