1879.] MR. W. A. FORBES ON THE GENUS MYZOMELA. 257 



and subequal, the 6th longer than the 7th, which about equals the 2ncl. 

 The tarsi are about as long as the bill, rather slender, and covered 

 with 6-7 scales in front, the lower ones being the smallest and trans- 

 verse. The 2nd and 4th toes are very slender, about equal in length, 

 and shorter than the 3rd. The hallux is unusually stout for the 

 size of the bird. The tail has 12 feathers, is short, and nearly 

 square. 



Most of the species have more or less red in their plumage ; but 

 this colour is altogether absent in some, and becomes only a slight tint, 

 confined to the margins of the feathers, particularly of the head, wings, 

 and tail, in others. As yet our knowledge of the phases and changes 

 of plumage is by no means perfect. In one group (e. g. in M. sangui- 

 nolenta and its allies, including M. nigrita) the females seem to retain 

 throughout life the brown plumage of immaturity, whilst in others 

 (e. g. M. nigriventris, obscura, &c.) the adults of each sex are similar. 

 In most cases the first plumage seems to be nearly uniform brown, 

 lighter beneath, with the wing-coverts lighter at the edges, and the 

 quills margined externally with olive-yellow. Throughout the group 

 there is seen a great tendency to retain these markings on the wings, 

 as likewise a white margin on the inner web of the primaries. 



The eggs seem to be generally whitish or buff, spotted with darker, 

 red or yellow. According to Grilbert (Gould, Handb. B. A. i. p. 558) 

 M. nigra, like many other species of Meliphagidae, lays only two 

 eggs. The nests are small and cup-shaped, rather flimsily con- 

 structed of grass-stems, hair, spiders' webs, &c., and often placed in 

 the fork of a tree or bush. 



In their habits the Myzomela seem to resemble the other smaller 

 Honeysuckers, frequenting flowering shrubs and trees, not appa- 

 rently so much for the sake of the nectar of the flowers, as for the 

 insects attracted thereby. 



But one or two species of this genus, which is perhaps most nearly 

 allied to Acanthorhynchus, but distinguishable by its longer beak and 

 difi^erent coloration, were known to the older authors. Bonaparte, 

 in his 'Conspectus' (p. 394, 1850), enumerates 9, one of which, 

 however (^Certhia sanguinea, Gmel.), is aDrepanis, whilst M. eques 

 is omitted. Gray (Hand-1. B. i. p. 15.3, 18G9) gives 17, though 

 here again M. eques is omitted, being included as " Cosmeteira eques" 

 amongst the Nectariniidae (no. 1337). In the present paper 26 

 species, including two new ones, are recognized as distinct, besides 

 one other which remains doubtful. Of these 26 species, 24 are 

 known to me autoptically. Of the two which I have not seen, one 

 (M. lafargii) is unique in the Paris Museum, the other (J/, rubro- 

 tincta) has lately been described from specimens at Leydeu by Count 

 Salvadori. 



The collection in the British Museum, that made by the ' Chal- 

 lenger,' and the specimens in the collections of Mr. Sclater and 

 Messrs. SaUin and Godman have formed the basis of my present 

 paper. In addition to these I have to thank Canon Tristram, F.R.S., 

 Dr. A. B. Meyer, and Count Salvadori for the very liberal way in 

 which they have lent me valuable series of specimens. To the two 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1879, No. XVII. 17 



