STURNID^. 275 



AGELAIN^E, 

 are manifestly those among- the Stumidce which first meet us upon quitting the 

 Fringillidce. From the latter they are at once known by the length and size of 

 their legs ; while the bill, although sometimes very short, assumes a much more 

 lengthened appearance than that which is universally prevalent among the true 

 Finches and Buntlings (Fringillince). The passage between the two groups is 

 probably made by the Icterus fringillarius of Spix, a most interesting bird, which 

 we have not yet seen : it is probably either a Molothrus, Sw., or belongs to 

 the tenuirostral type of the Fringillince, since another curious bird, from China, 

 obligingly communicated to us by Mr. Gray*, seems to be intermediate between 

 the American Agelaince and the African Emberizce. But, however doubtful we may 

 feel as to the true nature of this form, we can have no hesitation in pointing to the 

 Cow Buntling of Wilson as the tenuirostral type of the Agelaince, and as further 

 exhibiting one of the strongest and most beautiful analogies, perhaps, in creation. 

 The only birds that have yet been discovered to commit their eggs to the incuba- 

 tion of others, are the Cuckoos in the Old World and the Cow Buntlings in the 

 New : both groups thus mutually represent each other, and both typify the 

 Temtirostres in their own circles. The rigid tail of Dolichonyx oryzivorus, Sw.f , 

 would lead us to suspect that bird to be the scansorial type, did we not recollect 

 that this character likewise belongs to Chcetura, Stev., one of the most typical 

 groups of the Fissirostres, which tribe we consider it really represents. We rest 

 this belief principally on the fact that the genus Sturnella of M. Vieillot has been 

 considered by all writers as forming the passage to the true Starlings : this genus 

 would, therefore, stand on the opposite side of the circle to that occupied by Doli- 

 chonyx, and, consequently, typify the Rasores, not only in its manners, but in its 

 short, rounded wings and variegated plumage. We have thus, by means of the 

 Troupiale tachete (PI. Enl. 448), a perfect union of the three aberrant genera of 

 the Agelaince, — namely, Sturnella, Molothrus, and Dolichonyx, — into one circle. 

 Let us premise, however, that we have not yet been able to define with sufficient 

 precision those distinctions which characterize the two typical forms of this division. 

 The little attention that has hitherto been given to the structure of the Ame- 

 rican Sturnidce prevents us from elucidating the 



* We are glad of this opportunity to express our thanks conjointly to this able and indefatigable zoologist, not only 

 for the uniform attention he has favoured us with in his official capacity in the British .Museum, but for the free use 

 of many rare birds from other sources, and for the loan of several foreign and costly publications from his own library. 

 — R. and Sw. 



f Syuop, of Mexican Bird;, No. 54. 



2 N 2 



