MELIPHAGIDAE 565 



connected ; the wings are variable in length, Mdithreptes possess- 

 ing comparatively small secondaries, Aidhornis an abruptly 

 narrowed second primary. The tail also varies in size ; it is much 

 rounded in Jlrlidectes and MeHphcyK, square in Acanthorhynchus, 

 emarginated in Antliornis, and particularly long and graduated 

 with pointed rectrices in Acnilocerc/m and ChdcUyptila — A. nobilis 

 having the median pair produced and spirally twisted, A. apicalis 

 the ends upturned. Pogonoriiis has strong rictal bristles. 



The Jli/zomeliiioe are usually habited in scarlet and black, as 

 in the Soldier-bird of Australia {-^Fyzomela sanguinolenta), with or 

 without white or yellowish below ; some, howe^'er, are chiefly or 

 entirely olive or greyish-brown, while the females generally differ 

 from the males, and the former occasionally shew red when the 

 latter do not. A second genus, Acanthorhy nch u.t , or Cobbler's Awl, 

 is brown, chestnut, huff, black, and white. In the MeUphaginae 

 the sexes are commonly alike, and exhibit a mixture of brown, 

 olive, yellow, black, white, grey, rufous, and buff ; the under parts 

 frequently, and the upper rarely, being streaked or spotted. 

 Metallic hues are rare, but Antliornis has a purplish gloss on 

 the head. Leptomis, Entomyza, Philemon, Melitograis, and Pycno- 

 pygius are instances of dusky or olive coloration with lighter 

 lower surface ; Prosfhoiiadera and C'erthionyx leucomelas are black 

 and white ; Plectrorhynclius is brown and white ; Meliphaga is 

 yellow and black, spotted and barred below. The Hawaiian 

 Acrulocerc'iis is black or brownish, with a little white on the wings 

 or tail, and possesses yellow axillary tufts and under tail-coverts, save 

 in A. hrccccatus, where the tufts are grey-buff, the tibiae are yellow, 

 the throat is barred with white, and the lower parts are streaky. 

 A. iishopi has yellow ear-tufts. Their close ally, Chaetoptila, of the 

 same islands, is light brown and yellowish above, with white spots, 

 and a black cheek-stripe ; the under surface being white with brown 

 streaks, and the rump and flanks ochreous. The neck- and breast- 

 plumage is lanceolate and decomposed. Many species of Ptilotis 

 have white or yellow ear-tufts ; the male of Pogonornis possesses 

 white erectile post-ocular feathers ; that oi Prosthemadera two gular 

 patches of curled white filamentary plumes, which give it the name 

 of Parson-bird, as well as pointed white feathers curving forward 

 from the sides of the neck. In two members of Meliornis white 

 fan-like shields spring from the cheeks ; Glycyphila cdhifrons has 

 a white circum-ocular ring ; while many forms have peculiar cheek- 



