One simple fact we can add from our personal observation, which may not be
here misplaced. Of the genus Orpheus, to which the Mock-bird of North America
belongs, we discovered four species in Brazil. One of these (its name in the
systems we really cannot make out) particularly struck us, at first sight, as being
a Shrike; like those birds, it sits on pales or stakes, watching for its prey, and
darting upon such grasshoppers or other terrestrial insects as come sufficiently
near it; it then returns to its former station. These habits we have repeatedly
witnessed in the common Lanins collurio. At that time we thought the former
circumstance hardly worth noticing, and omitted to observe bird devoured its food. in what manner the
We have before adverted to the singular property belonging to natural groups,
of furnishing more than one set of general analogies. To illustrate this position
further, we shall now lay before the reader another view that may be taken of the
Merulida, leaving it to his own judgment to decide which, as exhibiting the most
perfect harmony, is entitled to the greatest degree of confidence.
It may be remembered that we have contemplated the Drongo Shrikes as analogous
to the Rasores, and consequently to the Scansores. Now as it is by this
division that the Laniadm are connected to the Merulida;, by means of the Bra-
chypodina, into which they insensibly blend,—is it not, it may be asked, contradictory
to suppose that two sub-families so intimately united should represent two
different orders ? For it would seem to follow, that if the Edolianai are the true
representations of the Scansores, then the group in the Merulida which most resembles
them should bear the same relation. Both the Edoliana and the Brachy-
podina have the feet remarkably short; in both the rictus is furnished with strong
bristles, and in both the hind toe, as in all scansorial birds, is particularly long.
These characters, if they are of any value in shewing the true analogies of one
group, must be equally so in another: hence it may be concluded, that the Brachy-
podina represent the Scansores, rather than the Fissirostres or the Natatores. It
may be further urged, that however conclusive the analogy between the Cratero-
podinw and the Rasores may appear, still that there is one strong peculiarity in the
habit of the former, which cannot be explained either by their supposed analogy
to the Rasores, or to the Scansores; this lies in the partiality evinced by all those
species whose habits are known, of living in the vicinity of water. Now this can
only be accounted for on the supposition that the Crateropodirla represent the
Natatores. Presuming, therefore, on the strength of these two relations, we proceed
to arrange the analogies of the Merulida in the following manner:—
R aptores . . . . D entirostres . . . . Merulina.
I nsessores . . . .C o n ir o s t r e s ..............................Myotherina.
R asores . . . . Sc a n s o r e s ..............................Brachypodina.
G rallatores . . . .T e n c ir o st r e s.............................Oriolina.
N atatores . . . . F issirostres . . . . Crateropodma.
It will be immediately perceived that the Oriolina alone preserve the same relations
in this and in the former table ; all the others being, as it were, reversed,
although each column exhibits the same natural and circular series. The relations
already stated, which may be supposed to exist between the groups placed in the
three last lines, are here brought immediately under the eye; and, however strong
they may appear in some points, they are decidedly weak in others. The Brachy-
podince, for instance, by their very short feet and the great development of the
hind toe, may be likened to the Scansores; but we have failed in detecting any
direct analogy they may have with the Rasores. The Crateropodma, again, appear
to be the only division of the Merulidce which habitually frequent watery places,
and so far they may be likened to the natatorial order ; but to the Fissirostres they seem not to have the remotest analogy. Still more difficult is it to conceive
how the true Thrushes can represent the Dentirostres and the Raptores, or what
relation there is between the Myotherince, the Conirostres, and the Insessores.
While, therefore, we are disposed to reject this series of analogies, when viewed
as a whole, as spurious, we yet feel persuaded there are certain analogical
properties, belonging to all aberrant groups, of which we are as yet ignorant.
Nor do we feel reluctant in confessing, that in our attempts to discover the extent
of these properties, we have hitherto been completely baffled.
Before closing this long and very imperfect exposition of this family, we feel
desirous of stating our own doubts upon such points as require investigation. On
the nature of the five sub-families there can be but little diversity of opinion, since
we consider that the chain of connexion is sufficiently complete, and that the series
has been severely tested. Between the Crateropodina and the Oriolina there is
certainly a hiatus ; yet not sufficiently wide, in our opinion, to render the circular
disposition of the whole very questionable. On descending to the minor groups,
however,—such, for instance, as the typical Merulinai,—the circles of the subfamilies
have not been made out: some of the aberrant forms, it is true, may be
detected; but in regard to others, we refrain even from offering a conjecture,
since nothing is more easy than to describe circles upon paper, when the imagination
is excited and the judgment blinded by a favourite theory.