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aiAL ZOOLOGY,

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EORGE SHAW,>IJ>.KR.S.&C.

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GENERAL ZOOLOGY.

VOLUME VIII. PART I.

BIRDS.

LONDON.

PRINTED FOR GEORGE KEARSLEY, FLEET STREET;
LV THOMAS DAVISON, \\H1TEFRIARS.

1811.

CONTENTS

VOL. VIII.— PART I.

ALCEDO, GENUS,

Bee-Eater, common

p. 5

152
155
156
158
159
159
160
161

163

164
165

166
167
168
169
170
171

Bee-Eater, chattering . p. 171
yellow-tufted 172

wittlnrl 171

. TVTilimVn 1 *7 A-

- "Pictnrn i >ro

eneg

BUCEROS GENUS . 1
BUPHAGA GENUS , .:. 5Q

hoodrd

CONTENTS.

CERTHIA GENUS . p. 185
Creeper, common . 186

rrrppri 1 Rft

Creeper, caerulean .p. 219
grey . . 221

wall . v. 1&9
splendid . 191
" African . 192
• superb . . 193
Angaladian . 194

spotted-breasted 223
cinnamon . 224

- InrntrH 99.4.

— New-Holland 225
Australasian . 226

. 195
— collared . 196
— orange-banded 197
bifasciated . 198

hook-billed green 227
hook-billed red 229
sickle-billed . 230
crimson . 231

green -gold . 200

olive-green . 232

purpled . 201
• bue-headed . 2O3

pied . . 234
tufted-eared . 236

brown and white 204
Senegal . 205

mocking . 237
brown . . 238

violet-throated 208

black-chinned 239
black-capped 240

• — - beautiful . 210

grey-headed . 242

-shining . • 212

Goruck . 243

ash-bellied . 214
snuff-coloured 214

spot- eared . 244
f mellivorous . 245

black-tailed . 215
barred-tail . 2l6
• crimson-bellied 216
— gartered . 217
cyanean . 217

i , . T prinn O-dT

black and yellow 248
: — red-rumped . 249
red-backed . 250
— red-spotted . 251

CONT1

Creeper, Cardinal . p. 252
scarlet . . 252

_r»villi»et r>rp?t«iH 9*i'l

2NTS. %

Hornbill, African . p.

7
8
13
16
18
19

34
35

39
40
40
41

135
138
139
140
HI

274

I
278

rr»r"hinPll ^'l-t

- green-faced . 255

( vi v, >n m» ^'Sfi

black and violet 25/
blue-throated 257

_______ cnfnr *258

Kliifk f-ipprl 9*iS

black-fronted 259

__ _ ._ "Roiirhnn 2*)Q

. ofrilp • 263

,-— — — — — wrPithed

undulated . 264

grey .

. wren , • , •• 265
Seban . . ^ 266
porphyrian . 267
Macassar . 267

Hoopoe, common
. — blue-crested .
smaller . "!»•'"•
Madagascar .
black . Q.y

Humming-Bird, topaz-
throated . to*.-1-

Amboyna . 269
fulvous r*! iiF 269
long-billed . 270
yellow-winged 270
tufted . .271

Hornbill, Rhinoceros . 3

blue-tailed

CONTENTS.

Humming-Bird, fork-tailed

P- 2/9

scissars-

tailed

ped

280
— black-cap-

281

- great . 282

- great Cape

283
-- supercilious

284

- admirable 285

bright-
throated . . 287

red-breast-
ed . . . .288

— violet 290

bar-tailed*291

crimson-
headed blue . . 292

white-tail-
ed . . . . 293

Mango 294

purple-

. 296

tailed

ash-bellied

breasted .

black-

297

298

'Humming-Bird, green-
throated . . .p. 300

violet-
tailed ... 301

— rufous-
bellied ... 302

punctulat-

ed . . . , 303

— banded 303

scalloped 304

gold-green

305

aurulent 306

black-
bellied . . .307
trimaculat-

ed .

. ' . 308
— small-fork-

. 309

Cayenne

fork-tailed 3 10

tailed

-- white-

legged fork-tailed . 311
Harlequinf

. 311

yellow-
fronted . . . 312
purple-

313

crowned

* N. B. It is doubtful whether the tail in this species be not
rather cuneated than forked, though, from the position of the
feathers in the dried specimen, it appears to be the latter.

t A suspicion has been sometimes entertained that the speci-
men in the British Museum of this supposed species is in reality
a deceptive composition. Should this suspicion be well-ground-
ed, it must, of course, be struck out from the list of species.

CONTENTS,

Vll

Humming-Bird
headed .

, orange-
VK .p. 313
gular . 314
gilt-crest-
. --.,314
little . 315
racket-
i-.yt -V-.- 316
broad-
ii^—.* 318
violet-ear-
*.<M ; 319
white-col-
.nr/r 320
green and

. : •••*. 322

superb 323
sapphire 324
sapphire
• ,-. . 325
blue-gorge
. - . 326
brilliant 327
amethys-
. 328
ruby-head-
• . . 329
ruby-crest- /£
330
.grey-
. ;?, 332
brown
. I j« 333
carbuncle 333
topaz- tail-
jv'ro^ -. 335
red-throat-
xzx

Humming-bird, ruby-
throated . . p. 34O

throated. , i . 342

ed .

