144 
ANTHREPTES. 
Cinnyris is of its own family; and both consequently 
represent each other. One of the characters of the 
Denlirostres is to have the bill in the large majority 
of the birds composing it much stronger, and, at 
the same time, shorter than that of the Conirostres. 
This is precisely the character of Anthreptes , as al- 
ready explained, in its relation to Cinnyris : and 
in these two groups ( Anthreptes and Denlirostres) 
we have the common character of a superior strength 
in the under mandible to what we find in the two 
first groups. The greatest powers of flight, as we 
have stated in our propositions on the primary 
types of nature, are always found in the Fissir astral 
division. In proof of which we now instance Nec- 
tarinea in one column, and the s willow tribe 
( Fissirostres) in the other; in which, unlike their 
respective congeners, the wing is so much deve- 
loped that the two first quills are of equal length, 
and longer than the others. Passing on to the 
next analogical resemblance, that between Diceum 
and the Tennirostres, we find that it verifies our as- 
sertion, that the most diminutive size always occurs 
in the Tenuiroslral type, joined with a peculiar 
slenderness of bill. Now the bill of the Humming- 
birds is well known to be the most slender of all the 
Insessores. And such is truly the case with Diceum ; 
for although it is short, yet, considering the stout- 
ness of its base, the remainder of it is more slender 
in proportion than any other of the Cinnyridce. 
The wings, although equally long, perhaps, in pro- 
portion as those of Nectarinea, are yet very differ- 
