328 Mr.V igorb's a7id Dr. Horsfi eld's Descriptioîiof the 



the group, as is indeed usually the case in what are called natu- 

 ral oenera. But a decided difference in the colours themselves 

 is exhibited in these three alleged species ; and it is our custom 

 to keep all such apparent species distinct until they are proved 

 to be the same. Many mistakes will without doubt arise by an 

 adherence to such a rule. But these mistakes are easily acknow- 

 ledged and retrieved when proved to be such. W hen we cannot 

 represent Nature as she is, we must endeavour to represent her 

 as she appears to be. If we suspend our observations in appre- 

 hension of committing an error, we shall soon cease to represent 

 her at all. 



As to the group itself, it is not in our power to add any in- 

 formation to that which Captain King has given in the Appen- 

 dix to his ^^ Survey." — 'I'he following extract from Mr. Caley's 

 MSS. contains all the knowledge we have of these birds. He 

 speaks undecidedly ; but what he says is against the opinion that 

 they are mcliphagous. " These are birds of passage. I think I 

 once saw a flock of them in Government Garden, and that the 

 gardener complained of their destroying the figs. One of my 

 specimens, to the best of my recollection, I shot in a gretn 

 wattle-tree close to Government House." 



Genus. Psopuodes*. 



Rostrum forte, breve, subrectum, subcompressum ; culmine vix 

 carinato, subarcuato; mandibulis integris; naribus basalibus, 

 ovalibus, plumulis setisque frontis opertis ; rictu vibrissis 

 fortibus incumbentibus instructo. 



Alœ brevissimœ, rotundatae ; remigibus prima brevi, secundâ ter- 

 tiâ et quartâ gradatim longioribus, quintâ ad nonam in- 

 clusam ferè œqualibus, longissimis. 



Cauda elongata, gradata. 



* 'f'oÇioi crepitus. 



Pedes 



