COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



769 



short bristles. Wings long and pointed. Tail long and 

 broad. Tarsi very short ; toes long, two exterior muted to 

 middle, hind toe long with broad pad beneath. 



Genus. Merops. — Wings reaching two-thirds the length 

 of tail, second quill longest. Tail with two middle feathers 

 prolonged. Tai-si strong and scaled. Outer toe longer than 

 inner. Habitat — Most parts of Old World. 



Genus. Melittophagus. — Wings only reaching to middle 

 of tail and rounded, thii'd quill longest. Tail broad and 

 even. Habitat — Africa. 



Genus. Nyctiornis. — Bill grooved above, nostrils covered 

 ■with short plumes. Wings reaching rather beyond base of 

 tail, fourth quill longest. Tail slightly forked. Outer toe 

 longer than inner. Habitat — India and Archipelago. 



Trihe. TE NUIROSTR£S. —mWslendei; upper mandible 

 mostly sharp at tip. Tarsi short ; toes long, hind toe 

 mostly lengthened. 



Family. TJPUPID^. — Bill long, sides compressed to tip ; 

 nostiils small and at base. Wings long and rounded. Tail 

 long. Outer toe united to middle, hind toe long. 



Suh-fam ibj. Eplmachinse. — Bill slender and arched ; 

 nosti-ils in wide groove. Wings moderate, rounded. Tail 

 various. Tarsi moderately long and strong. Hitid toe very 

 long and strong, its claw poweiful. 



Genus. Neomorpha. — Wings, fifth to seventh quills 

 longest. Tail long, broad, and round. Tarsi with wide 

 scales in front. Outer toe larger than inner. Habitat — 

 New Zealand. 



Geinis. Epimachus. — Winga, quills sometimes truncated. 

 Tail long. Tarsi with large thick scales in front. Outer 

 toe longer than inner. Sides of body with flattened and 

 decomposed feathers. Habitat — AustraMa and New Guinea. 



Sub-family. TTpupinae. — Bill with prominent keel, tip 

 sharp. Claws long, sharp, cui-ved, and strong. 



Gemis. Updpa. Bill slender, and curved throughout ; 

 nostrils covered with memhranovis scale. Tail long and 

 even. Tarsi strong, broadly scaled. Outer toe longer than 

 inner, and united to first joint ; claw of hind toe long and 

 nearly straight. Habitat — Europe, Asia, and Africa. 



Family. PEOMEROPID.ffi;.— Bill long, slender ; nostrils 

 at base, and covered with a scale. Wings moderate. Tarsi 

 modei-ate, broad scaled ; toes moderate, with curved sharp 

 claws. 



Sith-family. Promeropinae. — Bill curved, base broad ; 

 nostrils small. Wings modei-ate. Tail long. Outer toe 

 longer than inner. 



Genus, Nectarinia. — Bill, keel large and round between 

 nostrils, edges of lower jaw very finely notched ; nostrils in 

 a short broad groove. Wings, thii*d and fourth, or fourth 

 quills only, longest. Two middle feathers of tail elongated. 

 Habitat — Africa, India, and Archipelago. 



Genus. Drepanis. — Wings, fii-st quill wanting, third 

 and fourth equal and longest. Tail moderate and even. 

 Habitat — Sandwich Islands. 



Genus. Dic.EUM. — Bill cui-ved, short, and broad, edges 

 of tip \Q\y finely notched ; nostrils in a membranous groove. 

 Wings, fii'st quill wanting, third and fourth longest. Tail 

 short and even. Habitat — Australia, India, and Archi- 

 pelago. 



Sub-family. Cserebinae. — Bill rather long ; nostrils at its 

 ba.se, and covered with a membranous scale. Wings, long 

 and pointed. Tail short. Tarsi rather long ; toes short, 

 outer rather longer than inner. 



Genus. C^REBA.-— Bill long, arched, and slender, tip 

 sharp. Wings, first quill spurious, third and fourth longest. 

 Tail short and squared, Habitat-^South America. 



Family. MELIPHAGID.5:.— Bill long, cui-ved ; nostrils 

 in a large groove. Wings moderate. Tongue with tuft of 

 slen'ler fibies at its tip. Tail long and broad. Tarsi short 

 and strong ; toes rather long, outer united to middle at its 

 base. 



Sub-family. Mdiphaginae. — Wings rounded, fourth to 

 sixth quills usually longest. Toes moderate, hind too long 

 and strong. 



