30 ON .THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 
The first analogy (for so we shall at present term 
it) between the shrikes (Laniade) and the American 
ant-thrushes (Myothere) is so perfect, that MM. Cu- 
vier, Temminck, Spix, &c. have blended one with the 
other ; while the true thrushes (Merulide) and the 
Oriental Pitte are still, in many systems, included in 
the same genus. The analogies between the three ~ 
next, or the aberrant groups, as is universally the case, 
are more remote; and it is only surprising that where 
groups are so very dissimilar there can be found any 
tangible and definite points of resemblance. 
(31.) By comparing the genera of the Myotherine 
with the genera of the Thamnophiline, or bush-shrikes, 
the accuracy of both will be severely tested. 
Typical Genera Typical genera 
of Bush Shrikes, Analogies. of Ant-thrushes, 
THAMNOPHILINE. MYoTHERINZ, 
Plumage bright; bill more or less 
Malaconotus. ; gradually curved: inhabit the a Pitta. 
world, 
Plumage dark, spotted, or banded ; 
Thamnophilus. } bill abruptly hooked; inhabit ene aiyother i 
new world. 
5 Bill lengthened; head defended by 
Prionops. j setacious frontal feathers. to asycephala. 
Not discovered ? * * * * Cinclus. 
Bill lengthened, abruptly hooked; 
wings broad, rounded, secondary 
Platylophus. quills and tail feathers ending in ¢ “YoP/onus. 
fine points. 
The remarkable resemblance between the two first 
groups ineach column, in structure, colour, and country, 
is very striking; while that which makes Prionops a 
representation of Dasycephala is equally complete. Re- 
garding the fourth, or tenuirostral, type of the bush- 
shrikes, we do not feel sure that it has been discovered ; 
for although our suspicions point to the genus Colu- 
risoma, still we choose, for the present, to leave the 
question undetermined: finally, the analogy of Myo- 
phonus to Platylophus, as rasorial types at least, admits 
of no doubt. . 
(32.) The last test to which we shall bring our — 
arrangement of the ant-thrushes, is by comparing it 
