﻿ANALOGIES OF THE MEROPIDiE. 36 1 



typify the Certhiadce ; but the former appear, from our 

 table, to represent the Fissirostres, whereas the latter we 

 have formerly compared to the Scansores. Two analo- 

 gous groups are thus made to represent different tribes. 

 How can this be explained ? We reply, that if the four 

 first analogies in this table are correctly stated, this, 

 which is the fifth and last, must be correct. And 

 this position will be evident on looking farther into the 

 matter. Of all the three aberrant families of the Fis- 

 sirostres, the Meropidce are those only which pursue 

 and search after their prey upon the wing. Now this 

 fact we know from personal observation. We have 

 seen the trogons, the pufF birds (Tamatia), and the 

 jacamas, of South America, watching for passing insects, 

 within the shady nooks of thickets, and then only darting 

 upon them ; and we have seen flocks of bee-eaters, 

 annually come from Africa to Italy and skim over the 

 gardens, plantations, and open country, searching after 

 insects precisely in the same manner as swallows. Now 

 as the Fissirostral group is an aberrant tribe in the 

 circle of Insessores, so all other groups intended to re- 

 present it must also be aberrant in their own circle. 

 This is the case with the Meropidce ; and, therefore, as 

 the trogons represent the Rasores, and join the Scan- 

 sores, so do the Meropidce typify the Natatores, and, 

 consequently, the Fissirostres. 



(2990 We now conclude our introductory exposition 

 of the dentirostral tribe. However tedious it possibly 

 may appear to the general reader, we feel persuaded it 

 will be acceptable to the true naturalist, whose delight 

 it is to contemplate that unity of design, — amidst the 

 most diversified and inexhaustible variety — which can 

 emanate alone from Omnipotence. 



