by William Swainson

“ The different generic names which have been given to these birds by modern systematic writers, require some elucidation. They were originally placed by Linnæus among the Certhiæ; out of this genus Illiger formed another by the name of Nectarinia, in which he included not only these birds, but many others allied to them. From this genus of Illiger's, Cuvier separated a part under the generic appellation of Cinnyris, a genus which comprised those species of Illiger's Nectarinia only which are found in the parallels of latitude of the old world. ”

“ M. Vieillot has still further added to this unfortunate multiplicity of names, by giving that of Mellisuga to Cuvier's Cinnyris. This may truly be termed a war of words. In the meantime, as Cuvier was the first who, by giving the name of Cinnyris, designated the Sucriers of Vaillant, and those only, his definition and generic name to these birds should unquestionably supersede all others. ”