Genus — S M I C R 0 RNI S. 
Smicrornis Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.), 
1842, p. 133, February 1843. Type (by 
monotypy) ... ... ... Smicrornis flavescens Gould. 
Subsmicrornis Campbell and others, Emu, Vol. 
XII., pt. 3, Suppl., p. 15, January 1913. 
Type (by monotypy) ... S. b. flavescens Gould. 
Very small Gerygonine birds with short stumpy bills, short wings, medium 
tail and small legs and feet. 
The bill is very short and stout, the tip slightly decurved and faintly 
notched : the culnien keeled, the nasal groove almost half the length of the 
bill, the nostrils linear. 
The wing is rounded, the first primary small, less than half the length of 
the second which is about equal to the eighth and less than the seventh, which 
is a little shorter than the sixth ; the third, fourth, fifth and sixth being 
subequal and longest. 
The tail is fairly long and square. 
The legs are comparatively long but slender, the feet small and weak. 
The short bill in this genus makes it the most aberrant of the series, which, 
though ranging throughout Australia, are absent from Tasmania. The series 
will probably be later granted family rank as they seem isolated, and well 
differentiated from their nearest allies in the “ family Muscicapidce .” Whether 
this represents the primitive form as to bill features or not cannot be at 
present ascertained, but the apparently best characterised species tend to 
have long bills. 
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