358 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



I am aware that some of our best ornithologists ignore this tribe 

 altogether ; and I am perfectly willing to admit that the birds com- 

 posing it do not form a harmonious wliole ; but the same may be 

 said of the last two tribes, which are all but universally admitted 

 to be natural and good groups, and I cannot see under what other 

 great division these birds could be satisfactorily classed. Moreover, 

 1 believe that, with perhaps two exceptions, the differences between 

 those who allow, and those wlio disavow this tribe, are chiefly nominal, 

 and that most systematists would and do arrange the families much 

 as I have done, with such points of divarication only as are caused 

 b}^ the arrangement which each individual chooses to select by 

 placing this or that family at the begitminoj or end of the tribe. 



Tlie two exceptions above alluded to are the Humming-birds and 

 the Hoopoes, Some naturalists, as before mentioned (p. 154), 

 place the former of these groups with the Swifts; but whilst acknow- 

 ledging the great similarity of structure, I cannot ignore the great 

 difft^rence of external appearance, their gorgeous plumage, neatly 

 constructed nests, and peculiar geographic distribution ; and in 

 conformity with their habits, I place them among the Tenuirostres, 

 which they thus serve to connect with the Fissirostres. 



The Hoopoes, though so widely distant from the Humming- 

 birds, are also allied in structure to another fissirostral group, the 

 Hornbills, as alluded to at p. 242 : and were a linear arrangement 

 practicable, I would have no objection to place them next their 

 fissirostral affines ; but, as we are obliged to Avork in circles (as it 

 were), I prefer placing them in the present tribe, as a veiy aberrant 

 form, and perhaps, leading from some of the American Ground- 

 creepers (FurnarincB) to the Hornbills. Some African birds that 

 appear to belong to the Hoopoes, Irrisor, have undoubted affinities 

 with the true Fromeropidoe, from which indeed they have only 

 lately been separated. 



The Creepers are generally classed apart from the previous 

 families, but are nevertheless allowed by all to be closely connected, 

 as well to some of the N ectarinidce , as to the Melaphagidce, through 

 Cliniacteris ; and they certainly are more nearly related to the 

 birds composing this tribe than to any other of the liisessorcs. 



