Order II. PASSERES. 
Tribe III. Dent (rostp.es, 
Family I. Luscinidte. 
The seventh Subfamily, 
MOTACILLINiE, or Wagtails, 
have the Bill moderate, generally slender and straight, with the culmen curved at the end, and the 
sides much compressed to the tip, which is einarginated ; the gonys long and ascending ; the Nostrils 
lateral and placed in a small groove ; the Wings long and pointed ; the Tail more or less long, and 
Usually even ; the Tarsi long, slender, and covered in front with transverse scales ; the Toes more or 
less long, the lateral ones unequal, and the outer slightly united ; the Claws long, slightly curved, and 
acute, that of the hind toe sometimes very long. 
Lessonia Swains.* 
Rill moderate, rather slender, straight, and pointed, with the culmen straight to the tip, which is 
einarginated, the lateral margins and gonys slightly ascending ; the nostrils lateral, placed in a groove, 
Wlt h the opening anterior, oval, and partly clothed with the frontal plumes. Wings long and pointed ; 
'"'th the first and second quills equal, and as long as the fifth ; the third rather longer than the last, and, 
as Well as the second, pointed at the end ; the fourth the longest. Tail moderate, broad, and slightly 
einar ginated. Tarsi longer than the middle toe, slender, and covered by an almost undivided scale in 
° n C Toes rather short ; with the outer toe rather longer than the inner, and slightly united at the 
Wo ; the hind toe moderate, and armed with a very long, rather curved, and acute claw. 
Tli . 
g le Sln gle species of this genus is found on the humid plains and margins of rivers, on the elevated mountains of 
w 'Uh America. It is migratory, appearing in the warmest localities during the winter; and is usually observed on the 
b 011 n d, whence it takes short rapid flights, and occasionally runs quickly after insects that fly near the surface of the 
pl^ 1 " ^ ;i E° feeds on small worms and seeds. The nest is concealed amongst the stalks of herbage that grow on the 
ns or °n the margins of water courses. 
L. 
^nth 
Uujra (Bodd.) PI. enl. 738. f. 2. — Alauda fulva Lath.; 
s °rdidus Less. ; Lessonia erythronotus Swains. ; Anthus va- 
| riegatus Gem. <$■ Eyd. Mag. de Zool. 1 836. Ois. t. 6 7. ; Alauda 
| rufa Less. ; Sylvia dorsalis King. 
* Established by Mr. Swainson in 1831 ( Fauna Boreali- Americana, p. 490.). 
