vis he Se 
a 
SAXICOLINA. ; 65 
fifth subfamily. These, for the most part, are solitary 
and shy, living on heaths, moors, and desert plains, 
where they are generally seen pursuing insects upon 
the ground. This economy, so totally different from 
all the warblers we have hitherto noticed, is accom- 
panied by several peculiarities of structure: the legs 
are very long and muscular; while the bill, as in all 
birds which live upon winged insects, is broad at the 
base, and provided with 
weak bristles, to confine the 
struggles of their prey. The 
Saxicole (8S. pileata, fig. 
137.) proceed by running 
very swiftly, and thus imi- 
tate the wagtails, which 
proceed in the same manner, 
and the swallows, which — 
skim the surface of the 
ground by flight. The 
| stonechats, properly speak- 
ing, are birds restricted to the Old Continent, and we 
have three examples of the group in England, viz. the 
_white-rump, or wheatear, the whinchat, and the stone- 
chat. The first indication of their habits is seen in the 
common redbreast (Ery- 
thaca rubecola Sw., fig. 
138.) which thus forms a 
passage from the redstarts: 
close to this well-known 
species must be placed, as 
subgenera, the American 
= blue-birds (Sialia Sw.), and 
: the Australian robins (Pe- 
 troica Sw.); from these to 
the true stonechats (Sawicola Bech.), the passage appears 
very gradual; while the genus Thamnobia, now first 
defined, leads us to the stronger and more hook-billed 
genus Gryllivora. 
(75.) The fifth, or grallatorial genus of the Sawico- 
VOL. Il, Bi), 
138 
