﻿EXTERNAL ANATOMY. FEET OF MELIPHAGA. 147 



is seen in one genus only, and that genus is at present 

 represented but by a single species, the Oocyrhynchus oris- 

 tatus, or crested sharp bill (fig, 79«)'* The strength of 

 the whole foot, the shortness 

 of the tarsi, and the broad 

 and well curved claws clearly 

 show that this is an arboreal 

 bird; while the large size of 

 the hallux, which is fully 

 equal in length both to the 

 middle toe and to the tar- 

 sus, is almost conclusive evidence of its being scan- 

 sorial. If any other peculiarity of conformation was 

 necessary to give support to this belief, it will be found 

 in the acutely conic bill, which almost perfectly re- 

 sembles that of Yunx. In other respects the foot of 

 Oocyrhynchus is of the ordinary perching shape ; the 

 lateral toes are equal, the middle toe is not much 

 longer, and is united to the outer rather more than to 

 the inner toe. 



(127.) The feet of the Meliphagidce, or honey- 

 suckers of Australia, are generally termed scansorial, 

 although they possess only one of the characters belong- 

 ing to this type, namely, a very strong and lengthened 

 hind toe and claw, formed, however, as in ordinary 

 perchers. In every other respect the foot would in- 

 dicate (from the length of the tarsus) that these birds 

 occasionally frequented the ground, although (from the 

 inequality of the lateral toes) their chief residence was 

 among trees: this latter supposition is confirmed by 

 their habits; their food, as already intimated (53.) 

 consists of the nectar of the flowering trees of New 

 Holland, which they lick with their brush-like tongue, 

 together with such insects as frequent the same blos- 

 soms. We can readily fancy that in such situations the 

 honey-suckers would often have occasion to assume those 



* Zool. Illust. i. pi. 49. 

 L 2 



