CKATEROPODIN^. 
23 
the legs must be capable of taking a wide grasp, and 
the claws sufficiently sharp to retain a hold of the 
smooth sterns. Now this is actually the structure seen 
in all the typical species. The hill is either long, as in 
PomatorUnus, Horsf. ; moderate, as in Cmteropus, 
Sw. ; or short, as in Timalia, Horsf. ; but in all cases 
it is very much compressed, entire, or very imperfectly 
notched, and of a peculiarly hard and horny appearance. 
The whole group is so little known, that we know not 
yet which are the principal types. The large species 
obviously lead to the mocking birds (for M. Teraminck 
has actually mistaken one for tlie other), while die lesser 
so closely resemble warblers, that these also have been 
misplaced, by systematists, among the Sylviadee. The 
Timalia thwaciva, of India (fig. 124.), erroneously re- 
ferred by Temminck to the 
genus Pitta*, is merely 
the representative of the 
short-tailed ant-thrushes 
in this group. 
(22.) On the union of 
the three foregoing divi- 
sions into one circular 
group we need not dwell, 
since the fact has been unknowingly admitted by two orni- 
thologists, and this in a very curious way. After long con- 
sideration between the publication of the name of the 
group and its characters, M. Temminck unites in his 
genus Ixos all those thrushes which have a bill shorter 
than usual ; thus embracing the greatest part of our Pra- 
chypodinse, and nearly the whole of the Cratcropodinee . 
in this he has been followed by Mr. Vigors, in the sys- 
tematic list of birds annexed to the Life of Sir Stamford 
Raffles • the characters by which these two groups are 
so remarkably distinguished — namely, their totally dif- 
ferent economy, and the opposite construction of their 
feet — having been either overlooked, and viewed as ot 
little importance by these gentlemen. The truth, m 
* Pitta thoracica, PI. Col. 
c 4 
