490 
Letters, Announcements, ^c. 
parts uniform in colour_, instead of being paler on the edges 
of the wing-coverts and inner secondaries. I find that by 
removing this species into the genus Locustella, in which I 
propose to place it^ all these four peculiarities become typical, 
instead of aberrant; and the species will stand as Locustella 
fasciolata (Gray). 
In attempting to find a niche among the Sylviidee for the 
genus Malurus, I could find no place where it would fit 
naturally; and after an examination of its wide depressed bill 
and long rictal bristles, I handed it over to my friend Mr. 
Sharpe to place amongst the Muscicapidse, where it seemed 
much more at home by the side of the equally gay-coloured 
Todopsis. 
For the same reasons I rejected the genus Gerygone, and 
hope to see it also absorbed into the Muscicapidse. 
Some time ago I made a raid upon the genus and 
endeavoured to absorb several species hitherto generally placed 
in it into Phylloscopus, A.fuliginiventris, A, erochroa, 
A. maculipennis, and A. viridipennis. I now propose to make 
away with the remaining species of this genus, A. schisticeps, 
A. flaviventris, A. poliogenys, A. albogularis, A. castaneiceps, 
and perhaps some others, and consign them, along with Cu- 
Ucipeta burkii, C. tephrocephala, C. cantator, and C. trivir- 
gata, as well as Tickellia hodgsoni and the African Pindalus 
ruficapillus, to the Muscicapidae. I am also inclined to think 
that Phylloscopus umbrovirens would look better as a Phyl- 
loscopine Muscicapa than as a Muscicapine Sylvia, and might 
appear as Pindalus umhrovirens (Fiipp.). 
If it were possible to place the genera of birds in a lineal 
arrangement, so that nearly allied genera should be in close 
proximity, I should like to see the Muscicapidse close by 
the genus Culicipeta, to be followed by Phylloscopus as the 
first genus of the Sylviidae. Any one who has watched the 
Willow-Warblers will admit that they are excellent fly¬ 
catchers, and catch flies on the wing almost as habitually as 
the Flycatchers themselves. 
Yours &c. 
Henry Seebohm. 
London, Sept. 10, 1878. 
