meliority (melyoriti)

[ This colour of meliority and preeminence is a signe of enervation and weakne . Bacon, Colours of Good and Evil. Meliphaga (mē-lif'a-ga), n. [NL., also, erroneously, Melliphaga ; neut. pl. of * meliphagus : see meliphagous .] The typical genus of Meli phagida. The term has been used with great latitude and little discrimination for all the family and some other birds, but is now restricted to a single species, M. phry gia of Australia, known as the black - and - yellow honey -eater. meliphagan (mē-lifa-gan), n. A bird of the genus Meliphaga ; a honey-eater. Also, erroneously, melliphagan . See honey -eater. Meliphagidæ (mel-i-faj'i-dē), n. pl. [NL., also Melliphagidæ; one group, the Myzomeline. Parts of the head neck are often bare, and variously wattled or carunculate. The family is confined to the Old World, and is specially characteristic of the Austral asian and Polynesian regions, though the range of the Me lith rep tinæ is much more tensive. The species number nearly 200, referable to about 25 genera. The family is now usually divided into 3 subfamilies: Meliphaginæ, Myzomelinæ, and Me lith rep tinæ. meliphagidan (mel-i-faj'i-dan), a. and n. I. a. Of or pertaining to the family Meliphagida. II. n. A meliphagan or honey-eater. Meliphaginæ (mel i-fa-ji'nē), n. pl. [Also Melliphagine; NL., meliphagine (me-lif'a-jin), a. and n. I. a. Of or pertaining to the subfamily Me lip hag in a; le strictly, same as meliphagidan. II. n. A meliphagan or honey-eater of the subfamily Meliphaginæ .