• » . few J».', . 343

tufted

tailed

necked . ,;;. . 345

shafted .

ed . >^ „ -. 346
. ..-- Vicllot'i 347

ed *:V

templed . >;.- ~ . 349

lared ntf'

.. , . .. ..... little

blue *V«

brown . i .-.- - >. 351

•'— — — - crested

brown . •?&'••>*•.', 354
,,._ ., least 355

and emerald

Kingfisher, giant .. 53
— great African 55
- cinereous 56

tine " •

. belted '» j 58

— — mm — Armyonian 1O

Egyptian . 6l

ed . ', .

._^_- nipd fiS

mm Pnne 65

bellied .

crowned

Smyrna * . 68

.,..„,._. Senegal ' ^ j 72

ed .

CONTENTS.

Kingfisher, spotted Brasilian
• P. 76

Nuthatch, great . . p.
. spotted

113
114
115
116

117
118
118

119
120
120

142
142
143
144
145
147
148
149
150

107

121

122
123
124
126
12S
127
127
12S
170

•acred

Cape

— — . venerated . 81

— Chinese

ft8^

* A

,__-_-_-,—-- \vliite nnd ^reen 85

OX-PECKER GENUS .

Plantain-Eater, violet .
PROMEROPS GENUS .

hi np

• white-collared 94

Pnnr

•- rrestefl Qfl

— • white -billed 99

blue headed 100

_„_ „ . little Indian 10°

_..,...„ _. Eastern 103

rrd hillrrl

SlTTA GENUS .
TODUS GENUS .

Tod/, broad-billed
white-chinned .

tridigitated 105
MEROPS GENUS . 152
MOMOTA GENUS . 42
Momot, Brasilian . 42

MUSOPHAGA GENUS 47

Nuthatch, European . 10S
black-headed 112

red-breasted ' .

white-headed .
short-tailed

Tody, green

- cinereous .

brown

yellow-bellied

CONTENTS.

p. 129

TROCHILUS GENUS

. p. 272

130

131

UPUPA GENUS .

. 135

J32

Directions for placing the Plates in vol. VIII.
Part L

The Vignette represents the Tufted-necked Humming-Bird,
page 345, rather smaller than Life.

Plate l to face page

17 —

MMMMI

63
71

72
88

108
124

129
135
150
152

177

MOTMM

Plate 24
25
26

27
28

.29
3O
31
32
33
34
35
36

39
39*
40
41

42
43
44
45

to face page 186

1 Q4

•iy*
iofi

iyu
°O5

Oil

010

Of*

OCR

O^T/*

ooq

OQf)

3-9

, , . . , I*)0

BIRD S.

ORDER
PICM.

BUCEROS. HORNBILL.

Generic Character.

Nostrum magnum, extror-
sum serratum, mandibula
superiore (plerisque) ap-
pendice aucta.

Nares parvae, rotundatse,

pone rostri basin.
Pdpebra ciliis validis cinctae.
Lingua brevissima, subtrian-

gularis, plana.
Crura valida, brevia : pedes

gressorii.

Bill very large, serrated in
an outward direction, and
furnished (in most species)
with a large appendix on
the upper mandible.
Nostrils small, round, be-
hind the base of the bill.
I Eyelids strongly ciliated.
Tongue very short, subtri-

angular, flat.

Legs short and strong : feet
I gressorial.

HE birds of this remarkable genus may be
considered as holding the same rank in the old
continent with the Toucans in the new. Like the
Toucans they are distinguished by the enormous
size of their beaks, which, in most species, are ren-
dered still more extraordinary by the addition of a
v. vin. p. i. 1

HORNBILL.

large prominence or appendix seated on the upper
mandible, differing in shape in the different spe-
cies. The Hornbills may be said to be both car-
nivorous and frugivorous, feeding not only on va-
rious berries and other vegetable substances, but
also on any putrid animal substances, and not un-
frequently on many of the smaller kind of living
animals, as mice, birds, &c. but perhaps principally
on insects. Their large bills are of much less real
than apparent strength, the substance being not
solid, but of a cancellated internal structure: the
mandibles are serrated in an outward direction, and
the serratures are often irregular, owing to the in-
jury the bill occasionally receives during its em-
ployment in seizing on various vegetable and ani-
mal matters. The Hornbills vary much in the
appearance of the bill during the different periods
of their age: the process or appendix not exhibiting
its genuine form till the full growth of the bird ; a
circumstance which, added to the difference bet ween
the males and females, often causes great difficulty
in the determination of the species.

RHINOCEROS HOUNBILL.

Buceros Rhinoceros. D. niger, cauda apke alba, rosCroJlavescetttc,
galea recurruta supra rubra.

Black Hornbill, with white-tipped tail, yellowish beak, and recurv-
ed casque red above.

Buceros Rhinoceros. B. cornu mandibulari frontis recurvata. Lin.
Sj/st. Nat.

Rhinoceros Avis. Aldrov. I. p. S4. Besl. mus. t. 20.

Horued Indian Raven, or Rhinoceros Bird. Will. «/•». p. 12/.
Edw. pi. 281. B. PI. Enl. 934. Nat. Misc. 2. pi. 41.

Rhinoceros Hornbill. Lath. syn.

Le Calao-Rhinoceros. Leva///. Cal. pi. 1 . 2.

