413 
Families constituting the Order Passeres. 
and structure of the wing is very similar to that of the Stur- 
nidse, while it is quite unlike that of most of the other groups 
near which they have been placed. We may consider them, 
therefore, to he a short-legged Hirundine modification of the 
Sturnoid type. 
We now come to a final series of ten families, characterized 
by possessing ten primaries, of which the first is typically fully 
developed and very long, although it is exceptionally so much 
reduced as to resemble its condition in some forms of Series A. 
But in these cases no difficulty arises, since the majority of 
the family to which these birds belong possess the typical 
form of the series. This form is highly characteristic of the 
New World, to which seven of the families are exclusively 
confined. The other three, of small extent, are Australian 
and Oriental. 
Series D. Formicarioid Passeres. 
Wing with 10 primaries, the first well developed and typically long. 
1. Menuridse. 
2. Pteroptochidse. 
3. Dendrocolaptidse. 
4. Pormicariidse. 
5. Pittidse. 
6. Tyrannidse. 
7. Cotingkbe. 
8. Pipridse. 
9. Eurybemidse. 
10. Phytotomidse. 
About the American members of this series there is now 
little difference of opinion; but the three Old-World families 
have been the subjects of much discussion. The short-winged 
Pteroptochidse would seem, at first sight, to be better placed 
near the Troglodytidse, in the Turdoid series, but for their 
close affinity to the Formicariidse. Yet although the first 
primary is short, it is always broad and about two thirds the 
length of the second. In the Wrens, with which these birds 
were formerly placed, the first primary is much narrower 
as well as shorter. The Australian Menuridse must be kept 
close to these, as they have no other near allies. The Pittidse 
are still classed near the Thrushes by Professor Sundevall; 
but they seem much better placed near the Formicariidse, with 
which their wing-structure more nearly agrees. The Eury- 
bemidse have generally been located near Coracias among the 
