MERULID.E. 155 



Paris Museum, proves this to be a typical Oriole, differing in no respect from the 

 other species, except by the prolongation of the feathers on the back, and hinder 

 parts of the neck. Still less do the short-legged Orioles of New Holland (Mimeta, 

 Vig\) merit even a sectional distinction. The supposition that they were melipha- 

 gous, and might, therefore, possibly form a good genus, has since proved falla- 

 cious. We owe to the zealous labours of Sir W. Jardine, Bart., and Mr. Selby, 

 the recent delineation of the tongue ; which, by a reference to our Italian draw- 

 ings, we find exhibits a structure precisely similar to that of the European Oriole. 

 But a discovery of much more importance is also due to the same able ornitholo- 

 gists. This regards the superb Sericulus chrysocephalus, Sw., one of the most 

 beautiful birds in creation : this was pronounced by a naturalist, who lived in its 

 native country, to be a Honeysucker, and consequently furnished with a filament- 

 ous tongue, similar to the other birds placed by him in the same group. The accu- 

 racy of this statement we ventured to question* ; and we entered into many details 

 on the structure of the feet of meliphagous birds in general f. Whether these latter 

 remarks really possessed the novelty we conceived they did, is a matter hardly 

 worth inquiring about ; but that our views on the natural station of Sericulus 

 were founded on true principles of comparison, is now placed beyond all doubt : a 

 specimen of this species having been received in spirits, by Sir William, from New 

 Holland ; who now informs us, that the tongue has not the slightest indication of 

 the meliphagous structure ; that the bird is, in fact, an Oriole. 



The question, therefore, of Sericulus belonging to this group, is now set at 

 rest. The genus stands as a very distinct and important type ; important, inas- 

 much as it presents the first indication of the next sub-family. Hitherto we have 

 treated of groups strictly arboreal, an economy, indeed, manifestly apparent from 

 the universal shortness of the feet, joined to the strength, broadness, and great 

 curvature of the claws ; the latter peculiarities being very conspicuous, even in 

 lor a, Horsf, the only form which presents us with a greater elongation of the 

 tarsi : but, in Sericulus, this imperfect development of foot is no longer apparent ; 

 the tarsi are strong, and more elevated ; and the toes are of that size and 

 proportion always found in birds whose habits are both arboreal and terres- 

 trial. With all these deviations from the typical structure of the Oriolince, the 



* " On the characters and natural affinities of some new hirds from Australia.'* — Zool. Journal, i., p. 463 — 484. 



f In reference, apparently, to these observations, it has been said that " Mr. Lewin, in his Generic Description of 

 Meliphaga, has strongly pointed out this character.'' (Linn. Trans., xiv., p. 4070 This may doubtless be true, if 

 tuch a character as the following is sufficient to explain the peculiar structure of the feet of meliphagous birds, and 

 their adaptation to the economy of the family. "Lewin's words are four, " Toes formed for climbing." (Birds of New 

 Holland, pi. 5.) Is not this phrase equally applicable to a Cuckow, a Parrot, a Woodpecker, or to a dozen other 

 families? 



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