THIS, which is perhaps the most remarkable of
all the species yet known, is well described and
figured in Mousr. Levaillant's work on the rarer
birds of India and America. Monsr. Levaillant
however is mistaken in supposing that the bill
alone had hitherto made its appearance in modern
collections, since a very line and complete speci-
men existed in the Lever ian Museum, and which
was long ago figured in the Naturalist's Miscellany.
Monsr. Levaillant had the good fortune to con-
template this species in a living state, a specimen
having been brought, during his residence at the
Cape of Good Hope, from the island of Java in
the East Indies, its native residence. The general
size of the Rhinoceros Hornbill is that of a hen
turkey > but its shape is more slender in proportion :
the neck is of moderate length, and the tail slightly
cuneated; the colour of the whole bird is black,

4 RHINOCEROS HORNBILL.

except the lower part of the abdomen and tip of
the tail, which are white: the bill, which is enor-
mous in proportion to the bird, measures about
ten inches in length, and is of a slightly curved
shape, sharp-pointed, serrated in a somewhat irre-
gular manner on the edges, and furnished at the
base of the upper mandible with an extremely
large process, continued for a considerable space
in a parallel direction with the bill, and then turned
upwards in a contrary direction, or in the manner
of a reverted horn: this process is divided into two
portions by a longitudinal black line, the part above
the line being of a bright red, the part below yellow7,
and the back part or rising base, next the head,
black: the bill itself is of similar colour with the
process, being black at the base, the remainder
yellow, tinged with bright red towards the base:
the legs are short, strong, and of a pale yellow
colour. In the specimen described by Monsr.
Levaillant the abdomen was entirely black ± the
tail, as in the above described specimen, tipped
with white, and the whole plumage exhibited a
slight blueish gloss when exposed to a strong light:
the eyes were blackish; the eye-lashes long, black,
and flattish. This bird was of a timid disposition,
endeavouring to conceal itself from view, and of a
dull and heavy appearance. It did not walk, but
hopped along in the manner of a crow. The only
appearance of liveliness which it exhibited was
when its food was brought by the. person who had
the care of it : at such times it ran forwards with
extended wings, opening its bill and uttering a

RHINOCEROS MORNBILL. 6

slight scream of joy. It was fed with biscuit
steeped in water, flesh either raw or dressed, rice,
pease, &c. Monsr. Levaillant one day offered it
some newly killed small birds which he had lately
shot, and which it readily devoured entire, after
bruising them for a considerable time in its bill.
It was said also, during its voyage from India, to
have always pursued rats and mice whenever it
perceived them, though it never was nimble enough
to catch one. Its monstrous bill, which at first
appears so formidable a weapon, is by no means
such in reality, and Monsr. Levaillant assures us
that he several times put his hand into the bill
without feeling the slightest pain, though the bird
exerted ail its endeavours to wound it. Monsr.
Levaillant adds, that the Hornbills in general are,
in his opinion, naturally carnivorous, all those
which he observed in Africa feeding on serpents,
lizards, insects, &c. and sometimes on carrion.

I must not omit to observe that the specimen of
the Rhinoceros Hornbill in the Leverian Museum
differed from that described by Monsr. Levaillant
in having the lower part of the belly, and the tail
white, the latter marked by a broad black bar across
the middle; agreeing in this respect with the de-
scription given by Brisson.

AFRICAN HORNBILL.

Buceros Africanus. B. niger subcrutatus, abdonrine albo, gaka
ascendent?, supra pJana.

Slightly-crested black Hornbill, with white abdomen, and ascend-
ing casque flat at top.

Buceros Africanus. B. mger subcristatus, fronte ossea plana an-
trorsum subulata> corpora nigro, abdomine rectricibusqne apice
albis. Lath. ind. orn.

Rhinoceros Avis. Will. orw. t. \7.f. *2. Besl. mus. t. 0. No. /".

Brae, on Calao d'Afrique. Buff. ois.

African Hornbill. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Labat and others as of the size of
a turkey, and entirely of a black colour: the beak
both in shape and colour seems considerably allied
to that of the Rhinoceros Hornbill, but the process
or casque runs strait forwards instead of reverting
at the tip as in that species. A specimen is said
to have been in the Ley den Museum which differ-
ed in having the abdomen and vent white, the head
somewhat crested, and the tail tipped with white.
Native of Africa.

CRESCENT HORNB1LL.

Buceros nigcr , femoribus caudce basi opiccqnc albis, rostroJlaTcscentf,

galea sursum litnata.
Black Hornbill, with thighs, base, and tip of tail white, yellowish

bill, and casque Innated upwards.
Le Calao a casque en croissant. Levaill. Cal. pi. 13.

ALLIED in size and general appearance to the
Rhinoceros and two-horned Hornbills: colour black
with a blueish gloss: thighs, vent, and tail tawny-
white, but the latter crossed in the middle by a
very broad black bar: bill of similar size and pro-
portion to that of the Rhinoceros Hornbill, and of
a yellowish colour: the casque large, and shaped
like a crescent or boat longitudinally affixed by its
bottom to the ridge of the upper mandible: it is
not concave at the top, but flattened, and the two
ends rise up one before and the other behind the
base of the mandible, that in front somewhat ex-
ceeding the length of the other: the legs are short
and of a brown colour. Native of Java, where,
according to the account of a Dutch officer, com-
municated to Monsr. Levaillant, it frequents large
woods, uniting in troops in order to devour carrion.

UNICORN HORNBILL.

Buceros Mouoceros. B. subcri*iatus niger, obdominc lateribvsquo

rectricwn albis, rostrofavescenfe, galea compressa anticc acuminafa

supra nigra.
Slightly-crested Black Hornbill, with abdomen and sides of the

tail-feathers white $ the bill yellowish, with compressed casque

black above and pointed in front.
Buceros Malabaricus. ? Lath. ind. orn.
Pied Hornbill.? Lath. syn.
Le Calao Unicorne. Levaill. CaL pi. g. 10. 11. 12.

