Xll INTRODUCTION. 



these three groups are really of more than subgeneric value. Ste- 

 phanophorus is an isolated form, but Pcecilothraupis and Iridornis, 

 which follow next, are clearly intermediate between Tanagra and the 

 CallistcB. In brilliancy of colouring they rather resemble the latter, 

 which are rightly named the "most beautiful" of Tanagers. From 

 Calliste we approach Chlorophonia and Euphonia, through the sin- 

 gular little bird which .constitutes of itself the type Biva, and thus 

 arrive at the end of the subfamily in that direction. In another 

 direction, however, we pass by the brilliant grass-green birds forming 

 the genus Chlorochrysa into Tanagrella, and here find a very different 

 sort of form from Euphonia — being the most tenuirostral (as a Qui- 

 narian would say) of the whole group. Pipridea seems also to spring 

 from Calliste in another direction, and, as respects its second species, 

 certainly shows some rapprochement towards Chlorosjnngus, while 

 Glossiptila, the only remaining form of Tanagrince, if it indeed be 

 really retainable within the limits of the group, must be attached to 

 Tanagrella. 



Having now traced the connexion between the different genera 

 of the Tanagers in a manner which I hope the appended scheme of 

 their arrangement will render more inteUigible, I propose to consider 

 more nearly the members of the genus Calliste, to which this Mono- 

 graph particularly relates. 



The fifty-two species comprised in the genus Calliste form, in my 

 opinion, one very natural genus, distinguished from other Tanagers 

 by their form, size and style of colouring, and showing relations to 

 one another so intimate, that there is not a single species amongst 

 them which any Naturahst, at all well acquainted with the Tanagers, 

 would hesitate about referring at once to this genus. The bill of 

 these birds is straight, rather short, slender and somewhat com- 

 pressed, the culmen being incurved, the gonys rather rising and 

 the upper mandible pretty distinctly toothed near its termination ; 

 the nostrils are oval in shape, placed quite at the base of the man- 

 dible and somewhat concealed by the frontal plumes ; the wings are 

 rather long, reachmg to the middle of the tail ; the quills being 

 eighteen in number (as is the case in all the typical FringillidcB and 

 American MniotiltincB), consisting of nine primaries and nine se- 

 condaries. The second, third and fourth primaries are nearly equal 

 and longest, the first being rather shorter than these, but usually 



