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Show 256 MR. W. A. FORBES ON THE GENUS MYZOMELA. [Mar. 4, 4. A Synopsis of the Meliphagine Genus Myzomela, with Descriptions of two new Species. By W . A. FORBES, "P 7 S [Eeceived February 26, 1879.] (Plates XXIV. & XXV.) The genus Myzomela1 was instituted by Messrs. Vigors and Horsfield in their paper on Australian birds in the Linnean Society's 'Transactions' for 1826 (vol. xv. p. 316, note), Myzomela sangui-nolenta, Lath, (for M. cardinalis, G m . apud Vig. & Horsf. I. c, is clearly not that species, but the smaller Australian one), being the type. Lesson(Traite d'Orn. p. 298) in 1831 established a "sous-genre Phylidonyris, in which were included Certhia sanguinolenta, Cinnyris rubrater, and Cinnyris eques ; but this name must be, as he himself observes, regarded as merely a synonym of Myzomela. Reichenbach in 1851 (Handb. d. spec. Orn. p. 283) made Cinnyris eques the type of a new genus Cosmeteira, which he included amongst the Nectariniidae, its dull colours, with no metallic gloss, being apparently the chief reason for the separation. This species, bow-ever, in tongue, bill, feet, and, in fact, in all points is a true Myzomela, though it has been included amongst the Nectariniidse till within the last few years by most writers. On similar grounds of divergent coloration, Bonaparte separated M. pectoralis2 under the name Cissomela (C. R. xxxviii. p. 264, 1854) ; but as no generic characters whatever are given, this name falls to the ground, even if any structural differences in the bird exist, which as yet I have been unable to discover. Myzomela is characterized by its Meliphagine tongue, rather short, narrow, and slender curved bill, which is depressed and broadened at the base, rounded and compressed anteriorly, and there finely serrulated on its cutting margins. The nostrils are linear and curved, extending for almost one third of the length of the bill, and covered in by a conspicuous opercular membrane. The wings are moderately long, the "first"3 primary short, the 3rd to 5th longest 1 Hv^tD, I suck in, /xeXi, honey; hence Myzomela. 2 Although Bonaparte expressly states " Myzomela nigra, Gould, est pour moi le type du nouveau genre Cissomela," yet it is evident from his description, " Subtus cum uropyyio alba, torque pectorali nigro," that M. pectoralis was intended ! 3 I have here adopted the system of notation for the remiges generally in use amongst ornithologists. But would it not be better, as is usually done in otber cases of serially-repeated homologous organs, to begin counting from the proximal rather than from the distal end of the series ? At present, if a bird, for instance a Passerine, be said to have a " long first primary," two things may be meant:-either that the bird has only nine primaries, the true " first" (or tenth) being absent, and the (morphologically) "second" (or ninth) being of the ordinary length (as, e. g., a Finch, or Drepanis); or that there are ten primaries, with the "first" (tenth) fully developed, as is the case in the " Formi-carioid " Passeres of Wallace. This ambiguity would be avoided by counting the feathers from the end nearest the humerus; for any Passerine with a long "tenth" primary could then only be a " Formicarioid." |