Genus— DAS YORNIS. 
Dasyornis Vigors and Horsfield, Trans. Linn. 
Soc. (Lond.), Vol. XV., p. 231, Feb. 17, 
1827. Type (by monotypy) ... ... Dasyornis australis— 
Turdus brachypterus Latham. 
Sphenura Lichtenstein, Verz. doubl. Mus. 
Berol., p. 40 (pref. Sept.), 1823. Type 
(by subsequent designation) Gray, 
1840, p. 20 ... ... ... ... Turdus brachypterus Latham. 
Also spelt — 
Sphcenura Bonaparte, Consp. Gen. Av., Yol. I., p. 219, 1850. 
Not — 
Sphenura Lichtenstein, Verz. von Vogel, Mus. 
Berol., May, 1822, pp. 7/8. Type (by 
monotypy) ... ... ... ... S. coray a = 
Turdus coraya Gmelin. 
Small birds with medium bills, short rounded wings, long wedge tail and 
strong legs and feet. 
The bill is short, not much more than half the length of the head, which 
is flattened, laterally compressed, culmen keeled, not much arched, tip little 
decurved ; little basal expansion, and depth at base about equal to "width ; 
the nasal groove short, the linear nostrils overhung by a swollen operculum, 
frontal feathers encroaching on the groove but not hiding the nostrils, bristly 
feathers not projecting ; rectal bristles prominent ; under mandible medium, 
interramel space nearly half the length of the bill and scantily feathered. 
The wing is very rounded, all feathers somewhat soft, the fifth, sixth, 
seventh and eighth primaries longest and equal, the fourth and ninth a little 
shorter and subequal, the third shorter than the secondaries, second notably 
shorter, and the first about half the length of the fourth. 
The tail is long and wedge-shaped, twelve rather broad, little acuminate 
feathers. 
The legs are strong, with anteriorly six strong scutes, posteriorly bila- 
minate, the feet also strong, the middle toe and claw longer than the hind- 
toe and claw, but the hind-toe stouter and the claw longer, the outer toe and 
claw shorter than the inner, claw notably so, and less than the middle toe 
alone ; all claws flattened. 
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