THIS species has been well described by the
Count de Buffon under the name of Calao de Ma-
labar. " It was brought, says he, from Pondi-
cherry, and lived the whole of the summer in the
court yard of the Marchioness de Pons, who was
so obliging as to present it to me. It was as large
as a common Raven, or twice as large as a crow,
measuring two feet and a half in length from the
tip of the bill to that of the tail, which it had lost
in its passage to France, and which, though be-
ginning to grow again, had by no means attained
its full length ; so that we may presume the whole
length of the bird may be about three feet: the
bill was eight inches long, and two broad, and was
bent fifteen lines from the strait position: the
second bill, if it may be so called, sat, like a horn,
close on the first, following its curvature, and ex-
tending from the base to within two inches of the
point: its height was two inches and two lines, so
that, measuring in the middle, the bill, together

uxicouy IIORXBILL, 9

with its horn, formed the height of four inches i
near the head they were both of them fifteen lines
across: the horn was six inches long, and its extre-
mity appeared to have been shortened and split by
accident, so that we may reckon it to be half an
inch longer: this horn, on the whole, has the shape
of a real bill, truncated and closed at its extremity;
but at the junction it is marked by a very percep-
tible furrow, drawn near the middle, and following
all the curvature of this false bill, which does not
adhere to the skull, but its posterior portion, which
rises on the head, is still more extraordinary; being
naked and fleshy, and covered with living skin,
through which this parasite member receives its nu-
tritious juices: the true bill terminates in a blunt
point, and is strong, consisting of a horny and
almost bony substance, extended in laminae, the
layers and undulations of which may be perceived:
the false bill is much thinner, and may be even
bent by the fingers: it is of a light substance, dis-
posed internally into small cells, in some degree, as
Edwards observes, resembling those of an honey-
comb: Wormius says it consists of a matter like
crab's eyes: the false bill is black from the tip to
three inches behind it, and there is a line of the
same black at its origin, as well as at the root of
the true bill : all the rest is yellowish white. Wor-
mius observes the same thing, and adds that the
inside of the bill and the palate are black. A
white, folded skin meets the root of the true bill
above on both sides, and is inserted near the cor-
ners of the bill in the black skin that encircles the

10 UNICORN HORNBILL.

eyes: the eyelid is furnished with long lashes arched
behind: the eye is red-brown, and appears brighter
or more animated when the bird is irritated: the
head, which appears small in proportion to the
enormous bill it supports, bears a considerable re-
semblance to that of a Jay: the whole form of the
bird seeming to be composed as it were of the
feathers and movements of the Jay, Raven, and
Magpie. These resemblances have struck most
observers, and have obtained it the name of the
Indian Raven, Horned Crow, and Horned Pie.
The feathers of the head and neck were black, and
it had the power of bristling them up like those of
a jay : the back and wings were also black, and
accompanied by a slight reflexion of green and
violet: the breast and belly were of a dull white;
the exterior quill-feathers tipped with white: the
tail consisted of six white quills, black at the root,
and four entirely black: the legs were black, scaly,
thick, and strong, and the claws long, but not
sharp. This bird hopped with both feet at once,
forwards and sideways, like a jay or magpie: when
at rest its head seemed to recline on its shoulders:
when disturbed it swelled and raised itself with an
air of boldness, but its general gait was heavy and
dull; its resemblance to the raven and magpie
giving it a kind of ignoble aspect, suited to its dis-
position. It swallowed raw flesh, and would also
eat lettuces, which it first bruised with its bill: it
caught rats, and even devoured a small bird which
was thrown to it alive: its voice was a short hoarse
croak ; and it also uttered at intervals a sound

UXIC011S HOIiyBILL* 11

exactly similar to the clucking of a hen: it was
fond of warmth, spreading its wings to the sun,
and shuddering at a passing cloud or breeze: it
lived only three months at Paris, dying before the
end of summer."

This species, according to Monsr. Levaillant, is
found not only in Malabar, but in many other
parts of India, as well as in Ceylon and other In-
dian islands. Its length, according to this author,
is thirty inches from the top of the head to the end
of the tail, which itself measures twelve inches: its
colour is black, glossed with green and purple; the
breast, belly, thighs, and vent-feathers white : the
three outer feathers both of the wings and tail are
white, the three outer tail-feathers, being somewhat
shorter than the rest, cause the tail to be slightly
rounded at the extremity: the lower mandible, as
Buffon observes, is surrounded by a white wrinkled
skin, and the orbits of the eyes by a black one :
the casque or rostral appendix is flat on its hind
part, where it is wider than in other parts, and is
covered by the living skin of a black colour. This
species, according to Levaillant, has the largest
beak in proportion to its size of any bird of the
genus, since it measures nine inches in length, and
nearly five in depth, reckoning the appendix toge-
ther with the beak: the mandibles are curved and
strongly toothed: the casque is prolonged in front
into a kind of horn, and is flat on the sides, and
marked by two or three parallel furrows or streaks.
The female differs from the male in size, being
rather smaller, and in having the casque less ele-

12 UNICORN HORNBILL,

vated and its point less prominent. These birds
frequent high woods, perching on large trees, and
in preference on the dead boughs: they nestle in
the hollows of the decayed trunks, laying four eggs
of a dirty white colour. The young are at first
entirely naked, and their bills have merely a slight
ridge or longitudinal crest of about three or four
lines high ; but by the time their bodies are cover-
ed with a greyish- rufous down, the ridge or crest
of the bill enlarges, and rises every day in height,
and in the space of about twelve or fifteen days
begins to exhibit something of its future form,
though by no means sufficient to shew the decided
character of the species, which is not clearly de-
fined till the space of three months, when the
young take their flight. The casque at this period
exhibits the lateral furrows and the black patch in
front; the point however does not project till the
bird has arrived at the full period of its growth and
plumage. This part is subject to frequent acci-
dents, from striking against the branches of trees
while the animal is endeavouring to detach the
bark in order to obtain the insects, small lizards,
and tree-frogs which lurk beneath. The above
curious particulars were communicated to Levail-
lant by Monsr. Lecors, who had passed many
years in the island of Ceylon in the Dutch service,
and who had amused himself with rearing several
of these birds.

