HONEY-EATER, or HONEY-SUCKER, the name given to birds of the family Meliphagidae, characteristic of the Australian region, and possessing a long protrusible tongue by means of which they obtain honey, and also the insects attracted thereto. They are small birds, mostly of restricted range, though Glycyphila ru fi f rons, the white-throated honey-eater, is found over the greater part of Australia and Tasmania. One of the most curious forms is Prosthernadera, the parson-bird of New Zealand, so-called from its dark plumage and the two tufts of white feathers beneath the chin. The bell-bird of the same island, Anthornis melanura, the Australian wattle-birds (Anthochaera) and the pugnacious friar birds (Tropidorhynchus) are related to this group. These latter are the objects of mimicry by two orioles (Mimeta) in the islands of Bouru and Ceram (Wallace, Malay Archipelago).