204 MELIPHAGIDiE. 



2. MELITHREPTUS. t, „ 



Type. 



Melithreptus, Vieillot, Analyse ^-c. p. 46 (1816) M. lunulatus. 



Tfematops, Oould, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1836, p. 144 ... M. validirostris. 

 (xymnophrys, Sioaimon, Classif. of Birds, ii. p. 327 



(1837) . '. • ■ ■ ■ M. lunulatus. 



Eidopsarus, Swainson, loe. cif. M. validirostris. 



Idopsarus, Ayassiz, Nomencl. Zool. Ind. p. 194 (1846). 



Bill shorter than rest of head : operculum partlj- covered with 

 feathers. First primary about one third the length of the very long 

 second primary ; tip of wing formed by primaries 3, 4, 5; secondaries 

 very short, being only two thirds the length of the wing. Tail 

 slightly emarginated, five sixths of the wing in length. Pattern 

 bright olive, yellow, white, and black. Sexes alike in plumage. 

 Length of wing 2-3-3-45 inches. 



Range. Australia. 



Key to the Species, 



a. Crown of head black. 



a'. White band across the occiput. ^ lumdatus, p. 204. 



a". Chin pure white > albigularis, p. 205. 



b". Chm blackish. 



a'". Length of culmen 0-5-0'6 inch gularis, p. 205. 



h"'. Length of culmen 075 inch validirostris, p. 206. 



h'. Occiput without a white band melanocepJialus, p. 207. 



b. Crown of head grey, with a cream-coloured 



occipital band brevirostris, p. 207. 



1. Melithreptus iunulatus. 



Certhia lunulata, Shaw, Gen. Zool. viii. p. 224. 



Le Fuscalbui, Vieill. Ois. Dor. ii. p. 9o, pi. 61. 



Red-eyed Houey-eater, Lath. Gen. Mist. iv. p. 203. 



Melipiiaga lunulata, 7-7//. cy Horsf. Linn. Trans, xv. p. 315. 



Black-crowned Honey-sucker, Leioin, Birds Neiv Holl. pi. 24. 



Meliphaga atricapiUa, Temm. PL Col. 335. fig. 1. 



Mehphaga torquata, Swains. Zool. III. 1 ser. pi. 116. 



Hteuiatops lunulatus, Gould, Synops. B. Austr. pt. i. 



Gvmnophrys torquatus, Swains. Class. B. ii. p. 327. 



Melithreptus lunulatus, Gray, List of Gen. Birds, p. 21 (1841); 



Gould, B. Austr. pi. 72; id. Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 668; Bp. 



C. A. i. p. 395 ; Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 161, no. 2099 ; Ramsay, 



Proc. Linn. Soc. H. S. W. ii. p. 190. 

 :MeUthreptus chloropsis, Gould, P. Z. S. 1847, p. 220 ; id. B. Austr. 



pi. 73 ; id. Handb. B. Austr. i. p. 570 ; Bp. C. A. i. p. 395 ; Cab. 



Mus. Hein. i. p. 115; Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 161, no. 2105. 



Adult. Crown and sides of head, including the ear- coverts and 

 cheeks a few feathers at the angle of the chin, and a few feathers 

 on the sides of the chest near the shoulder jet-black ; all the upper 

 parts uniform rich olive-yellow ; wings and taU. brown, externally 

 washed with the colour of the back ; lesser wing-coverts greyish ; a 

 narrow baud across the occiput, and all the underparts, including the 

 under wing- coverts and inner margin of remiges, pure white; "the 



