NEOPHILEMON. 
arched, tip sharp, posteriorly notched, culmen semi-keeled, a little broader 
at the base. The nasal depression long, nearly half the length of the bill; the 
nostrils small ovals placed anteriorly in a depression; short bristles on the 
nasal depression; no rictal bristles. The lower mandible is a little decurved, 
basaUy straight, and the long narrow interramal space extends neai-ly half 
the length of the bill and is feathered. The tail is long and square. The long 
Aving has the third, fourth, fifth and .sixth primaries subequal and longest, 
the second shorter than the eighth but longer than the secondaries, the first 
primary short but more than half the length of the second. The legs are 
short and stout, the front of the tarsus showing five strong scutes, the back 
bilaminate ; the anterior toes long and slender, the hind-toe and claw very 
long and very stout, longer than the middle toe ; the inner toe less than the 
outer, but with claw longer than the middle toe alone, the claws long and 
slender. 
The type of Neophilemon differs at sight in its shorter, deeper, strongly 
keeled biU, which bears basally a protuberance which extends from above the 
nostrils backwards to above the gape. Two fine photographs by Cornwall, 
published in the Emu, Vol. XV., pis. XLV. (p. 258) and XLVi. (p. 260), show 
this bin excellently. The head is feathered, but there is an extensive bare 
eye-patch and a bare patch on the back of the neck, while the breast feathers 
are not pointed to any degree. 
The species argenticeps is slightly smaller than buceroides but has the 
same shaped biU with a similar but shorter protuberance on the basal portion 
of the culmen, beginning behind the nostril and ending in front of the gape. 
The back of the neck is feathered and the breast feathers are lanceolate. 
The wing formula is a little different, the third, fourth and fifth primaries 
subequal and longest, the sixth a httle less, the second longer than the eighth, 
and the first equal to half the length of the second. The tail is long and 
square. The feet are weaker though of the same construction throughout. 
These species have been placed in the next genus, Tropidorhynchm, which 
differs in its stiU smaUer protuberance and bare head; but as the immature 
of TropidorJiynchus has a feathered head this must be regarded as a fixed 
stage in the evolution of TropidorJiynchus, but these must be separated from 
true Philemon from the different feathering at the base of the bid. 
VOL. XII. 
97 
