I BEN A PUELLA. 
description, to exhibit clearly the distinctive characters, consisting in the lateral con- 
vexity, the strongly arched culmen, and the terminal notch of the bill ; in the velvet- 
like covering of the nares, from which strong vibrissa? are protruded ; in the shortness 
of the legs and toes, and in the weakness of the claws : and it may not be improper 
to add in this place, a concise comparative view of the characters by which this 
genus is distinguished from the individuals of the group above mentioned. 
Oriolus resembles Irena in the proportional length of the bill, and in the carinated 
culmen or back ; but it has this organ less considerably arched, with a smaller termi- 
nal notch, and a shorter hook at the tip ; the sides are also less convex, and the 
nostrils completely naked. The tarsi in Oriolus are longer in proportion to the size 
of the body, and more robust. Pastor has a bill less elevated and arched than Irena, 
shorter in regard to the head, rounded above with a very slight terminal notch, and 
a large oblong groove for the nostrils : the plumes covering these, posteriorly and 
above, are not soft and delicate, so as to resemble velvet, but they differ in size only 
from the plumes of the forehead ; the legs are stout, and the claws vigorous and 
strongly curved, indicating different habits, and a different mode of life Myiothera 
of Jlliger (with which in this comparison I also connect Pitta of Vieilht) differs in 
having slender and elevated tarsi, and a claw proportionally strong and robust to the 
hind toe : its bill is also more straight, cylindrical, horny, and thick, tapering very 
gradually to an obtuse very slightly notched point. Turdus has naked nostrils, and 
in comparison with Irena, a slender somewhat compressed bill, with an obtusely 
carinated back, blunt point, and small terminal notch : it has likewise elevated tarsi 
and robust claws. 
A reference to the Plate of Illustrations will elucidate this comparison so far as 
regards the characters of Irena and Oriolus. In letter K the bill of Trena is repre- 
sented in profile (a) t and seen from above (b): the letter (a) exhibits faithfully the 
curvature of the bill, the terminal notch and hook, the covering of the nares, and 
the slight lateral groove. 
Letter L exhibits two views of the bill of the oriental variety of the Oriolus 
Galbula : in this genus the nares are naked, the arch of the bill is less considerable 
than in Irena, and the terminal notch is small: but the best illustration of my views 
is the comparison of the figures K and L. 
In Letter M two views of the bill of Coracias garrula are given, carefully taken 
from a very perfect specimen in the British JNJuseum : it requires no further de- 
monstration to shew that our bird cannot be arranged in the genus Coracias, of which 
this species is the type. 
