A Manual of Philippine Birds

by Richard C. McGregor

Bill slender, usually strongly decurved and tapering to the sharply pointed tip; bill as long as head or much longer, without notch or hook, but the cutting edges minutely serrated for their distal thirds; rictal bristles inconspicuous or lacking; each nostril opening covered by a large opercle; first primary less than one-half the second, the latter decidedly shorter than third which nearly equals the fourth and fifth; tail square, rounded, or strongly graduated.

Subfamilies.

• a¹. Bill and head about equal in length; sexes different in colors; plumage of male more or less metallic Nectariniinæ (p. [642])
• a². Bill at least twice as long as the head; sexes alike in colors and without metallic plumage Arachnotherinæ (p. [662])

Subfamily NECTARINIINÆ.

Genera.

• a¹. Nasal opercles covered with short feathers; rectrices long and graduated. Chalcostetha (p. [642])
• a². Nasal opercles naked; or, if feathered, the tail moderate in length and nearly square.
  • b¹. Rump bright yellow, or else the throat greenish or pale yellow.
    • c¹. Tail of males usually long and strongly graduate; central rectrices often slender and somewhat pointed and always extending beyond the feet. Æthopyga (p. [643])
    • c². Tail short and nearly square, never extending beyond the toes. Eudrepanis (p. [649])
  • b². Rump dull green, or some metallic color nearly uniform with the back; tail square, none of the rectrices narrow.
    • c¹. Much smaller; wing about 60 mm.; bill more slender and more strongly curved. Cinnyris (p. [651])
    • c². Much larger; wing about 70 mm.; bill stouter and but slightly curved. Anthreptes (p. [658])

Genus CHALCOSTETHA Cabanis, 1850.

Back, rump, and tail-coverts metallic green and purple; top of head bright metallic green; rectrices graduated; nasal opercles covered with short feathers. The last character mentioned distinguishes Chalcostetha from all nearly related genera.

652. CHALCOSTETHA CALCOSTETHA (Jardine).