The description of this species given by Sonnerat
is, according to Levaillant, incorrect, and the ac-
companying figure faulty, and this, in the opinion

WHITE-BEAKED HORNBILL. 1

of our author, is the case with the rest of the de
scriptions and figures in that publication.

WHITE-BEAKED HORNBILL.

Buceros albirostris. B. subcristatus niger, abdomine apicibusque rc-

migum et rcctricum albls, rostro albido, galea cumpressa antice

obtusa macula nii^ra.
Slightly-crested Black Hornbill, with the abdomen and tips of th«

wing and tail-feathers white, the bill whitish with compressed

obtuse-fronted casque marked by a black spot.
Pied Hornbill.? Lath.syn.
Buceros Malabaricus.? Lath. ind. orn.
Le Calao a bee blanc. Levaill. Cal. pi. 14.

So extremely near is the resemblance between
this bird and the Unicorn Hornbill that it requires
all the eloquence of Monsr. Levaillant to persuade
us that it is any thing more than a variety, or per-
haps a sexual difference of the preceding species;
differing perhaps in the less advanced stage of
growth of the rostral appendix, which instead of
projecting into an absolute point or horn in front,
finishes obtusely on that part. We must however
state what Monsr. Levaillant advances in defence
of his ranking it as a separate species.
, " This bird, says he, which was sent me froni
Chandernagor, where it had been killed, appears
to me to be a new species hitherto undescribed by
authors. Its length, from the top of the head to
the end of the tail, is tv\7enty inches, of which the
tail alone measures half: the bill, if taken along

14 WHITE-BEAKED HORNBILL.

its curvature, measures four inches and three lines,
and the thickness of both mandibles, taken toge-
ther, is about eighteen lines: they are nearly equal,
irregularly toothed on their edges, and end in ob-
tuse points : the casque or process occupies nearly
two thirds of the length of the bill, covering the
front, to which it adheres: it is truncated in front,
where it terminates in a thin edge, swelling gra-
dually upwards on the sides, the ridge or upper
part forming a more elevated arc of a circle in the
middle: it is terminated behind by a large rounded
point, black above and round its border: in front
is also a black patch, which descends a little on the
upper mandible, which is edged at its base by an
irregular black band of only two lines in width:
the lower mandible is bordered on each side its
base by a much broader black band, which termi-
nates in a point beneath the bill: both mandibles-
are also edged with black along the serrated part,
and, as well as the mouth, are black internally;
while externally both the bill and casque are of an
ivory whiteness. After this description of the bird
we might readily suppose it a mere variety of the
Unicorn Hornbill; but, on a careful comparison of
the two birds, I am convinced that they are distinct
species, notwithstanding this similarity. In the
Unicorn Hornbill the casque is flattened and fur-
rowed on its sides, and terminates behind in a
living skin. In the present bird on the contrary
it is smooth, swelled on the sides, exceeding in its
middle part the diameter of the mandibles, and is
closed behind by a horny substance similar to that

WHITE-BEAKED HOUNBILL. 15

of the rest of the casque, and even more solid, since
on the other parts it yields to the pressure of the
fingers: these two characters therefore evidently
prove that these birds form two distinct species.
The feathers of the hindhead are long, slender,
loose-webbed, and form a pendent crest of a black
colour, as are also the neck, shoulders, back, sea-
pulars, wings, and tail ; the latter and the wing-
coverts exhibiting a greenish gloss: the wings and
side-feathers of the tail are tipped with white, the
two middle tail-feathers being totally black: the
breast, belly, sides, thighs, and vent-feathers are
white: the legs and claws black: the orbits of the
eyes, and the base of the lower mandible are sur-
rounded by a bare skin, which in the dried bird is
of a brownish colour: the upper eyelids are ciliated,
and the nostrils covered with hairs rising over the
edge of the casque."

Monsr. Levaillant received no account of the
manners of this bird, but considers the above de-
scription fully sufficient to prevent its being con-
founded with the preceding species.

BIFID-CASQUED HORN BILL.

Buceros bicornis. B. subcristatus niger, abdomine medioque re-

migum fy rectricum albis, rostrojiavescente, galea concava antror-

fum bicorni.
Slightly- crested black Hornbill, with abdomen and middle of the

wing and tail-feathers white, yellowish bill, and concave casque

with two-horned front.
Buceros bicornis. B. fnmte ussea plana, ant rorsum bicorni. Lin.

Syst. Nat.

