Voluta pinguis. _Dill._ 516. 36.

No family of sh.e.l.ls possess characters more strikingly obvious to common observers than the Olives; and yet, although in our English terminology no one would ever think of calling them _Volutes_, we still shrink from giving them that distinguishing appellation in Latin which we every day use and acknowledge in our own language. The strict followers of Linnaeus, by thus rejecting generic distinctions, which at once convey a definite idea of form and structure, contribute to render systematic arrangement less expressive of ideas than the common nomenclature of our sale catalogues: a striking proof of the pertinacity with which we cherish those particular doctrines we first imbibed, although an unbia.s.sed reasoning and an attentive observance of nature would convince us of their fallacy.

The great Linnaeus, at the time he formed that system which laid the foundation of systematic nomenclature, had not the materials for gathering and combining those natural genera which the immense discoveries made since his death have given us a knowledge of. He accordingly arranged those few sh.e.l.ls known to him, in large, and for the most part natural, groups. That of _Voluta_ I consider as one of these last (excepting the first division); but the great accession of species now known, and which is still increasing, has long ago induced the princ.i.p.al Continental writers to divide this very extensive family into the following genera: _Marginella_ (Date sh.e.l.ls), _Oliva_ (Olives), _Mitra_ (Mitres), _Turbinellus_ (Turnip sh.e.l.ls), _Voluta_ (Volutes), ...; all possessing not only clear but natural characters; inasmuch as, by such an arrangement, those interesting links and ramifications that connect this family with the _Bullae_, _Cones_, _Cowries_, _Murices_, and other genera, can be traced; and which perhaps affords the most fascinating and intellectual source of contemplation and study the science can bestow.

The peculiarity of this species will distinguish it among this numerous and intricate family. The basal suture is deeply channeled; those on the spire covered by the polished callosity which spreads from the inner lip.

Mr. Dillwyn has adopted the unpublished name of Solander, although the sh.e.l.l had long ago been described and named by Martini and Lamarck. I consider this as contrary to that principle of nomenclature which awards a preference to priority of publication; and I have therefore restored the name of those authors who have this undoubted claim. Mr. Dillwyn's description is very clear and good.

I cannot learn from what particular part of Brazil this species has been received.

Pl. 43

[Ill.u.s.tration]

MELLIPHAGA auricomis,

_Yellow-tufted Honeysucker._

GENERIC CHARACTER.

(_Melliphaga_, Lewin.)

_Rostrum mediocre, capite plerumque longius, gracile, curvatum, ac.u.minatum, attenuatum, ad basin altius quam latius, lateribus compressis; culmine carinato. Mandibula superior ad apicem emarginata; inferior lateribus compressis. Nares concavae ad medium rostri porrectae, membrana tectae, inter rictum et apicem longo fissu aperientes. Lingua longa, extensibilis, fibris cartilaginosis terminata. Pedes simplices, digito exteriore connexo, halluce pervalido._

Obs. _Cauda rectricibus_ 12, _remigibus_ 1 _et_ 2 _spuriis; rostri margine aliquando subtilissime dentato._

Typus Genericus _Certhia Novae Hollandiae_ Lath.

Bill moderate, generally somewhat longer than the head, slender, curved, pointed and ac.u.minated, the base higher than broad, the sides compressed, the top carinated; upper mandible notched at the tip, the under mandible laterally compressed. Nostrils concave, near half the length of the bill, covered by a membrane, opening by a long slit midway between the gape and tip. Tongue long, extensible, terminated by cartilaginous fibres. Feet simple; outer fore-toe connected; hind-toe very strong.

Obs. Tail-feathers twelve, first and second quills spurious; margin of the bill sometimes minutely toothed.

Generic Type _New Holland Creeper_ Lath., &c.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_M. olivaceo fusca; vertice corporeque subtus flavescentibus; temporibus auribusque nigris; gula et pennis elongatis pone aures flavis._

Olive-brown: crown of the head and body beneath yellowish; temples and ear-feathers black; throat and lengthened feathers behind the ears yellow.

Muscicapa auricomis. M. olivacea, vertice corpore subtus maculaque aurium flavis, per oculos striga alba. _Lath. Ind. Orn. vol._ 2.

_Suppl._ xlix. 1. _Gen. Zool._ 10. 2. _p._ 354.

Yellow-tufted Flycatcher. _Lath. Suppl._ 2. 215. _no._ 4. _Gen. Zool._ 10. 2. 354.

The Yellow-tufted Honeysucker, although described by Latham, has. .h.i.therto remained unfigured; and I therefore select it as an excellent example of a tribe of birds which I think are peculiar to Australasia, and which seem to hold the same situation among the birds of that vast country as the Humming-birds occupy in South America, and the Sun-birds (_Cinnyris_, Cuvier) in Africa and India; all of which more or less derive their sustenance from the nectar of flowers, and which they extract on the wing by means of their long tubular tongues.

It is singular, that while our first ornithological writers were distributing the numerous species of these birds in their systems, under such of the Linnaean genera as they thought most adapted for their reception, a naturalist of a remote colony should be the first who, by creating a new genus, brought them all into their proper situation in systematic arrangement; one of the many proofs that Nature, and Nature only, is to be studied; and that no system, however ingenious or however applauded, can be considered as infallible.

By an error (no doubt of the press) in the specific character of this bird in Latham's Index, the eye stripe is called _white_, though in the description it is termed black. Mr. Stephens has copied this error into "General Zoology;" and his description of this bird, as well as numberless others, seems merely an abridgement or alteration of Latham's; a practice highly detrimental to science; for, when an original description cannot be obtained, it is much better, and safer, to copy without disguise that of another.

How far all the birds included by Temminck in this genus really belong to it, admits of very great doubt; I have therefore constructed the generic character from those birds of New Holland only which Lewin, who founded the genus, must have had before him.

Total length seven inches and a half; bill seven-tenths, the frontal feathers advancing half its length to the nostrils; those of the ears are lengthened, but the yellow tuft behind them is much more so; the feathers of the chin are small, thick-set, and ending in fine setaceous hairs curved outwards; the breast and body pale brownish-yellow. Quills and tail dark-brown, margined with deep-yellowish; the two lateral tail-feathers tipt with dirty white; plumage above olive-brown; front and crown of the head dark brownish-yellow; bill black; legs brownish, inner-toe very deeply cleft. Tail, from the rump, three inches and a half long, and slightly rounded.

Latham, who first described this bird, says, "it makes its nest on the extreme pendent branches of low trees or shrubs, and by this means escapes the plunder of smaller quadrupeds." It appears not uncommon in New South Wales.

Pl. 44

[Ill.u.s.tration]

PTEROGLOSUS sulcatus,

_Grooved-bill Aracari._

GENERIC CHARACTER.

_Rostrum capite longius, cra.s.sum, inane, cultratum, basali margine incra.s.satum, maxillae angulo frontali obtuso; tomia serrata: nares superae in maxillae basi: lingua angusta, pennacea. Cauda elongata, cuneata. Pedes scansorii._ Illiger. Prod. p. 202.

Typus Genericus _Ramph. Aracari_ Linn.

Bill longer than the head, thick, light, curved, thickened at the basal margin, the frontal angle obtuse, the margins serrated. Nostrils nearly vertical, situated on the base of the bill. Tongue long, slender, feathered. Tail elongated, cuneated. Feet scansorial.

Generic Type _Aracari Toucan_ Lath.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_P. viridis, subtus pallidior; jugulo albescente, circa oculos caeruleus; rostrum duobus sulcis longitudinalibus incisum._