TROPIDORHYNCHUS BUCEROIDES. 
Helmeted Honey-eater. 
Philedon buceroides, Swains. Anim. in Menag., p. 325. 
Tropidorhynchus buceroides, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 125, Tropidorhynchus, sp. 2. — Bonap. Consp. 
Gen. Av. p. 390, Tropidorhynchus , sp. 9. 
Nothing is more evident than that every peculiar kind of vegetation is accompanied by a corresponding 
peculiarity of animal life ; be that life mammal, bird or insect. In no country are the trees and general 
vegetation of so peculiar and so marked a character as in Australia ; in proof of which I may cite as 
instances in point, the Eucalypti and Banks ice. These trees are frequented by a numerous family of birds 
called Honey-eaters, among the species of which a general similarity of structure reigns, but certain 
differences in form occur, corresponding in a great measure with the different botanical groups among which 
they obtain their subsistence; thus, the large Eucalypti are tenanted by the members of the genera 
Anthochcera , Entomyza, and Tropidorhynchus , while the smaller species are resorted to by the Ptilotes, 
Glycipliilce , Melithreptes, See., and the Banks'us afford shelter and food to Acanthogenys and the true 
Melipliagce. All these birds have lengthened tongues with filamentous brush-like tips, extremely small 
stomachs, and live partly on the pollen and honey which they extract from the flower-cups and partly 
on the insects attracted by the nectar. 
The bird here represented belongs to a genus the members of which are widely dispersed over Australia 
wherever the Eucalypti abound. It may be regarded as the representative on the north coast of the Tropi- 
dorhynchus corniculatus of the southern part of the country, for it was in the Cape York Peninsula that it was 
obtained ; not, however, by Mr. MacGillivray, who, I believe, mistook it for the common species, and did 
not procure examples ; which is much to he regretted, since the bird is so extremely rare in our collections 
that I beg to direct attention to it, in the hope that, should any other expeditions visit the northern 
shores of Australia, so fine a species might not be overlooked. 
The Tropidorhynchus Buceroides differs very considerably from the T. corniculatus and every other 
Australian species ; these differences, which will he readily seen by reference to the accompanying Plate, 
consist in its much larger size, in the great elevation of the culmen, and in the crown of the head being 
clothed with feathers. 
Feathers of the crown and nape brown, with pale greyish or silvery edges ; all the upper surface, wings 
and tail light brown ; feathers of the under surface lighter brown with a silky lustre, those of the throat with 
darker centres; face leaden-black; bill black ; feet blackish-brown. 
The figure is of the natural size. The beautiful plant is the Stenocarpus Cunninghami. 
