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Show 1879.] MR. W. A. FORBES ON THE GENUS MYZOMELA. 257 and subequal, the 6th longer than the 7th, which about equals the The tarsi are about as long as the bill, rather slender, and covered with 6-7 scales in front, the lower ones being the smallest and transverse. The 2nd and 4th toes are very slender, about equal in length, and shorter than the 3rd. The hallux is unusually stout for the size of the bird. The tail has 12 feathers, is short, and nearly square. Most of the species have more or less red in their plumage ; but this colour is altogether absent in some, and becomes only a slight tint, confined to the margins of the feathers, particularly of the head, wings, and tail, in others. As yet our knowledge of the phases and changes of plumage is by no means perfect. In one group (e. g. in M. sangui-nolenta and its allies, including M. nigrita) the females seem to retain throughout life the brown plumage of immaturity, whilst in others (e. g. M. nigriventris, obscura, &c.) the adults of each sex are similar. In most cases the first plumage seems to be nearly uniform brown, lighter beneath, with the wing-coverts lighter at the edges, and the quills margined externally with olive-yellow. Throughout the group there is seen a great tendency to retain these markings on the wings, as likewise a white margin on the inner web of the primaries. The eggs seem to be generally whitish or buff, spotted with darker, red or yellow. According to Gilbert (Gould, Handb. B. A. i. p. 558) M. nigra, like many other species of Meliphagidse, lays only two eggs. The nests are small and cup-shaped, rather flimsily constructed of grass-stems, hair, spiders' webs, & c , and often placed in the fork of a tree or bush. In their habits the Myzomelce seem to resemble the other smaller Honeysuckers, frequenting flowering shrubs and trees, not apparently so much for the sake of the nectar of the flowers, as for the insects attracted thereby. But one or two species of this genus, which is perhaps most nearly allied to Acanthorhynchus, but distinguishable by its longer beak and different coloration, were known to the older authors. Bonaparte, in his 'Conspectus' (p. 394, 1850), enumerates 9, one of which, however (Certhia sanguinea, Gmel.), is & Drepanis, whilst M. eques is omitted. Gray (Hand-1. B. i. p. 153, 1869) gives 17, though here again M. eques is omitted, being included as " Cosmeteira eques" amongst the Nectariniidse (no. 1337). In the present paper 26 species, including two new ones, are recognized as distinct, besides one other which remains doubtful. Of these 26 species, 24 are known to m e autoptically. Of the two which I have not seen, one (M. lafargii) is unique in the Paris Museum, the other (M, rubro-tincta) has lately been described from specimens at Leyden by Count Salvadori. The collection in the British Museum, that made by the ' Challenger,' and the specimens in the collections of Mr. Sclater and Messrs. Salvin and Godman have formed the basis of my present paper. In addition to these I have to thank Canon Tristram, F.R.S., Dr. A. B. Meyer, and Count Salvadori for the very liberal way in which they have lent m e valuable series of specimens. To the" two P R O C . Z O O L . Soc-1879, No. XVII. 17 |