TROPIDORHYNCHUS BUCEROIDES.
Helmeted Honey-eater.
Philedon bucero'ides, Swains. Anim. in Menag., p. 325.
Tropidorhynchus buceroides, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 125, Tropidorhynchus, sp. 2.—Bonap. Consp.
Gen. Ay. p. 390, Tropidorhynchus, sp. 9.
N o th in g is more evident than that every peculiar kind of vegetation is accompanied by a corresponding
peculiarity of animal life; be that life mammal, bird or insect. In no country are the trees and general
vegetation of so peculiar and so marked a character as in Australia; in proof of which I may cite as
instances in point, the Eucalypti and Banksice. These trees are frequented by a numerous family of birds
called Honey-eaters, among the species of which a general similarity of Structure reigns, but certain
differences in form occur, corresponding in a great measure with the different botanical groups among which
they obtain their subsistence; thus, the large Eucalypti are tenanted by the members of the genera
Anthochcera, Entomyza, and Tropidorhynchus, while the smaller species are resorted to by the Ptilotes,
Glyciphilce, Melithreptes, &c., and the Banksice afford shelter and food to Acantliogenys and the true
Meliphagce. All these birds have lengthened tongues with filamentous brush-like tips, extremely small
stomachs, and live partly on the pollen and honey which they extract from the flower-cups and partly
on the insects attracted by the nectar.
The bird here represented belongs to a genus the members of which are widely dispersed over Australia
wherever the Eucalypti abound. It may be regarded as the representative on the north coast of the Tropidorhynchus
corniculatus of the southern part of the country, for it was in the Cape York Peninsula that it was
obtained; not, however, by Mr. MacGillivray, who, I believe, mistook it for the common species, and did
not procure examples; which is much to be regretted, since the bird is so extremely rare in our collections
that I beg to direct attention to it, in the hope that, should any other expeditions visit the northern
shores of Australia, so fine a species might not be overlooked.
The Tropidorhynchus Bucero'ides differs very considerably from the T. corniculatus and every other
Australian species; these differences, which will be readily seen by reference to the accompanying Plate,
consist in its much larger size, in the great elevation of the culmen, and in the crown of the head being
clothed with feathers.
Feathers of the crown and nape brown, with pale greyish or silvery edges; all the upper surface, wings
and tail light brown; feathers of the under surface lighter brown with a silky lustre, those of the throat with
darker centres; face leaden-black; bill black ; feet blackish-brown.
The figure is of the natural size. The beautiful plant is the Stenocarpus Cunninghami.