. 
— 
Or 
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tl 
TRIBE TENUIROSTRES. 
Are composed of the following families, divided into two 
types :— 
A. Richly coloured ... Honey-suckers ete. 
B. Not so richly coloured... The Creepers and Hoopoes. 
Famity NECTARINID ZS ( Moncey-suckers) 
Or Sun-birds, as they are sometimes called, represent in India 
the group known as Humming birds of America, most of the Indian 
species rival in beauty and elegance of form, the famous trans- 
atlantic birds. The metallic brilliancy and splendour of the various 
colours of the male Honey-sucker can scarce but arrest your atten- 
tion. These birds either hover lightly over a flower to draw the 
nectar, which lies concealed within the cup or deftly capture an insect 
on the wing. Whilst at work they lack the busy hum produced 
by their fair American cousins, nevertheless they chatter and com- 
plain in quite as pleasant a manner as any of the small birds. 
(223) ARACHNOTHERA MAGNA, Large Spider-Hunter, which heads 
the list of Venwirostres, has not the rich metallic colours of the male 
Honey-suckers, nevertheless it has a prettily marked coat. This 
species is 8 inches in length: colour of the plumage is greenish 
yellow, streaked with black, which gives it a dainty attractive appear- 
ance. Bill is long, shghtly curved; tail short. It is a pretty sight 
to see this natty little bird picking off insects from the flowers in 
the warmer valleys and hill sides, below 3,000 feet elevation. Fre- 
quently I have seen them hanging on to big plantain flowers, pro- 
bing its scimitar like bill between the folds for lurking insects, 
spiders it seems to be “dead nuts” on. Large Spider-Hunter 
appears quite a giant beside its brethren, the Honey-suckers, which 
are on an average about 5 inches in length. Its predominating size, 
generally strikes one, when these birds are found feeding in mixed 
sroups of small birds. You see it hovering about the leaves or 
perched on a twig just resting awhile, before another excursion 
among the bright flowers. Most of the members of this tribe are 
active and bustling. Once fairly on the move it is difficult to follow 
the movements of the Spider-Hunter when bent on business, for 
it seldom seems to rest till it has searched every flower. 
GENUS AATHOPYGA 
These are small sized birds; bill long and eurved ; tail graduated, 
elongated central feathers. One might call them the typical genus 
