Genus— TROPIDORHYNCHUS, 
Tbopidorhynchus Vigors and Horsfield, 
Trans. Linn. Soc. (Lond.), Vol. XV., 
p. 323, Feb. 17th, 1827. Type (by sub¬ 
sequent designation) Gray, 1840, p. 16.. Merops corniculatus Latham. 
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Vigors and Horsfield wrote : “ The strong biU, with its elevated keel, and 
the nostrils oval, pervious, and situated near the middle of the beak, offers 
a very distinguishing character by which this group is known from the more 
typical Meliphagidce.” As they included cyanotis (type of EnUmyzon) in 
their group they wrote: “ Caput plus minusve nudum.” 
Gray designated the present type species, and this group is well 
characterised by the naked head and small projection on the basal half of 
the culmen. The bill is formed as in the preceding, not as in Philemon s. str., 
and the protuberance small and conical, a httle behind the nostril but over 
the nasal groove; the head and neck are naked all round, but the throat 
and chin are feathered, while on the breast long lanceolate feathers are present. 
The wing has the third, fourth and fifth primaries subequal and longest, 
the second longer than the seventh, and the first about half the length of the 
second. The tail is long and square. The legs are like those of the preceding. 
This appears to be the end of the development of the bare eye-patch first seen 
in such a species as the next and in the type of Philemon. The frontal 
protuberance has not developed as largely, but, while the head and neck 
are naked, the chin is feathered and the breast has developed long lanceolate 
feathers. 
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