104 
PERSPICILLA. 
or grallatorial. This latter we consider tft be repre- 
sented by the Sylvia penpicillata of the old authors, 
a bird which was eyen known to Buff on, hut which 
has hitherto been very imperfectly described, and 
neyer figured. It forms the type of our genus 
PERSPICILLA, 
and we now annex a description of both sexes, pro- 
cured in the southern parts of Brazil, where it is by 
no means common. Its relation to the water-chats 
is indisputable, for its entire organization bespeaks 
it a terrestrial bird, possessing something of the 
structure both of Fluvicola and of Alectura, yet 
exhibiting a strength of foot and a form of bill 
which separates it from both ; the whole appearance 
of this bird, in fact, is very striking, as will be seen 
by the annexed figure. 
It is rather larger than Alcdura , and is more truly 
characteristic of a grallatorial form, from the excessive 
developement of those quill-feathers which lay over 
the others. Setting aside the universality of this 
fact among the typical waders, we see it in their 
representatives the larks ( Alaudinw ), pepits (An- 
thus), wagtails ( Motaeilla ), and numerous others. 
The structure of Perspicilla, therefore, although sin- 
gular and unique in its own circle, is in the most 
perfect harmony with those groups it represents in 
other circles. The nakedness of its face and the 
weakness of the bristles round the mouth, reminds 
