» s Ss ee Al» 
144 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. ~~ 
and regia, with those of the neighbouring- group of 
honeysuckers (Meliphage), the resemblance is suffi- 
ciently strong to believe it is one of affinity, On the 
other hand, it must be remembered that the genus 
Paradisea of Linnean ornithologists, and of most 
subsequent writers, is an artificial group, formed of 
those birds whose plumage is the most extraordinary. 
or magnificent, without sufficient regard to other parts” 
of their structure. Thus, the Paradisea aurea was 
most judiciously considered by Linneus a true oriole, 
while the Paradisea gularis proves to belong to the 
starlings (Sturnide). The difficulties attending a know-— 
ledge of these superb creations are, indeed, very great. 
Restricted to a few small and remote islands of the Indian 
Ocean, whose inhabitants are almost cannibals, these 
splendid skins only reach us through the Chinese 
traders, mutilated, and dried upon sticks. All writers, 
it is true, have placed the Paradise birds in the same 
order with the crows: but this argument, taken by 
itself, is of little value ; since there is an evident 
connection between the hoopoes and the Paradise birds, 
and again with these latter and the rifle-bird of New 
Holland (Ptiloris paradiseus, Sw.): the whole aspect, 
indeed, of this latter genus is that of a long-billed 
Paradise bird ; while its legs, which are very short, are 
of that peculiar structure which belongs to the family 
we shall now enter upon. 
(163.) The Meliphagide, or honeysuckers, are 
distinguished from all the preceding families by 
their notched bill; the tongue is also terminated by a 
bunch of delicate filaments; and the hind toe is so 
strong and robust, that it serves as a powerful sup- 
port to the bird during the process of feeding: on 
this particular structure we have already offered more 
detailed observations.* It is sufficient here to mention, 
that, from this kind of tongue having been confounded " 
with the ciliated form seen in the orioles and other birds, 
several errors have arisen. Some of the natural groups, 
* Zool. Journ. vol. i, p. 480. i 
ets 
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