134 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



its structure and its manners, sufficient peculiarities to render both these affinities 

 highly probable, appears to us, at least, unquestionable. Whether it is a general 

 property in all aberrant groups to shew a greater tendency to unite themselves 

 into a circle, than to pass by a simple series of progression into the typical groups, 

 we will not now discuss ; but it certainly appears that the first of these tendencies 

 is much more apparent than the last ; or, at least, that it is to the full as strongly 

 manifested, in all such groups as have been sufficiently analysed. 



In noticing the peculiar habits of Falcunculus, among the true Shrikes, we have 

 expressed our suspicion that it may represent, in its own narrow circle, the tribe 

 of Scansores. Now, it may be worth remarking, that did we feel justified in 

 assigning to it this station, it would occupy that part of the circle of Ecmiance which 

 touches the Tyrannince; and we might thus account for the Bentivi and the Frontal 

 Shrike, so brought into contact, being clothed in the same coloured plumage. 



But our belief, that the absolute union of the Edoliance with the Tyrannince will 

 hereafter be discovered, is materially strengthened by the perfect similarity of 

 manners between certain Edoliance and the fork-tailed Tyrants of Paraguay ; and 

 this affinity, even in external form, has been thought so strong, as to have satis- 

 fied Mr. Vigors that the two divisions actually followed each other in a simple 

 circle, without the intervention of the Ceblepyrince *. The following details, 

 written by two eye-witnesses of the facts they describe, are so important to this 

 question that we transcribe them verbatim. 



The manners of the African Drongos are thus described by M. Le Vaillant : — 



" Elle frequente les grandes forets et vit en petites troupes ; elle fait sa prin- 

 cipal nourriture d'abeilles qu'elle guette et qu'elle saisit a leur passage absolu- 

 ment de la maniere que les gobe-mouches le pratiquent a l'egard des mouches 

 et des insectes ; mais c'est particulierement le soir, apres le coucher du soleil, et 

 le matin avant son lever, qu'elle chasse de preference ces industrieux insectes ; 

 et pour cet effet le petites bandes se rangent le long du bois et s'y perchent sur un 

 arbre isole, mort ou ayant beaucoup de branches mortes, afin de mieux saisir le 

 moment du depart ou de l'arrivee des abeilles lorsqu'elles sortent du bois pour aller 

 recueiller sur les fleurs le miel et la cire, ou qu'elles reviennent chargees de butin. 

 En voyant de loin ces oiseaux faire leur chasse et voltiger en desordre autour et 



* The argumentum ad verecundiam might here be employed with manifest advantage ; and this is, perhaps, on par- 

 ticular occasions, the best line of reasoning that can be adopted. But as we desire more to elicit truth, than to support 

 a theory, so we prefer that our views of natural affinities should entirely repose on the facts adduced in their support. 

 Besides, it may be thought somewhat unfair to quote the authority of a naturalist on some occasions, and slight it 

 altogether when his opinions happen to be against our own. 



