MERULIDjE. 



169 



Orders. 

 Raptores 



IxSESSORES 



Rasores 



Grallatores 

 Natatores 



Upper mandible abruptly hooked, and furnished 

 with a tooth more or less prominent. 



Bill in the typical groups gradually curved ; the 

 tooth obsolete. 



Bill more or less entire; wings short, convex; feet 

 very strong, formed for walking. 



Bill straight, or somewhat inclining upwards ; 

 frontal feathers advancing very far. 



Feet syndactyle. 



Genera. 

 Myothera. 



Pitta. 



Myophonus. 



\ Cinclus. 

 Dasycephala. 



The two first, or the typical groups of these columns, require no illustration, 

 since the characteristic form of their bills is sufficient to point out these analogies 

 to every observer. The large dimensions of Myophonus metallicus, Tem. ; its 

 very strong, though perfectly entire bill, short, convex wings, and robust, elevated 

 tarsi ; not to mention its rich metallic gloss, and the narrow, somewhat-pointed 

 plumage on the head and neck ; — are so many points of analogy to the Gallina- 

 ceous birds, as strong as can well be expected in a family so totally distinct in true 

 affinity. The resemblance of the genus Cinclus to the wading birds has been too 

 often noticed to require any comment ; while Dasycephala, comprehending the 

 Pipa albifrons of old authors, appears to typify the feeble-footed Natatores. 



We must next compare the Myotherince with the tribes of their own order. 



Tribes of Insessores. 



Genera. 



Dentirostres . Bill abruptly hooked ..... Myothera. 



Conirostres . Bill conic, the notch more or less indistinct . . . Pitta. 



Scansores . . Bill entire ; shafts of the tail feathers ending in naked points . Myophonus. 

 Tenuirostres . Bill slender, almost or perfectly entire * . . . Cinclus. 



Fissirostres . Base of the bill considerably depressed . . . Dasycephala. 



Nothing need be said on the relations of the typical groups. Those, however, 

 between Myophonus and the Scansores are particularly beautiful. No two tribes, 

 to all appearance, can be more unlike each other than the gallinaceous and the 

 climbing birds ; yet here we have a form, unconnected by affinity with either, yet 

 presenting three of their most prominent distinctions ; viz., the strong entire bill, 

 and the robust walking feet of the Rasores, united to the aculeated tail of the 

 Scansores. That Nature has extensively employed this latter character in a very re- 



* In our specimen of Cinclus aqualicus the bill is perfectly entire ; but in Cinclus Americanus there is a small 

 obsolete notch. 