Buceros bicornis. Lath. ind. orn.
Philippine Hornbill. Lath. ayn.
Le Calao bicorne. Lcvaill. Cal. pi. /. 8.
Calao avis. Petiv. gaz. t. 31 ./. 1. Ruff. 7. p. 157-

SIZE of a female Turkey, but of a more slender
shape : colour black, slightly glossed with blue,
the upper part of the breast, belly, thighs, and
vent-feathers white: the base of the larger wing-
feathers, except of the two exterior ones, of the
same colour, forming a white patch on each wing:
the tail crossed in the middle, except on the two
middle feathers, by a white bar. The bill is as
large in proportion as in the Rhinoceros Hornbill,
and is of a yellowish colour, with a very large
casque, longitudinally hollowed above, and termi-
nated in front by two lengthened hornlike pro-
cesses : the base of both mandibles, and the back
of the casque edged by a bar of black. It is ob-
served by Levaillant that Willoughby and Petiver
in their descriptions of this species say that there
is only a single white feather on each side the tail,

BIFID-CASQUED HORNBILL. 17

"a particularity, says Levaillant, which, so far as my
examination of more than three thousand species
of birds allows rne to pronounce, exists in no bird
yet known." In fact, as we have stated above, the
tail has three white feathers on each side. The
bifid-casqued Hornbill is a native of India and the
Indian isles.

VAR.

Size of a Hen: bill somewhat bent, serrated, dia-
phanous, and of the colour of cinnabar, measuring
seven inches in length : upper mandible furnished
at the top with a helmet a span long, nearly three
inches broad, and flat on the top: tongue scarcely
an inch long: head small, and as far as the eyes,
black: pupils blue: irides white: eyelids beset with
black bristles: head and neck rufous; belly black:
back and rump brownish ash: legs and thighs yel-
lowish: greater quill-feathers fulvous: tail white.
Native of the Philippine isles: has a voice like that
of a hog or calf: considered by the Gentoos as a
sacred bird: lives in woods, and feeds on the In-
dian fig, pistachios, &c. &c. described by Camelli
in the Philosophical Transactions, vol. 23. p. 1394.

V. vm. p. i.

CONCAVE-CASQUED HORNBILL.

Buceros cavatus. B. subcristatus niger, collo subferrug'meo, rostro
jlavescente apice subrubro, galea concava antrorsum obtusa.

Black Hornbill, with subferruginous neck, yellowish bill with
reddish tip, and concave casque obtuse in front.

Le Calao a casque concave. Levaill. Cat. pi. 3. 4. 5. 6.

GREATLY allied to the bifid-casqued Hornbill, but
differing in colour, and in the rostral casque being
truncated in front instead of being produced at the
tips into two lengthened processes: the general
shape of this part is similar in both species, being
longitudinally concave, with a deep middle furrow :
in the present species however the base of the bill is
not marked as in the preceding with a black bar,
and the hind part terminates in a rounded or
bulging back, while in the bifid-casqued Hornbill
it is flattened on that part : the whole bill, with
the casque, is of a whitish colour, tending to
brown towards the tip: the face and chin are
black; the neck pale ochre-coloured, and the whole
remainder of the plumage black: the feathers of
the back part of the head are slightly lengthened,
and of a narrow shape; forming a slight approach
to a pendent crest. The plumage of this bird in
its young state differs greatly from that which it
exhibits in its advanced or perfect state, being ash-
grey, with the neck and breast rufous, and the
quill-feathers and lower part of the abdomen black-
ish; the bill shorter in proportion, and the casque,

VIOLACEOUS HORNBILL. 19

as may be supposed, less elevated than in the full-
grown bird. This species is supposed to be a
native of the Philippine isles. The bird in its
young or unadvanced state is mistakenly consider-
ed by BulTon as a distinct species, and described
under the name of Calao des Moluques. See the
Bontian Hornbill of the present work.

VIOLACEOUS HORNBILL.

Buceros violaceus. B. nigro-violaccns, abdominc caudx latcribus

rcmigumque apicibus albis, rostro albido, galea compressa antror-

sum obtusa macula nigra.
Violaceous-black Hornbill, with the abdomen and sides of the

wing and tail-feathers white, whitish bill, and compressed casque

obtuse in front and marked by a black spot.
Le Calao violet. Lcvailt. Cal.pl. IQ.

THIS also is very much allied to the Unicorn
Hornbill, from which it differs in its somewhat
smaller size, which is intermediate between that of
the Unicorn and White-Beaked species: of the two
however it is, according to Levaillant, most allied
to the former, having the rostral casque flat on the
sides, not swelled as in the white-billed species:
from both it differs in the colour of its plumage, of
which the disposition is the same. When viewed
in a full light it is very richly glossed with violet,
green, and purple reflexions, though when viewed
in the shade it appears of a greenish black : the
lower part of the breast, the belly, tips of the wings,

20 VIOLACEOUS HO11NB1LL.

and three lateral tail-feathers are white: the bill is
of a yellowish white, shaped like that of the white-
beaked Hornbill, the base of both mandibles, as
well as that of the casque, being ornamented by a
band of crimson, which at the base of the lower
mandible extends to some distance beneath the
eyes, and is crossed by two narrow black bars: the
casque, like that of the immediately preceding
species, is marked on each side by two longitu-
dinal furrows, and by a large black patch in front:
the eyes are of a bright reddish-brown.

The bird is a native of Ceylon, and was exa-
mined in a living state by Monsr. Levaillant in a
menagerie at the Cape of Good Hope, whither it
had been brought by a Dutch vessel returning
from India. It shewed a remarkable degree of
docility and attachment towards its keeper, and
was fed with meat, either raw or dressed, as well as
with various kinds of vegetables. It also pursued
and readily caught both rats and mice, which it
swallowed entire, after having rubbed them in its
bill. It was a general peace-maker in the mena-
gery, and whenever a quarrel arose among any of
the other birds, it immediately ran to them, and by
the strokes of its beak enforced a suspension of
hostilities. It even kept the larger birds in awe,
and Levaillant once saw it cause an Ostrich to run
away with all its speed, pursuing it half flying and
half running. In short it became the formidable
tyrant of the whole menagery, which it imposed
upon by the size of its enormous bill rather than

ABYSSINIAN HORNBILL.

