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72 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 
genus Pachycephalus. Both these genera differ f om 
all others in the family by having short rounded wing 
and large feet, the toes of which are more or less un ited 
at their base. These latter characters are very essentia 
because by them the birds in question are proved to hee 
no connection with the shrikes, to which family one of 
them has been hastily referred, on account of its abruptly 
hooked bill: this latter structure, indeed, is so striking | 
that we should have had some doubts whether Pteru- 
thius really belonged to the chatterers, if one character 
alone is to be considered ; but then the very same reason 
might be urged against the admission of Vireo, Pachy- 
cephala, and even Pardalotus: nay, Crytura itself must 
follow ; for each and all of these have the tip of the bill 
as much hooked, and as strongly notched, as Pteruthius. 
In regard to Leiothrix, its old name of Parus fur- 
catus fortunately points out that this curious bird has a 
nearer relation to Parus than to any other genus; and 
it must be remembered that in our exposition of the last 
family, the Pariane is precisely that group which forms 
the passage from the warblers to thechatterers. Thename 
of Leiothrix will express the soft and silky texture of its 
plumage: the bill is not unlike that of Vireo and Pachy- 
cephala, the under mandible being nearly as thick as the 
upper,—a form which we have been already prepared for — 
by the Trichas velata ; the most aberrant species yet dis- 
covered among the titmice, and consequently that which 
makes the nearest approach to the chatterer family. Like 
that bird also, Leiothria has very long legs, but its wings, 
from being rounded, resemble those of Vireo and Pachy- 
cephala. Its peculiar distinction, however, lies in a short 
but deeply forked tail, the ends of which diverge out- 
wards in such a manner that we are immediately re- 
minded of the drongo shrikes. These two genera are the 
only birds we can yet place in this subfamily ; but we 
have casually inspected one or two others, also inhabitants 
of India, which quite satisfies us that future discoveries — 
will bring to light other links of the series between the 
Piprine and the next group. | 
