ZOOLOGICAL 



27 



The Pipits have a much wider range, indeed they are almost cosmo- 

 politan. Six genera are recognised, but the great majority of the species 

 belong to the typical one (Anthus). Only three species occur in North 

 America, one in Australia and Tasmania, and two in New Zealand. The 

 remote island of South Georgia possesses one, as do also the Chatham and 

 Antipodes Islands. Three nest commonly in Britain and four others more 

 or less frequently visit our country. 



MNIOTILTID^ (Wood-Warblers ; 223 Species). Plate 10, Map v. 



The Wood- Warblers, sometimes called » American Warblers," are con- 

 fined to the New World, and no fewer than 27 genera have been differen- 

 tiated. The genus Certhidea, with nine species peculiar to the Galapagos 

 Islands, is regarded by some authorities as belonging to the present family, 

 but is included by us in the Cc&rebidse (q.v.). Most of the species have a 

 wide range, since they migrate north and south for long distances to reach 

 their seasonal haunts. They are most plentiful in the central regions, 

 while four genera are peculiar to the West Indies and three to Central 

 America. They are mainly insectivorous in their habits, and are of a shy 

 and restless disposition. 



CERTHIIDjE (Creepers ; 48 Species). Plate 10, Map v. 



In proportion to the number of known species the Creepers have a very 

 wide range. Only five genera are distinguished, half the species belonging 

 to the typical one Certhia, including the only British representative, the 

 Common Tree-Creeper (Certhia familiar is). This is a common and generally- 

 distributed resident in these islands, while the genus in general ranges over 

 Northern Europe, Asia and America, as shown in our Map. Salpornis 

 contains two species, one Indian and the other Ethiopian, Rhabdomis has 

 three, which are confined to the Philippine Islands, while Climacteris con- 

 tains 10 species, all of which are natives of Australia and New Guinea. 

 The beautiful Wall-Creeper (Tichodroma muraria) is the sole representative 

 of the remaining genus, and ranges over the mountains of Southern Europe, 

 N.E. Africa, the Himalayas, Central Asia, and Northern China. 



MELIPHAGID^l (Honey-Eaters ; 257 Species). Plate 10, Map v. 



These interesting birds are essentially creatures of the Australian 

 Region, only one species crossing the boundary into the Oriental Region, 

 namely Stigmatops limbata, which occurs in the island of Bali. Three 

 genera are peculiar to the New Zealand Sub-region and two to the Sandwich 

 Islands. The best-known species are the " Parson-Bird " of New Zealand, 

 and the " Bell-Bird " of the same country. The latter appears to be rapidly 

 becoming extinct, and owes its popular name to the peculiar nature of its 

 song; it must not, however, be confounded with the South American birds 

 of the family Gotingidse bearing the same popular name. 



In addition to the distribution indicated on the Map, the family is 

 represented in the Auckland and Chatham Islands. 



DREPANIDIDiE (Drepanis and Allies; 39 Species). Plate 10, Map vi. 



These curious and interesting birds, of which 1 9 genera are known, are 

 entirely confined to the Hawaiian Archipelago. They haA T e some resemblance 

 to Sun-birds in general appearance, but the shape of the bill varies greatly 

 in the different genera, in some being stout and finch-like, and in othei s long, 

 curved and slender. Many of these birds possess bright and beautiful 

 colours, and they inhabit chiefly the damp hilly forests of the remote islands 

 which form their home. 



PROMEROPHXS: (Promerops ; 2 Species). Plate 10, Map vi. 



These purely South-African birds were formerly regarded as Sun-birds 

 (Nectar iniidee) but are now considered sufficiently distinct to constitute a 

 separate family. One species ranges from Cape Town to Grahamstown, 

 while the second is a native of Natal and the Eastern Transvaal. 



NECTARINIID^ (Sun-Birds ; 244 Species). Plate 10, Map vi. 



These beautiful creatures, reminding one strongly of the glorious 

 Humming-birds of the New World, are essentially Ethiopian and Oriental 

 in their distribution. Twenty-one genera are recognised, and the species 

 are almost equally divided between the two regions concerned. Small and 

 graceful, these attractive birds feed mainly on insects. They are fond of 

 honey, but do not, as a rule, hover in front of flowers in the fashion of the 

 well-known Humming-birds. A single species occurs in Syria and Palestine. 



DIC^IDwffi (Honey-Peckers ; 110 Species). Plate 10, Map vi. 



The Honey-Peckers, sometimes called "Elower -peckers," are a peculiarly 

 Oriental and Australian family, the great majority of the species belonging 

 to the typical genus Dicseum. All the species inhabiting Australia and 

 Tasmania, nine in number, belong to the genus Pardalotus, the best-known 

 form bearing the popular name of Diamond-bird (P. affinis). Honey-Peckers 

 are small insectivorous and frugivorous birds, many of them with bright 

 combinations of colour in their plumage. They frequent woods and gardens, 

 and dart about in a lively fashion after the manner of the Titmice. 



ZOSTEROPHXE (White-Eyes ; 175 Species). Plate 10, Map vi. 



The great majority of these birds are placed in a single genus Zosterops, 

 and have a wide range in the Ethiopian, Oriental, and Australian Regions, 

 but they appear to be most plentiful in the Malay Archipelago. The 

 popular name of " White-Eyes " is due to the fact that in most of the species 

 a characteristic ring of tiny white feathers surrounds the eye. The affinities 

 of the members of this family are somewhat doubtful. They have been 

 placed by ornithologists among the Honey-Eaters, Sun-Birds, and Honey- 

 Peckers, but are usually regarded at the present day as a separate family. 