'by any genuine power; thus proving the general
truth, that appearance alone often proves a suc-
cessful substitute for reality.

ABYSSINIAN HORNBILL.

Buceros Abyssinicus. B. nigcr, reniigibus primoribus albis, sccun-

dariisferrugineis, rostro nigrot galea abrupto-orbiculata.
Black Hornbill, with white primary quills, ferruginous secondary,

and black bill with abrupt-orbicular casque.
Buceros Abyssinicus. B. rostro nigro compresso,fronte gibbosa or-

biculata cccrulea, corpore nigro: remigibus primoribus albis, secun-

dariisfulvo'fuscis. Lath. ind. orn.
Abba Gumba. Bruce tr*v.
Calao d'Abyssinie. Buff. ais. PI. Enl. 779-

THIS species seems to have been first distinctly
described by Mr. Bruce, who informs us that in the
eastern parts of Abyssinia it is known by the name
of Abba Gumba, and in the western side of Tacazz£
by that of Erkoom: the first of these names being
apparently given it from the groaning noise which
it makes. In the region of Sennaar it is called
Teir el Naciba, or the Bird of Destiny.

" This bird, says Mr. Bruce, is all of a black, or
rather black mixed with soot-colour; the large
feathers of the wing are ten in number, milk-white
both without and within: the tip of his wings
reaches very nearly to his tail : his beak and head
measured together are eleven inches and a half,
and his head three inches and a quarter: at his
neck he has those protuberances like the Turkey-

22 ABYSSINIAN HORNBILL.

Cock, which are of a light blue, but turn red upon
his being chafed, or in the time when the hen is
laying. The colour of the eye is of a dark brown
or rather a reddish cast, but darker still as it ap-
proaches the pupil; he has very large eye-lashes
both upper and lower, but especially his upper:
from the point of the beak to the extremity of the
tail is three feet ten inches ; the breadth, from one
point of the wing to the other extended is six feet :
the length of the thighs is seven inches, and that
of the legs six inches and five eighths : it has three
toes before, and one behind, but they are not very
strong, nor seemingly made to tear up carcasses:
the length of the foot to the hinder toe is one inch
six lines, the innermost is one inch seven lines, the
middle two inches two lines, and the last outer one
two inches one line. I have seen the Erkoom with
eighteen young ones: it runs upon the ground
more willingly than it flies, but when raised, flies
both strong and far: it has a rank smell, and is
said to live in Abyssinia upon dead carcasses. I
never saw it approach any of these, and what con-
vinces me this is untrue is that I never saw one of
them follow the army, where there was always a
general assembly of all the birds of prey in Abys-
sinia. It was very easy to see what was its food by
its place of rendezvous, which was in the fields of
ten0, upon the tops of which are always a number
of green beetles; these he strips off by drawing
the stalk through his beak, so that it appears to be
serrated, and, often as I had occasion to open this
bird, I never found any thing in him but the green

ABYSSINIAN HORNBIJ.L. 23

scarabaeus or beetle. He has a putrid or stinking
smell, which, I suppose, is the reason he has been
imagined to feed upon carrion. The Erkoom builds
in large thick trees, always, if he can, near churches;
has a covered nest, like that of a Magpie, but four
times as large as an Eagle's: it places its nest firm
upon the trunk, without endeavouring to make it
high from the ground: the entry is always on the
East side."

Mr. Bruce adds that this bird walks in the manner
of a Raven, and does not jump or hop in the manner
that many of the Crow kind do; that at times it runs
with very great velocity, and that in its running it
very much resembles the turkey or bustard when
his head is turned from the spectator.

Mr. Latham describes the bill of this species as
measuring nine inches in length, slightly bent the
whole length, and compressed on the sides; both
mandibles channelled on the insides, and blunt at
the tips: on the top of the upper a protuberance
of a semicircular shape, two inches and a half in
diameter, and fifteen lines broad at the base, which
is over the eyes: this excrescence is of the same
substance with the bill, but so very thin as easily
to yield to the pressure of the fingers: the height
of the bill, with the appendix, measures vertically
almost three inches and three quarters.

The young, according to Levaillant, are of a
brownish black colour, with the larger wing-fea-
thers rufous-white, and such seems to have been
the specimen described by Buffon.

GALEATED HORNBILL.

Buceros Galeatus. B. niger, abdomine caudaque albis, fascia caudali
nigra, rostra conico subflavo, galea subquadrato-convexa rubra.

Black Hornbill, with abdomen and tail white, the latter marked
by a black bar; the bill conic and yellowish, with squarish-
convex red casque.

Buceros galeatus. jB. rostro conicot bast mandibulce superioris supra
maxime gibbosa subquadrata. Lath. ind. orn.

Calao a casque rond. Buf.ois. PI. Enl. 933. Edw. 281. c.

Helmet Hornbill. Lath. syn.

KNOWN till very lately by the bill alone, which
has long since made its appearance in the European
museums. In a specimen described by Mr. Latham
the length of this bill was eight inches. It is nearly
strait, and, as far as the mandibles reach, is of a
conical figure ; the top of the upper mandible being
continued upwards into a gibbosity of a squarish
form, making the bill at this part four inches and a
half in depth : this is rounded behind, and almost
flat in front; the front being a true or solid bone,
an inch in thickness, and of a white colour, while
the sides are thin, transparent, and, together with
the half of the bill next the base, of a deep red
colour; the tip of the bill being white: the nostrils
are seated immediately above the orbits of the
eyes, and from them commences a wrinkled ridge,
passing across the gibbous part to the front : at the
back part of the skull are usually attached a few
small black feathers.

