. MELIPHAGIDA. — CINNYRIDA. 145 
however, have been pointed out by Messrs. Horsfield 
and Vigors*, but, from a deficiency of analysis, their 
combinations do not appear to be natural: the attempt, 
however, deserves much praise ; for it is advisable, at 
all times, to point out prominent distinctions in the 
first instance, before we venture on tracing the 
filum ariadneum of nature. As our own views of 
the natural arrangement of the Meliphagide will be 
seen in another part of the volume, we shall here only 
take a rapid view of such groups as we include in this 
family. The typical genera are small or middle sized 
birds ; but some of those which are aberrant grow much 
larger. In the genus Philedon Cuv.,. the head is 
nearly bare of feathers, and the neck is surrounded with 
a ruff somewhat similar to that of the vultures ; their 
size is nearly equal to that of the jay; the claws are 
strong and acute; and, as these birds are said to chase 
others of a small size, one would almost imagine they 
represented the rapacious order. In what appears to 
be the rasorial form of the typical genus, we have the 
wattles of a gallinaceous bird ; while the Htourneaux 
verdatre of the Paris Museum seems to be a true honey- 
sucker, disguised as a starling. ‘These and many other 
Most curious analogies are only so many indications 
that the Meliphagide contain types of every order and 
iribe throughout ornithology ; while the existence of such 
a singular form as Ptiloris paradiseus, already adverted 
‘to, leads to the suspicion that the family may be truly 
connected with the hoopoes, so as to unite the aberrant 
divisions of the whole tribe into one circular group. 
Having now slightly touched upon the three aberrant 
families of the Tenuirostres, we may proceed to those 
more typical, in which the characteristic distinctions are 
fully developed. 
(164.) The subtypical family is composed of the 
Cinnyride, or sunbirds, so.called by the natives of 
Asia in allusion to their splendid and shining plumage: 
between this family and the last the affinity is obvious ; 
* Linn. Trans. xv. 311. 
VOL. Il. L 
