This family forms a connecting-link between the nine-primaried
and the ten-primaried Passeres, some of the genera possessing
nine of these feathers, and others ten. They all have twelve tail-
feathers. The nostrils are covered by a large oval process leaving
a lunar aperture ; the rictal bristles are short, but the naral bristles
are sometimes greatly developed. The tail is always short, and
the tarsus is never lengthened.
The Flower-peckers are remarkable for the beauty of their nests, which are frequently pear-shaped, and suspended 'from a branch. The eggs are invariably white except in Piprisoma, in which they are spotted.
Key to the Genera.
a. With nine primaries, the first reaching to the tip of the wing. a'. Bill slender ; the lower line of the inferior mandible almost straight . . DICTUM, p. 375. //. Bill thick ; lower mandible swollen ; its lower edge much angulate. a". Tail rounded; nostrils covered by long hairs ACMONOBHYNCHUS, p. 381. b". Tail square ; nostrils perfectly bare of hairs PIPRISOMA, p. 382. b. Wing with ten primaries, the first one small, c'. First primary about equal to the tarsus PBIONOCHILUS, p. 384. (I '. First primary not longer than the hind toe PACHYGLOSSA, p. 386.
Genus DICJEUM, Cuvier, 1817.
The genus Dicceum contains eight species of Indian birds, which are characterized by the possession of nine primaries and a slender bill with the lower line of the inferior mandible nearly straight. In Dicceum the males of many of the species are brightly coloured, and in these cases the sexes differ in coloration ; in other species they are more dully coloured and the sexes are alike. They are all without exception of very small size. They frequent trees, generally at a considerable height above the ground, and feed both on insects and small berries. Their nests are beautiful structures made of the finest and most delicate materials, egg-shaped, and suspended from the tip of a branch. They all lay white eggs, so far as is known.
Key to the Species.
>me red in it.
a'.* Whole upper plumage crimson .... D. cruentatum tf , p. 376. a. Upper plumage with some red in it. a'. Whole upper pi b'. Rump only crimson" D. cruentatum $, p. 370. c'. Back and rump bright orange-red . . D. triyonostigma tf , p. 377. d'. Rump only pale orange-red , . D. triyonostigma $ , p. 377.
