°rder H. PASSERES. 
Tribe II. Tenuirostres. 
Family IV. Meliphagidag 
Xh 
16 Sec °nd Subfamily, 
MELIPTIAGINiE, or Honey-eaters, 
; ave the Bin 
" niore or ^ ess l°ng and slender, with the tip slightly emarginated, and usually acute ; the 
|| °'X-' ra te an d rounded, with the fourth to the sixth quills generally the longest ; the Tarsi 
Hs v. ^ s h 01 t and strong ; the Toes moderate, with the outer toe longer than the inner, and united at 
’ ^ le toe long and strong : the claws moderate, curved, and acute. 
Meliphaga Lewin * 
Bill i 0 
aqq th s’ ra ^^ er s ^ en ^ er ) broad and elevated at the base, with the culmen and lateral margins curved, 
Cllr Ved Slt ^ CS C 01 H P rcsse( l to the tip, which is slightly emarginated and acute ; the gonys long and 
X* 1 ' 0 Tn.iTi J n ° s ^ r ^ s basal, large, in a broad membranous groove, and the opening covered by a 
th e |.p. mem branous scale. Wings moderate, with the first quill short, the second much shorter than 
l°r] r r ’ W ^ c b is rather shorter than the fourth and fifth ; these are equal and longest. Tail rather 
tha ri q sli sbtly emarginated in the middle, and graduated on the sides. Tarsi as long as, or longer 
Sorter ^ ^fiddle toe, and covered in front with transverse scales. Toes moderate, with the inner toe 
an the outer, which is united at its base : the claws long, slender, curved, and very acute. 
• The v ast 
^ that |. nt ^ nen t °f Australia contains most of the species of this genus, though a few have been discovered on the 
^ ll,1 l the 8e j ( . ° 'ts northern side. Wherever the Eucalypti and the Banksias are seen in flower, there are 
X'hey a j S Sec bi n g their principal food, which consists of the pollen and juices that abound in the flowers of those 
80 teed on the small insects that lie concealed in them, and the fruits and berries of various kinds of 
e aey Uove *uents among the branches are very active, and at the same time accompanied with a series of graceful 
s bts 0 f a ^ ® ’ !m( l their rapid and jerking flight is only extended from tree to tree. The note of these birds 
8 nft low tree w bistling noise, which however is rather melodious in some species. The nest is usually built 
iUa teri a | s - °! t* us h. It is composed of small twigs, coarse grass, moss, and strips of bark, lined interiorly with 
1 ucipally derived from plants. The eggs are generally two or three in number. 
1 0 
1 , 
to. 
7 ‘ pll n/nia \ T 
s 11 6., B of ! } ewin ’ B - of N - H P 1 - !*■> Le Vaill. Ois. 
tl, ’ '■ a Ur- ' T Austr - pi. 
i Viei>l > Ceri Latll ‘‘ > . VieilL 0is- tlor - *• 85 - — Philemon ery- 
c ° n - ined. ij (Jq aill '' cu lata Shaw ; Sylvia mystaeea Lath. 
• ) Purdus melanops Lath. ; Muscicapa novse 
hollandise Lath. Lamb. Icon. ined. ii. 40., Swains. Zool. 111. pi. 43. ; 
Type of Ptilotis Swains. (1837). 
3. M. chrysotis (Lath.) Lamb. Icon. ined. ii. 68., Vieill. Ois. dor. 
t. 84. - Certhia xanthotis Shaw, Gould, B. of Austr. pi. 
Al, ab I ,she <t by 
ess °n ri® ric klami 
Lewin 
ch-iV' 1 X 1808 (Birds of New Holland). It contains Zanthomyza and Ptilotis of Mr. Swainson (1837), the former 
40 ) i and Ar- ' , t0 Xmthomyza in 1841 ; Meliornis of G. R. Gray (1840), which is probably coequal with Strigiceps of M. 
■^wnthogenys of Mr. Gouid (1837). 
