that connect the Orders and Families of Birds. 465 
confidence*. The aberrant families are so numerous in their 
forms, and hitherto have been so unsatisfactorily characterized, 
* During the time that has elapsed since the reading of the above observations on 
the Tenuirostres, I was in hopes of having it in my power to trace their affinities more 
perfectly through their various subordinate groups before my remarks went to press. 
My friend Mr. Swainson, having lately paid considerable attention to this tribe, kindly 
promised me the result of his labours to enable me to apply them to the general object 
of this inquiry. But various delays and circumstances, over which neither he nor | had 
any controul, have prevented our mutual wishes taking effect; and the above imper- 
fect sketch must go forth as it originally stood. I have introduced, however, the genus 
Promerops as the connecting group between the T'enuirostres and Fissirostres, accord- 
ing to a suggestion which that gentleman some time since made to me in a conversa- 
tion respecting these groups. I had originally conjectured that the genus Diceum of 
M. Cuvier and of Dr. Horsfield (Linnean Transactions, vol. xiii. p. 169.) would con- 
stitute this aberrant subdivision, The “ Zoology of Mexico,” now about to appear, 
may be referred to as explaining the immediate affinities of these truly interesting fami- 
lies. Nov. 1824. 
Since the above observations were sent to press, I perceive that Mr. Swainson 
has published his views on the general disposition of the Tenuirostres in the 1st volume 
of the Zoological Journal, p. 479. He introduces the Linnean genus Paradisea as 
one of the five groups of the tribe, and as supplying the interval between the families of 
Meliphagide and Promeropide. 1 have already stated my suspicions (p.448, note *) 
that the Birds of Paradise, or at least some groups of them, may eventually be found 
to be more nearly allied to the Mellivorous Birds with extensile and tubular tongues, 
than to the family of Corvide, with which ornithologistsin general conceive them to be 
connected. And my opinions on this point have been considerably strengthened by 
finding that Mr. Swainson has adopted a mode of distribution conformable to such a 
supposition. But the nature of an inquiry like the present, limited to a simple exposi- 
tion of facts, as far as they can be ascertained, and to such inferences only as are dedu- 
cible from these facts, originally forbade me to offer more than a mere suggestion on 
this point, and still prevents me from expressing myself with any confidence respecting 
it. The question, in short, is one exclusively of fact. The Linnean Paradiseæ con- 
fessedly exhibit in external appearance a strong relationship to both the Conirostral and 
Tenuirostral families. Butto which of the two groups they are related by affinity, and to 
which by analogy, depends entirely on the nature of their food and the structure of their 
tongue. I must confess that I feel considerable interest in this question, and sanguine 
hopes that Mr. Swainson's distribution may be found to accord with that of Nature. 
The junction of the Paradiseæ to the Tenuirostres would add all that is wanting to 
complete the interest of that already singularly attractive group. Jan. 1825. h 
that 
