iti INTRODUCTION.

the eyes, and below this the cheeks are covered with stiff spies; wings moderate, the first quill-feather very short

eae, )
third, fourth and fifth equal and the longest ; ¢ai/ moderate, nearly equal; feet robust, hind-toe strong and longer
than the middle one, outer toe united at its base to the middle toe ; claws hooked.

The genus Acanthogenys, of which only one species is known, is a form intermediate in size and in str

ucture
between the smaller Honey-eaters (Meliphage, Ptiloti, &c.) on the one hand, and the larger kinds (Anthochere)

on the other.

304. Acanthogenys rufogularis, Gould Vol. IV. Pl. 53,
This species is widely distributed over the interior of the southern portion of Australia, from east to west; the

sexes are alike in plumage, and the young are very similar, but are destitute of the spines on the cheek, which are

scarcely assumed during the first year. The Banksie are the trees mostly frequented by this bird, the presence of

which is indicative of sterile sandy districts.

Genus Anruocu#ra, 7g. & Horsf.

A genus peculiarly Australian, three species of which are exclusively confined to the southern or extra-tropical
parts of the country, and one to Van Diemen’s Land.

305. Anthocheera inauris, Gould

Vol. IV. Pl. 5
306. Anthocheera carunculata : : : ; : ; : : ‘ : Vola eal

VolP yeas
Wok INV, 2b

307. Anthochera mellivora

308. Anthochera lunulata, Gould

These four birds might with propriety be separated into two genera, those with auricular appendages,

A. mauris and A. carunculata, having many characters differing from those of A. mellivora and A. lunulata.

Genus Troprporuyncuus, 7g. & Horsf.

The law of representation in Australia is chiefly confined to the species inhabiting the eastern and western
coasts, but with the members of this genus it takes the opposite direction, or north and south, for more singular
and perfect representatives of each other cannot be found than are the J. corniculatus and T. citreogularis of the
south-eastern parts of the country, the 7. argenticeps and T. sordidus of the north-western. Extra Australian
species inhabit New Guinea and the neighbouring countries.
309. Tropidorhynchus corniculatus Vol. IV. Pl.
Vol DVR
WO, NY, IAL.

310. Tropidorhynchus argenticeps, Gould
311. Tropidorhynchus citreogularis, Gould

Ne Tropidorhynchus sordidus.

Inhabits the Cobourg Peninsula, and is precisely similar to 7. citreogularis, but is smaller in all its admeasure-
ments except in the bill, which is more developed.

Genus AcanTHoruyncuus, Gould.

Bill elongated, slender and acute, compressed on the sides ; tomia incurved ; culmen acute and elevated ; nostrils
basal, elongated, and covered with an operculum ; wings moderate in size and semi-rotund; first and fifth primaries
equal; the third and fourth nearly equal in length, and the longest ; tail moderate in size and slightly forked ;
tarsi lengthened and strong; middle toe long and robust, external toe exceeding the inner one in length.
This genus, like many others of the family, may be regarded as strictly Australian : it comprises two, Ce
three, well-marked species, each of which is confined to
dwelling in the eastern, and the 4. superciliosus in the western districts ; both inhabit countries precisely in the same
degree of latitude, and form beautiful representatives

a particular part of the country; the A. tenwrosirs

of each other. Van Diemen’s Land is the native habitat of