194 
MtJSCICAPA. 
fore, we have a flycatcher possessing two out of the 
three characters here assigned to the genus Mutci- 
capa , we may safely search for it in the aberrant 
genera; but if two out of the three are wanting, 
it may he concluded that the bird does not enter 
into this group. As to the wings, their formation 
has already been explained ; the first quill-feather 
is invariably spurious, or very short, — a character so 
absolute, that we know not a single exception : yet 
notwithstanding this diminution in the length of the 
primaries, the wings themselves are rather long than 
short, far exceeding those of Todus, and even the 
generality of the small Tyrannulce , or tyrants of 
America. The feet are very peculiar, and are re- 
markable for their comparative shortness and feeble- 
ness of structure, when compared to the todies. 
Thus, although the toes are very small, and the 
hind one not unusually long ; this latter is but little 
shorter than the tarsus, and this, again, is about 
equal with the length of the middle toe and claw* : 
the lateral toes are always unequal, and the outer, 
which is the longest, is attached to the middle as 
far as the first joint. This syndactyle structure of 
the toes, and the general shortness of the feet, is 
quite in unison with the sedentary nature of these 
birds, who scarcely use their feet for any other 
office than to support them on their perch. The 
ecutalation, or form and disposition of the scales 
upon the tarsi, deserve attention ; because, although 
* The exceptions occur in the two aberrant sub-genera 
Crypiolopha and Muscicapa. 
