26 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
[EAST. ZOOL, 
wasps, which they prey upon with impunity. They are only found in 
the Old World and Australia. 
In the other groups of this division the outer toes are generally shorter 
than the middle one, and they are only connected together to the base 
of the first joint. 
The Tenuirostral Birds have slender, compressed, and frequently 
arched bills, and their tongue is often divided at the tip into numerous 
filaments, and is used for sucking up the honey from the nectaries of 
flowers. The hind toes and claws are generally much larger than the 
rest. They are chiefly confined to warm climates. 
f The family of Hoopoes (Upupid.®, Case 43) have an elongated 
cdrved beak, with the nostrils covered with feathers, directed forwards. 
They have much the habit and appearance of the Crows. The 
Hoopoes live on insects which they seek for on the ground, also on fruits, 
and the Promerops upon the honey of flowers. They are inhabitants- 
of the warmer parts of the world, and some are singular for the form 
and beauty of their plumage. 
The family of Sun Birds (Nectartnid^s, Case 43) are small birds 
with arched bills, the males of which have most brilliant metallic 
coloured plumage, their food consists of the nectar of flowers, which 
they obtain by means of their filamentous or forked tongue. Others 
feed on spiders. The Sun Birds ( Nectar mince) are from Africa, Asia, 
and the Pacific ocean ; they have the bill lengthened, arched, and finely 
toothed on the edge, with the tip entire. The Ccerebidce inhabits South 
America, the bill in general shorter than the head, with the tip distinctly 
notched. 
The family of Humming Birds (Trochilid^:, Case 44) have long, 
very slender bills, and long tongues, which they have the power of 
darting forward with great force, like the Woodpeckers. They prey 
chiefly on insects, and one genus (the Spider-Eaters) almost ex¬ 
clusively on spiders. Their small size and brilliant plumage have long 
rendered them celebrated. Found only in the New World. The 
Lamporince have the bill lengthened, straight, or slightly bent. The 
PhoetornincB have the bill nearly straight, and the tail wedge-shaped. 
They are less brilliant than the other species. The Trockilidce have 
the bill more or less lengthened, very straight. 
The family of Honeysuckers, (Mel-PHaguee, Case 45,) which are 
peculiar to New Holland and the neighbouring islands, are generally of 
a dull black or olive colour, with compressed subulate beaks, with the 
tongue terminated with a pencil of hairs. Their food consists of the 
pollens of the Eucalypati, insects, and fruits. They deposit their eggs 
in cup-shaped nests, placed in the fork of a small branch near the 
ground. The Honey-creepers ( Myzomelince , Case 45) have very slen¬ 
der arched bills. The Honey-eaters ( Meliphaginoe. , Case 45) have the 
bill compressed, arcuated throughout its length, and dentated towards 
the tip. The Melithreptina (Case 45) have a short subconic bill, 
which is considerably compressed on the sides, and slightly arched from 
the base to the tip, which is dentated. 
The family of Creepers ( Certhiad^e, Cases 46 and 47) are generally 
of a dull brown colour, and agree in many characters with the In¬ 
sectivorous Birds, especially the Warblers. They mostly peck at the 