SITTUXE (Nuthatches; 60 Species). Plate 11, Map i. 



The Nuthatches, of which some five genera are distinguished, have a 

 wide, but interesting, distribution. The typical genus Sitta, containing 40 

 species, includes all the Nearctic and Palaearctic forms of the family, together 

 with a few of Oriental distribution. Four species are found in Europe, one 

 of which, the Common Nuthatch (S. europsea), is a native of Britain ; and 

 one is peculiar to the Island of Corsica. Eleven species are found in North 

 America. Dendrophila is Oriental, with eight species ; Neositta and Daphseno- 

 sitta are confined to Australia and New Guinea, with ten and one species 

 respectively, while Madagascar possesses a single peculiar form, known as 

 Hypositta corallirostris. All these birds are small and non-migratory, with 

 climbing habits, and feeding on insects and nuts. 



REGULID.E (Goldcrests and Kinglets ; 27 Species). Plate 11, Map i. 



The members of this group are often regarded as a part of the great 

 Warbler family (Sylviidse), but for purposes of geographical distribution it is 

 more convenient to consider them alone. They are essentially Nearctic and 

 Palaearctic creatures, and the majority of the species belong to the typical 

 genus Regulus, which includes the two British representatives, the Goldcrest 

 (R. regulus) and the Firecrest (R. ignicapillus.) The former is a common 

 resident in and winter visitor to these islands, the latter an occasional 

 visitant. They are both inhabitants of pine forests. 



CKAM2EID1E (Wren Tits ; 4 Species). Plate 11, Map i. 



This peculiar group of birds is one of the two families which are confined 

 to the Nearctic Region. The four species known at the present day have a 

 very restricted range in Oregon and California, where they inhabit arid 

 plains and bushy hill-sides, flitting about in a wren-like fashion and feeding 

 entirely on insects. 



PARma: (Tits or Titmice; 241 Species). Plate 11, Map ii. 



Although very widely distributed, the Paridse are most numerous in the 

 Palaearctic and Oriental Regions. Twenty-four genera have been differ- 

 entiated, the chief of which are Parus, Poecile, Lophophanes and jEgiihaius. 

 They are active little birds, entirely arboreal in their habits and feeding 

 principally on insects. Half-a-dozen species are resident in Britain, the 

 Blue Tit (Parus cseruleus) being one of our most familiar birds. The Coal 

 Tit and the Marsh Tit are interesting, inasmuch as the British representa- 

 tives are regarded as distinct from those of the Continental bird, and hence 

 peculiar to our islands. The Long-tailed Tits (Acredula) and the Crested 

 Tits (Lophophanes) are worthy of special mention, as are also the members 

 of the genus Anthoscopus, which are confined to Tropical and South Africa, 

 the purely Australian Aphelocephala and Sphenostoma, and the genus 

 Certhijoarus, with one species, confined to New Zealand. 



LANIID^: (Shrikes ; 354 Species). Plate 11, Map ii. 



The Shrikes are a group of variable character and hence difficult to 

 define. Over 30 genera are differentiated, and these are arranged in four 

 sub-families. The first sub-family comprises about two dozen species,, 

 including the so-called Piping-Crows (Gymnorhina). With the exception of 

 one Bornean species and about four in the Papuan Islands, all these are 

 confined to Australia and Tasmania. The second sub-family is the typical 

 one, including the true Shrikes or Butcher-Birds, of which four have a 

 place in the British avifauna, though one only breeds in this country. The 

 true Shrikes are principally Palaearctic, Oriental and Ethiopian, but they 

 include also seven species which inhabit North America, and which are 

 remarkable as being the only representatives of the family in the New 

 World. The third sub-family (Malaconotinse) includes 12 genera and 100' 

 species entirely confined to Africa, while the last sub-family is purely- 

 Oriental and Australian, with eight genera and 119 species, most of whicb 

 belong to the genus Pachycephala. 



AEROCHARID.E (Helmet-Bird ; 1 Species). Plate 11, Map ii. 



This family is founded for the reception of a single remarkable species- 

 inhabiting Madagascar, and formerly bearing the name of Euryceros 

 prevosti. The generic name has been quite recently altered to Aerocharis 

 in conformity with the rules of priority. Known popularly as the Helmet- 

 Bird, this singular creature is clothed in black and chestnut plumage, and 

 possesses a swollen, compressed, steely-blue beak. 



PRIONOPIDJE (Wood-Shrikes; 98 Species). Plate 11, Map iii. 



The Prionopidse are closely allied to the true Shrikes (Laniidse) and by 

 some authors regarded as only of sub-family rank. They are arranged in 

 16 genera, and the species are natives of the Oriental, Ethiopian and 

 Australian Regions. About a quarter of the known species are found in 

 Africa, while II are natives of Australia proper, and they inhabit Southern 

 Asia and the Malay Islands. 



VANGIDJE (Vanga, &c. ; 13 Species). Plate 11, Map iii. 



This small group of birds is confined to the island of Madagascar. Six 

 genera have been separated, all of which are related to the Shrikes and 

 appear to represent this group in the Malagasy Sub-region. 



