68 
THE MUSCICAPIDjE. 
give that name to the family with great propriety, 
hut if this idea is followed up, and the nomenclature 
of the genera and sub-families also changed, greater 
changes still more numerous and still more objec- 
tionable would follow. Eurylaimus must be changed 
for Muscicapa, and Muscicapa, as it now stands, 
should have a new name ! Todus would thus be re- 
tained only as a genus, and no group would bear 
such a well known designation as would immediately 
remind us of birds with syndactyle feet ; an idea, 
■which, from long habit, we always associate with 
words modified from Todus. Under all these dis- 
advantages to applying a strictly correct and uniform 
nomenclature, we hope that the generality of orni- 
thologists will approve of the middle course we have 
now chosen : that is, of naming the family after tha: 
typical group which is the largest and best known 
in the family, and sinking Todus to its proper level. 
This plan, after all, iscertainly not withoutobjections, 
hut it is attended with fewer alterations of received 
names than any other we could devise, and it there- 
fore may be thought the best. On a former occa- 
sion, some years ago, we designated this family by 
the name of Todidw, but it has been represented to 
us and perhaps with justice, that as the great ma- 
jority of the birds are the Mitscicapidw of all mo- 
dem systems, whether artificial or natural, it would 
save much misapprehension if that name was pre- 
served on the present occasion, and this we have 
accordingly done. 
The great majority of the flycatchers belong to 
