428 HONE Y-EATER 
and others to the true FALcons. Yet it may be doubted whether 
further observation of such forms as Leptodon or Cymindis, and Baza 
or Avicida will admit of their being placed very near to the present 
genus. The last named inhabits the south-eastern portion of the 
Old World; while the first belongs to the Neotropical Region. 
HONEY-EATER or HONEY-SUCKER, names applied by many 
writers in a very loose way to a large number of birds, some of 
which have no intimate affinity ; but here to be used for the Family 
Meliphagidx in a restricted sense—excluding therefrom the Cvrebidx 
(Dacnis), Dicxidx, (Dic&uM), Drepanidide (DREPANIS), and Necta- 
rintide (SUN-BIRD), as well as the genera Promerops and Zosterops 
with whatever allies they may possess. Even with this restriction, 
the extent of the Family must be regarded as indefinite, owing to 
the absence of materials sufficient for arriving at a satisfactory con- 
clusion, though the existence of such a Family may be indisputable. 
Making allowance then for the imperfect light in which they must 
at present be viewed, it includes some of the most characteristic 
forms of the ornithology of the New-Zealand and Australian 
Regions — but a single species only, Ptilotis limbata (which just 
crosses ‘‘ Wallace’s Line” to Bali), being said to occur outside 
their limits. They all possess, or are supposed to possess, a long 
protrusible tongue with a frayed, brush-like tip, differing in its 
quadruple or multiple structure, and laciniated outer border (cf. 
Gadow, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1883, p. 66) from that found in any other 
bird, and capable of being formed into a suctorial tube, by means 
of which honey is absorbed from the nectary of flowers, though it 
would seem that insects attracted by the honey furnish the chief 
nourishment of many species, while others undoubtedly feed to a 
greater or less extent on fruits. The Meliphagidx, as now con- 
sidered, are for the most part small birds, none exceeding a Jay in 
g size—Entomyza cyanotis, the 
“Blue-eye” of Australian 
colonists, being one of the 
largest. They have been 
Entomyza, _ Myzometa. divided into some 24 genera, 
Cen ee containing about 150 species, 
of which only a few can here be particularized. Most of the forms 
have a very confined range, being found perhaps only on a single 
island or group of islands, but there are a few which are more widely 
distributed. In plumage they vary much. The species of Ptilotis are 
generally characterized by a tuft of white, or in others of yellow, 
feathers springing from behind the ear. In the greater number of the 
genus Myzomela the males are recognizable by a gorgeous display of 
crimson or scarlet, which has caused one species, JM. sanguinolenta, to 
be known as the Sé###er Brrp to Australian colonists ; but in others 
