

MELIPHAGA LEUCOTIS. 



centre of each feather black. The throat, upper parts of the breast, sides 

 of the head, and a stripe behind the eyes, black, tinged with blackish-grey ; 

 the auricular feathers are pure silvery white, and form an oval patch un- 

 derneath and behind each eye. The rest of the plumage is yellowish oil- 

 green, much paler on the under parts, and on the centre of the belly ap^ 

 proaching nearly to chrome-yellow. The inner webs of the quills and tail- 

 feathers are brownish-black ; the tips of the latter are whitish. 



The two species we have now figured, with the M. Nova Hollandia;, 

 M. auricomis, &c. are the forms to which we would restrict the genus Mel- 

 liphaga, throwing out of it the strong species, and also those with very 

 slender and attenuated bills. Those that would be thus retained form a 

 very decided and well marked group, confined entirely to New Holland : 

 they agree nearly in size ; the colours running through the whole are 

 shades of yellowish-green and brown, yellow, black and white, which, in 

 their distribution or markings, also correspond ; and in every species the au- 

 ricular feathers are considerably more than the ordinary length, of a loose 

 but silky texture, and in some species nearly an inch in length. It is also 

 worthy of remark, that these feathers are always of a distinct and paler co- 

 lour, generally white or yellow, and form a decided patch in the male birds. 

 Most of the species seem very common in their native country We sel- 

 dom meet with a collection from New Holland without several specimens 

 in it, and most collections possess them. 





