72 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIHDS. 
genus Pachycephalus. Both these genera differ from 
all others in the family by having short roimded wings 
and large feet, the toes of which are more or less united 
at their base. These latter characters are very essential, 
because by them the birds iii question are proveil to have 
no connection with the shrikes, to which family one of 
them has been hastily referred, on account of its abruptly 
hooked hill : this latter structure, indeed, is so striking 
that we should have had some doubts whether Pteru- 
thius really belonged to the chatterers, if one character 
alone is to be considered ; but then the very same reason 
miglit be urged against the admission of Vireo, Pachy- 
cephala, and even Pardalotas : nay, Crytura itself must 
follow ; for each and all of these have the tip of the bill 
as much hooked, and as strongly notched, as Pteruthius. 
In regard to Leiothrix, its old name of Pants fur- 
catus fortunately points out that this curious bird has a 
nearer relation to Parus than to any other genus ; and 
it must be remembered that in our exposition of the last 
family, the Pariance is precisely that group which forms 
the passage from the warblers to the chatterers. The name 
of Leiothrix will express the soft and silky texture of its 
plumage : the bill is not unlike that of Fireo and Pachy- 
cepliala, the under mandible being nearly as thick as the 
upper, — a form which we have been already prepared for 
by the Trichas velata ; the most aberrant species yet dis- 
covered among the titmice, and consequently that which 
makes the nearest approach to the chatterer family. Like 
that bird also, LeMthrix has very long legs, but its wings, 
from being rounded, resemble those of Vireo and Pachy- 
cephala. Its peculiar distinction, however, lies in a short 
but deeply forked tail, the ends of which diverge out- 
wards in such a manner that we are immediately re- 
minded of the drongo shrikes. These two genera are the 
only birds we can yet place in this subfamily ; but we 
have casually inspected one or two others, also inhabitants 
of India, which quite satisfies us that future thscoveries 
will bring to light other links of the series between the 
Pipriiim and the next group. 
