rioles, being
usually olive-green or brown; and in several cases these most curiously
resemble the Tropidorhynchus of the same island. For example, in the
island of Bouru is found the Tropidorhynchus bouruensis, of a dull
earthy colour, and the Mimeta bouruensis, which resembles it in the
following particulars:--The upper and under surfaces of the two birds
are exactly of the same tints of dark and light brown; the
Tropidorhynchus has a large bare black patch round the eyes; this is
copied in the Mimeta by a patch of black feathers. The top of the head
of the Tropidorhynchus has a scaly appearance from the narrow
scale-formed feathers, which are imitated by the broader feathers of the
Mimeta having a dusky line down each. The Tropidorhynchus has a pale
ruff formed of curious recurved feathers on the nape (which has given
the whole genus the name of Friar birds); this is represented in the
Mimeta by a pale band in the same position. Lastly, the bill of the
Tropidorhynchus is raised into a protuberant keel at the base, and the
Mimeta has the same character, although it is not a common one in the
genus. The result is, that on a superficial examination the birds are
identical, although they have important structural differences, and
cannot be placed near each other in any natural arrangement. As a proof
that the resemblance is really deceptive, it may be mentioned that the
Mimeta is figured and described as a honeysucker in the costly "Voyage
de l'Astrolabe," under the name of Philedon bouruensis!

Passing to the island of Ceram, we find allied species of both genera.
The Tropidorhynchus subcornutus is of an earthy brown colour washed with
yellow ochre, with bare orbits, dusky cheeks, and the usual pale
recurved nape-ruff. The Mimeta forsteni is absolutely identical in the
tints of every part of the body, the details of which are imitated in
the same manner as in the Bouru birds already described. In two other
islands there is an approximation towards mimicry, although it is not so
perfect as in the two preceding cases. In Timor the Tropidorhynchus
timoriensis is of the usual earthy brown above, with the nape-ruff very
prominent, the cheeks black, the throat nearly white, and the whole
under surface pale whitish brown. These various tints are all well
reproduced in Mimeta virescens, the chief want of exact imitation being
that the throat and breast of the Tropidorhynchus has a very scaly
appearance, being covered with rigid