NECTARINIADiE. 225 



The suctorial birds derive their subsistence for the 

 most part from the nectar of flowers ; they are of 

 delicate and slender form and of various and brilliant 

 plumage : they are exclusively confined to the torrid 

 zone and the southern hemisphere, the species of 

 one family being chiefly indigenous to the extensive 

 continent of New Holland. Their natural divisions 

 are not satisfactorily determined, but Mr. Vigors 

 suspects that they may be pointed out, as in the fol- 

 lowing Order. 



D 7 i 7 1 J rCiNNYRiD^, Vigors. 



Beak and legs slender . , . < . 



LTRocHiLiDyE, Vigors. 



i Promeropid^ ? Vigors. 

 Beak and legs rather stout . n Meliphagid^e ? Vigors. 



Nectariniad^? Vigors. 



FAMILY I.— NECTARINIAD^? 



Rostrum mediocre, subforte, arcuatum, compressum, acutum : 



nares ovatce : lingua bifida : pedes suhforti. 

 BeaJc moderate, somewhat strong, bent, compressed, acute : 7ioS' 



trils ovate : tongue bifid : legs rather stout. 



The Nectariniadae are confined to the New World, 

 and appear to hold an intermediate rank between 

 the Certhiadae and the typical groups of the present 

 family : they do not climb, but hop from floAver to 

 flower, exploring the nectary of each. 



VOL. XIV. p. I. 



