PSOPHODES. 
in these flowers, as of the honey contained in them. It is strange that we have 
never been able to examine a tongue of these birds, although the skins are 
common. Their general appearance indicates much of the Shrike. The 
strong bristles of the rictus suggest the idea of their food being animal, and indeed 
originally induced Dr. Latham to place them with the Linnean Muscicapce. 
The integrity of the margins of the bill, on the other hand, seems to militate 
against this supposition. The extreme shortness and roundness of the wing 
again, and the long and graduated tail, are additional characters that demand 
consideration. In these characters, as well as in the length and softness of 
the feathers on the back, they approach the long -tailed American Thamnophili. 
On the whole these birds form an interesting object of research to the naturalist, 
who may have the opportunity of determining their exact station in the Order, 
by observation of their habits and characters in their native country. Until 
these points are ascertained, we leave them at the extremity of this family 
(Honey-eaters), to which they are usually referred.” 
As far as I have noted nothing elucidating the relationship of this aberrant 
group has been recorded and it is quite obvious that it has little or no close 
relationship with the birds just preceding it and very little more to the ones 
here succeeding it. 
VOL. IX. 
241 
