478 Birds of Celebes: Meliphagidae. 



we regard this record as most probably erroneous. The species ranges from 



India to Borneo and Java (Shelley). The following references indicate the 



occurrence of the species in Celebes, the authors being guided by Miiller and 

 Schlegel, without referring to further proof. 



a. Arachnothera longirostra {1} Miill & Schl., Verli. Natuurk. Comm., Zool. Aves 1846, (59 

 (Celebes); (2) BIyth, Cat. B. Mus. A. S. B. 1849, 222 (Cel.); {Ill) Shelley, Monogr. 

 Nect. p. L, 357, pi. (1878), (Cel.); (4) W. Bias., J. f. 0. 1883, 115. 



h. Arachnothera — ? {1) Wald., Tr. Z. S. 1872, Vm, 70. 



c. Arachnocestra longirostris (1) Echb., Hb. sp. Orn., Scansoriae 1853, 315 (Cel.). 



d. Arachnothera longirostris (1) Gadow, Cat. B. IX, 1884, 103 (Cel.); (2) Sliarpe, Ibis 



1890, 279 (Cel.). 

 For synonymy and further references cf, Shelley a III, Gadow cl 1. 



FAMILY MELIPHAGIDAE. 



The Honey-suckers vary in size from about that of a Wren to that of a 

 Jay; they are birds of plain plumage, metallic tints and blue are wanting, red 

 is found only in Myzomela; the bill is generally decurved, often very long and 

 slender, the nostril longitudinal covered with a coriaceous operculum, "or oval 

 and situated in front of a coriaceous groove" (Gadow); in some forms the tomia 

 are serrated. The tongue is protractile, bifid, and furnished with peculiar 

 brush-like fibres on the tip. The family is almost exclusively peculiar to 

 the Australian Region. 



GENUS MYZOMELA Vig. Horsf.. 



The characteristics of the genus by W. A. Forbes are 'given below. They 

 are very small birds, most of them differing from all other Meliphagidae by 

 having red in the plumage. The edges of the mandibles are serrated. 



+ * 189. MYZOMELA OHLOROPTERA Tweedd. 



Scarlet Honey-sucker. 



Myzomela chloroptera (1) Wald., Ann. & Mag. K H. 1872, (4) IX, 399; (2) id., Tr. Z. S. 



1872, Vin, 117; (^.9; Meyer, J. f. 0. 1873, 405; (4) Salvad., Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 



1875, Vn, 662; (5) Bruggem., Abh. Ver. Bremen V, 1876, 74; (VI) W. A. Forbes, 



P. Z. S. 1879, 260, pi. XXIV, fig. 1; (7) Meyer, Ibis 1879, 132; (8) Gadow, Cat. 



B. rX, 1884, 132; (9) Salvad., Ibis 1884, 326; (10) Biittik., Zool. Erg. Weber's 



Eeise Ost-Ind. 1893, III, 279; (11) M. & Wg., Abh. Mus. Dresd. 1895, Nr. 8, p. 1 1 ; 



(12) Hart., Nov. Zool. 1896, 153, 168; (13) id., ib. 1897, 157. 

 Figure and descriptions. Forbes VI; Walden 1; Salvador! 4 {? ^ (f, not Q); Briiggem. 5 



(? = cf not Q); Gadow 8. 

 Adult male. Upper surface, entire head, throat and breast scarlet-poppy-red; scapulars, 



wings and tail-feathers black, the greater wing-coverts and quills edged with ochra- 



