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 Tenuirosires, 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 1 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 Teiiuirostres 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 Dicauni of 

 M. Cuvier and of Dr. Horsfield {Limiean Transactions, vol. xiii. p. I69.) 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 Tenuirosires 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 

 Meliphagida and Promeropida. I 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 Corvida, with which ornithologists in 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 nie from expressing myself with any confidence respecting 

 it. The question, in short, is one exclusively of fact. The Linnean Paradisea con- 

 fessedly exhibit in external appearance a strong relationship to both the Conirostral and 

 Tenuirostral families. But to 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 1 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 Paradises to the Tenuirosires would add all that is wanting to 

 complete the interest of that already singularly attractive group. Jan. 1825. 



that 



