MERULID.E. 167 



Raptores .... Dentirostres .... Merulince. 



Insessores . . . .Conirostres Myntherince. 



Rasores .... Scansores Brachypodince. 



Grallatores . . . .Tenuirostres Oriolince. 



Natatores .... Fissirostres .... Crateropodince. 



It will be immediately perceived that the Oriolince alone preserve the same rela- 

 tions in this and in the former table ; all the others being, as it were, reversed, 

 although each column exhibits the same natural and circular series. The relations 

 already stated, which may be supposed to exist between the groups placed in the 

 three last lines, are here brought immediately under the eye ? and, however strong 

 they may appear in some points, they are decidedly weak in others. The Brachy- 

 podince, for instance, by their very short feet and the great development of the 

 hind toe, may be likened to the Scansores ; but we have failed in detecting anv 

 direct analogy they may have with the Rasores. The Crateropodince, again, appear 

 to be the only division of the Merulidcs which habitually frequent watery places, 

 and so far they may be likened to the natatorial order ; but to the Fissirostres 

 they seem not to have the remotest analogy. Still more difficult is it to conceive 

 how the true Thrushes can represent the Dentirostres and the Raptores, or w r hat 

 relation there is between the Myotherince, the Conirostres, and the Insessores. 

 While, therefore, we are disposed to reject this series of analogies, when viewed 

 as a whole, as spurious, we yet feel persuaded there are certain analogical 

 properties, belonging to all aberrant groups, of which we are as yet ignorant. 

 Nor do we feel reluctant in confessing, that in our attempts to discover the extent 

 of these properties, we have hitherto been completely baffled. 



Before closing this long and very imperfect exposition of this family, we feel 

 desirous of stating our own doubts upon such points as require investigation. On 

 the nature of the five sub-families there can be but little diversity of opinion, since 

 we consider that the chain of connexion is sufficiently complete, and that the series 

 has been severely tested. Between the Crateropodince and the Oriolince there is 

 certainly a hiatus ; yet not sufficiently wide, in our opinion, to render the circular 

 disposition of the whole very questionable. On descending to the minor groups, 

 however, — such, for instance, as the typical Merulince, — the circles of the sub- 

 families have not been made out : some of the aberrant forms, it is true, may be 

 detected ; but in regard to others, we refrain even from offering a conjecture, 

 since nothing is more easy than to describe circles upon paper, when the imagina- 

 tion is excited and the judgment blinded by a favourite theory. 



