INTEODUCTIOK 



The Cinnyrimorphse seem to form a tolerably natural group, as 

 far as the Nectarinndce and MelipliagidcB proper are concerned. 

 "With regard to the Zostero2nnce, their degree of relationship with 

 the Meliphagidoe is doubtful, and they might, perhaps, with more 

 propriety be ranged with the Dicaidce, which, in all probability, 

 have very little to do with the Cinnyrimorphae sensu strictiori. 



The numerous genera of the Meliphagidse are closely allied to 

 each other ; but there is such a divergence in the so-called leading 

 taxonomic characters, that it seems impossible to give such a diag- 

 nosis as would admit all the genera. Many species, moreover, exhibit 

 greater differences inter se than do some of the universally admitted 

 genera; and yet, in my opinion, there can be no doubt as to what 

 genera these species belong. 



The extraordinary development of the " metallic " colours in the 

 Nectariniid(B rendered it desirable to invent some standard according 

 to which these changing colours should be described. This has been 

 done by me in a paper, " On the Colour of Feathers as affected by 

 their Structure," published in the ' Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society' for 1882 (pp. 409-421). 



The structure of the tongue, which is also one of the best 

 characteristics of the ^\hole group, has likewise been described by 

 me in a paper, " On the Suctorial Apparatus of the Tenuirostres," 

 published in the ' Proceedings ' for 1883 (pp. 62-69). 



I feel greatly indebted to Captain Shelley for having given me 

 free access to his collection of Sun-birds on every occasion, whilst 

 his admirable and nearly exhaustive ' Monograph of the Xectariniidae' 



