Genus— MELOMYZA. 
Melomyza Mathews, Austral Ay. Rec., Vol. I., 
pt. 8, p. 196, March 20th, 1913. Type (by 
original designation) .. .. .. .. Myzomela obscura Gould. 
As differentiating this genus I simply wrote : “ Differs from Cissomela in 
having the second primary much shorter than the third.” 
Small “ Honey-eaters ” with long curved bill, long wings, long straight 
tail, and short legs with very weak feet. 
The bill is strongly curved, longer than the head, the edges of the mandibles 
towards the tips finely serrated ; nasal groove long, about one-fourth the 
length of the culmen, the nostrils appearing as linear slits, with a tliick 
operculum present, nasal bristles obsolete, and rictal bristles delicate and 
scarcely noticeable; the culmen keeled posteriorly and compressed, but 
rounded anteriorly, point sharp ; the interramal space long and feathered, 
but less than one-fourth the length of the mandible, the gonys decurved 
in agreement with upper. 
The wing is long, the third and fourth primaries subequal and longest, 
the fifth a little less, the second only about equal to the seventh ; the first 
short, less than half the length of the second, but more than one-third the 
length of the third ; secondaries long. 
The tail is long and square. 
The legs are long and slender, the tarsus in front obscurely scutellate 
in adults, six scutes clearly seen in the immature stage, bilaminate posteriorly. 
The toes are short, the hind-toe and claw of stouter build ; the claws curved 
and short; the anterior toes almost entirely separated basally, the middle 
toe and claw a little shorter than the hind-toe and claw ; the outer longer than 
the inner, and the inner toe and claw scarcely exceeding hi length the middle 
toe alone. 
VOL. XI. 
329 