2- 3 



Genus. Meliphaga. — Bill slender, broad at base ; nostrils 

 covered by membranous scale. Wings, first quill short, and 

 others graduated to fourth and fifth, which are equal and 

 longest. Tail long, very slightly forked. Claws very sharp 

 and long. Habitat — Australia. 



Gemis. Prosthemadera. — Wings, fifth and sixth quills 

 equal and longest. Tad rounded on sides. Habitat — New 

 Zealand and Auckland Islands. 



Genus. Anthoch^ra. — Wings, fifth and sixth quilLs 

 equal and longest. Tail graduated on sides. Habitat — 

 Australia. 



Genus. Tropidorhtnchus (including Entomtza), — Bill 

 elevated at base. Wings, second quill double the length of 

 the first, fourth and fii'th equal and longest. Tail long and 

 rounded. Habitat — Australia and New Guinea. 



Sub-family. MeUthreptinae.— Bill short and rather conical. 

 Wings, fourth and seventh quills mostly longest. 



Mtzantha (Manorhina). — Bill, nostrils at base in broad 

 groove, partly covered by plumes and with a membranous 

 scale. Wings, fourth and fifth equal and longest, third, 

 second, and first gradually shorter. Tail long and rounded 

 on sides. Habitat — Australia. 



Family. TROCHILID.a:.— Bill very slender, tip sharj^ ; 

 nostrils covered with a large scale, sometimes feathered. 

 Wings long and sharp. Tail usually long. Tarsi very short ; 

 toes long and slender. 



Genus. Trochilus. — Bill very slight and curved, edges 

 of upper mandible overlapping lower at base ; nostrils with 

 partly feathered scale. Wings, first quill shorter than 

 second. Tail forked, two feathers much projecting. Tai-si 

 stout, partly plumed. Inner toe shorter than outer. Ha- 

 bi tat^ Jamaica. 



Genus. Thaumastura. — B\\\ small, delicate, nearly 

 straight. Wings moderate. Throat with scaly metallic 

 feathers. Two central tail feathers ver}- long, rest abruptly 

 graduated, forming a very deep and sudden fork. Habitat 

 — (juatemala. 



Genvs. Docisiaster. — Bill enormously elongated, slightly 

 recurved. Wings large. Tail forked. Habitat — Peru, 

 Santa F6 de Bogota. 



Genus. Heliactin. — Bill short and spine-like. Male 

 with long shining crest over eyes and ears. Throat with 

 drooping pointed gorget. Tail graduated, long, narrow, 

 pointed feathers. Habitat — Brazil. 



Genvs. Eriocnemis. — Bill moderate, straight. Wings 

 moderate. Tail short and broad. Tai-si tufted to toes with 

 downy muff, 



Gemis. ToPAZA. — BiU slightly curved; nosti-ils with 

 scale, mostly concealed by plumes. Wings, first quill 

 longest. Tail moderate two exterior feathers on each side 

 much lengthened. Tarsi slender, partly plumed. Outer 

 toe shorter than inner. Habitat — Central America. 



Genus. Sfathura. — Bill straight, slender. Throat shin- 

 ing green. Tail very deeply forked ; exterior feathers veiy 

 long, bare almost to end, where they have a racket-shaped 

 web. Tarsi covered with large muff of*soft down. Habitat 

 —Peru, Santa F6 de Bogota, Bolivia. 



Genus. DISCURA. — Resembles Spathura, but is without 

 the tarsal muffs. Habitat — Cayenne, Suiinam, Demerara, 

 and Northern Brazil. 



Genus. Ehamphomicron, — Bill very smaU, short, and 

 delicate. Gorget effulgent. Wings small. Tail moderately 

 forked. Habitat — Santa F6 de Bogotk. 



Germs. GoDLDiA. — Bill short. Wings small. Gorget 

 green. Tail, exterior feathers long, bristly, and pointed, 

 central very short, othei-s regularly graduated. Habitat — 

 BrazU. 



Genus. Selasphoeus. — Bill straight and delicate. Gor- 

 get composed of refulgent large scaly feathers. Wings 

 delicate. Tail feathers nai-row. Habitat — Veragua. 



Genus. Phaethornis. — Bill verj' long, slightly curved, 

 base broad ; nostrils with partly plumed scale. Wings, first 

 quill longest. Tail long, two central feathers elongated. 

 Tarsi slender, and plumed ; exterior toe xmited to middle at 

 base. Habitat — South America. 



