418 
APPENDIX. 
[B. 
meliphagous, such as the Meliphaga cyanops^ I.ewiii^, [Gra- 
culine Honey-eater, Lath. Syn. iv. 166. sp. Ed. 2da.] 
and others allied to it, and which differ little from the bird 
before us, have so many external relations with the Orioles^ 
that they probably would be found to arrange themselves in 
the same family with them, were it not for the totally dif- 
ferent structure of their tongue, and the consequent difference 
in their habits of life. Of the tongue, or mode of feeding of 
the bird at present before us, I can myself say nothing de- 
cisively, not having had leisure or opportunity, as I have 
already observed, of attending to the more interesting details 
of Natural History during the expedition. But general opi- 
nion places this bird among the groups that feed by suction; 
and as I have a second species hitherto undescribed, which 
is closely allied to it, I prefer forming both provisionally 
into a new genus, to referring them to one, from which, al- 
though they agree with it in external appearance, they may 
be totally remote, in consequence of their internal anatomy 
and habits of life. The error at least will not be so great, 
and may be easily retrieved. If the tongue of my birds 
be found to accord with that of the Orioles, and not of the 
Honey^suckers, my group of course must fall. 
Genus MIMETES t. 
Rostrum forte, subarcuatum, subcultratum, mandibulis utrisque 
apice emarginatis ; naribus basalibus, lateralibus, subovalibus, mem^ 
brano partim tectis. 
Lingua ad sugendum idonea ? 
AI(b mediocres, rotundatse ; remige 1“"^ brevissim^ ; 2*^® et 6‘^ 
* Birds of New Holland, pi. iv. 
t Mimetes, from imitator ,* [assuming the appearance of a 
different group.] 
