COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



63" 



moderately long and strong. Hind toe very long and strong, its 

 claw powerful. 



Genus. Neomorpha. — Wings, fifth to seventh quills longest. 

 Tail long, broad, and round. Tarsi with wide stales in front. 

 Outer toe larger than inner. Habitat — New Zealand. 



Genus. Episiachus. — Wings, quills sometimes truncated. 

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

 longer than inner. Sides of body with flattened and decom 

 posed feathers. Habitat — Australia and New Guinea. 



Sub-family. Upupinae. — Bill with prominent keel, tip sharp. 

 Claws long, sharp, curved, and strong. 



Genus. Upupa. — Bill slender, and curved throughout; nostrils 

 covered with membranous 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. PROMEEOPIDa:.— Bill long, slender; nostrils at 

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

 moderate, broad scaled; toes moderate, with curved sharp 

 claws. 



Sub-family. Promeropinas. — Bill curved, base broad; nostrils 

 small. Wings moderate. Tail long. Outer toe longer than 

 inner. 



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

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

 short broad groove. Wings, third and fourth, or fourth quills 

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

 — Africa, India, and Archipelago. 



Genus. Drepaxis. — Wings, first quill wanting, third and 

 fourth equal and longest. Tail moderate and even. Habitat — 

 Sandwich Islands. 



Genus. Dicki'M. — Bill curved, short, and broad, edges of tip 

 very finely notched; nostrils m a membranous groove. Wings, 

 first quill wanting, third and fourth longest. Tail short, and 

 even. Habitat — Austria, India, and Archipelago. 



Sub-family. Caerebinae. — Bill rather long; nostrils at its base, 

 and covered with a membranous scale. Wings, long and 

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

 longer than inner. 



Genus. C.ereha. — Bill long, arched, and slender, tip sharp. 

 Wings, first quill spurious, third and fourth longest. Tail short 

 and squared. Habitat — South America. 



Family. MELIPHAGID-ffi.- Bill long, curved; nostrils ill a 

 large groove. Wings moderate. Tongue with tuft of slender 

 fibres at its tip. Tail long and broad. Tarsi short and strung; 

 toes rather long, outer united to middle at its base. 



Sub-family, lleliphaginae. — Wings rounded, fourth to sixth 

 quills usually longest. Toes moderate, bind toe long and strong. 



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 long- 

 est. Tail long, very slightly forked. Claws very sharp and 

 long. Habitat — Australia. 



Genus. Prosthemadkra.— Wings, fifth and sixth quills equal 

 and longest. Tail rounded on sides. Habitat — New Zealand 

 and Auckland Islands. 



Genus. AXTHOCH-ERA. — Wings, fifth and sixth quills equal 

 and longest. Tail graduated on sides. Habitat — Australia. 



Genus. Tropidorhyxchus (including Extomtzai. — Bill ele- 

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

 first, fourth and fifth equal and longest. Tail long and rounded. 

 Habitat — Australia and New Guinea. 



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

 Wings, fourth and seventh quills mostly longest. 



Myzantha (MaxORHIXA). — Bill, nostrils at base m 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. Hab- 

 itat — Australia. 



Family. TROCHILIDJE.— Bill very slender, tip sharp; nos- 

 trils covered with a large scale, sometimes feathered. Wings 

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

 and slender. 



Genus. Trochilt/S. — Bill very slight and curved, edges of 

 upper mandible overlapping lower at base; nostrils with partly 

 feathered scale. Wings, first quill shorter than aecond. Tail 

 forked, two feathers much projecting. Tarsi stout, partly 

 plumed. Inner toe shorter than outer. Habitat — Jamaica. 



Genus. Thacmastura. -Bill small, delicate, nearly straight. 

 Wings moderate. Throat with scaly metallic feathers. Two 

 central tail feathers very long, rest abruptly graduated, forming 

 a very deep and sudden fork. Habitat — Guatemala. 



Genus. Docimaster. — Bill enormously elongated, slightly 

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

 Fe de Bogota. 



Genus. Heliactix. — 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. 



Genus. Eriocxemis. — Bill moderate, straight. Wings mod- 

 erate. Tail short and broad. Tarsi tufted to toes with downy 

 muff. 



Genus. Topaza. — Bill slightly curved; nostrils with scale, 

 mostly concealed by pinnies. Wings, first quill longest. Tail 

 moderate, two exterior feathers en each side much lengthened. 

 Tarsi slender, partly plumed. Outer toe shorter than inner. 

 Habitat — Central America. 



Genus. Spatuuiia. — Bill straight, slender. Throat shining 

 green. Tail very deeply forked; exterior feathers very long, 

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

 Tarsi covered with large muff of soft down. Habitat — Peru, 

 .Santa Fa de Bogota, Bolivia. 



Genus. DrscuRA. — Resembles Spathura, but is without the 

 tarsal muffs. Habitat — Cayenne, Surinam, Demerara, and 

 Northern Brazil. 



Genus. RuAMPHOMICROK.— Bill very small, short, and deli- 

 cate. Gorget effulgent. Wings small. Tail moderately forked. 

 Habitat -Santa Fa de Bogota. 



GeiM.t, GoOLDIA. — Bill short. Wings small. Gorget green. 

 Tail, exterior feathers long, bristly, and pointed, central very 

 short, others regularly graduated. Habitat — Brazil. 



i.'enus. See vspuorus.— Bill straight and delicate. Gorget 

 composed of refulgent large scaly feathers. Wings delicate. 

 Tail feathers narrow. Habitat — Veragua. 



Genus, Puaetuorxis.— Bill very long, slightly curved, base 

 broad; nostrils with partly plumed scab'. Wings, first quill 

 longest. Tail long, two central feathers elongated. Tarsi 

 slender, and plumed; exterior toe united to middle at base. 

 Habitat — South America. 



Genus. Florisuga. — Bill arched. Wings moderate. Tail 

 short, forming rounded fork when closed; tail coverts very 

 large, projecting beyond central feathers of tail. Habitat — 

 Tobago, Brazil. 



Genus. Oxvpogox. — Bill short and sharp. Head of male 

 with long pointed crest, black in centre, rest white; long droop- 

 ing plumes on chin. Wings moderate. Tail large, slightly 

 forked when closed. Habitat — Cordilleras. 



Genus. Heliomaster. — Bill long, straight, or nearly so. 

 Gorget very large, extended laterally by long lancet-shaped 

 feathers. Tail ample. Feet small. Habitat — Brazil, Antilles. 



Genus. Ectoxeres. — Hill rather long, very much curved. 

 Tail-coverts long. Tail rapidly graduated, composed of lancet- 

 shaped feathers. Habitat — Veragua, Santa IV de Bogota. 



Genus. Hi:i,IAX(iEi,rs. — Bill long as head, straight, rather flat 

 at base, rest cylindrical. Throat with scaly lustrous feathers, 

 mostly a white or buff gorget. Wings strong, outer primary 

 well curved. Tail moderate, rounded. Habitat -Venezuela, 

 New Granada, &c. 