GALEATED HORNBILL. 25

Edwards observes that this beak seems to imply
a bird of a different genus from that of the Horn-
bills; an observation so much the more important,
since Monsr. Levaillant, whose extensive know-
ledge of the feathered tribe so justly entitles his
opinion to attention, has no hesitation in pro-
nouncing that this bill must belong to a bird
widely removed from the Hornbill tribe; and he
even ventures to affirm that it must belong to the
class of aquatic birds. This he considers as suffi-
ciently proved from the nature of the plumes which
sometimes adhere to the specimens: these, he says,
have smooth and close-set barbs like those of the
Anseres. Monsr. Levaillant proceeds still farther,
and infers, from the extreme solidity and heaviness
of the skull, that the bird is of the number of those
which have not the power of flight, unless it should
have wings of a very extraordinary amplitude. Un-
fortunately however for the above plausible conjec-
tures of Monsr. Levaillant, and as a proof how
cautious a naturalist should be in indulging specu-
lations of this nature, the bird itself has been lately
introduced into the British Museum, and is a ge-
nuine Buceros, agreeing in point of habit and pro-
portions with the rest of the tribe. Its total length
is four feet, of which the tail measures two: the
head, breast, back, and wings are black; the abdo-
men, thighs, vent-feathers, and tail white, but the
latter is marked near the tip by a broad black bar,
and is pretty strongly cuneiform, the two middle
feathers measuring twenty-four inches, the two
next twenty-one inches, and the three exterior

26 UNDULATED HORN BILL.

ones on each side twelve inches : the legs are
strong, and of a black colour: the wings reach
only about three inches along the tail. This spe-
cies is said to inhabit the same regions with the
major part of the genus.

UNDULATED HORNBILL.

Buceros undulatus. B. subcristatus nigro-violaceus, gula nuda ca-

rulescente, cauda 'alba, rostro albido, galea transversim fusco-

sulcata.
Slightly-crested black Hornbill, with naked blueish throat, white

tail, and whitish bill with the casque transversely undulated by

brown furrows.
Le Calao a casque festonne. Levaill. Cal. pi. 20. 21 .

THIS species may be considered as the most
beautiful, or, to speak perhaps more properly,
the least deformed of all the Hornbills, the beak
exhibiting an appearance more proportioned to
the size of the bird, and the colours a greater
degree of variety and elegance than in the rest of
the tribe. The length of the bird, exclusive of
the bill, is about thirty inches, and the bill mea-
sures only five inches in length, and two in thick-
ness, including the crest or casque. The colour
of the bird is black, with a strong gloss of blue:
the tail is entirely white, and at the lower part of
the neck, between the shoulders, is a moderately
large patch of red-brown, adding a considerable
ornament to the plumage of that part: the chin,
to a considerable distance beyond the base of the

UNDULATED HORNBILL. 2?

lower mandible, the orbits of the eyes, and the
space immediately between them and the upper
mandible are covered by a bare skin of a blueish
colour: the bill is of a yellowish white colour,
tinged with pale brown towards the base: its size,
as before observed, is but moderate for a bird of
this genus: it is moderately curved, sharp-pointed,
and exhibits hardly any appearance of serratures
on the edges: the crest or appendix on the upper
mandible is continued about half way along the
beak, and is about five or six lines only in height
at its highest part: it is also marked on each side
by four or five deep perpendicular furrows or un-
dulations; thus causing the appearance of so many
alternate depressions and projections. This bird
is described by Monsr. Levaillant, from a specimen
in the collection of Mr. Temmink of Amsterdam,
who received it from Batavia, accompanied by its
female, which differs only in being somewhat small-
er, and is destitute of the reddish-brown patch
between the shoulders. Nothing seems to be known
of its particular residence, manners, or history.

JAVAN HORNBILL.

Buceros Javanicus. B. cristatus nigro-violaceus, collo caudaque
albis, gula nuda subflava, rostro subfusco subcristato.

Crested violaceous-black Hornbill, with white neck and tail, yel-
lowish throat, and subcristated brownish bill.

Le Calao Javan, Levaill. Cat. pi. 22.

THIS species, which is described by Monsr. Le-
vaillant, is rather larger than a Raven, measuring
near thirty inches in length: the head is pale ru-
fous, inclining to yellow on the sides, and furnished
with a pendent crest : the neck rufous white, and
the tail of similar colour; all the rest of the plumage
black, with a gloss of green: the bill is large, but
not very long, of a pale brown colour, and not per-
ceptibly serrated on the edges: beneath the chin is
a naked yellowish-white skin: the legs are brown-
It is said to be a native of Java as well as of some
parts of India, and is described by Levaillant from
a dried specimen in the collection of Mr. Temmink
of Amsterdam.

'-9

WHITE HORNBILL.

Buceros albus. B. albus, rostro nigro maxima, pedibus nigris.
White Hornbill, with very large black bill, and black legs.
Buceros albus. B. rostro maximc incurvato nigro, corporc nivco,

pedibus nigris. Lath. ind. orn.
White Toucan. Hawkesw. voy. 1. p. 123.
White Hornbill. Lath. syn.

THIS is mentioned on the authority of Hawkes-
worth's Voyages, vol. i. p. 123, where it is termed
a White Toucan. It is said to be of the size of a
Goose, and entirely snow-white, except the bill and
legs, which are black: the bill is described as much
curved, and of such a length and thickness that it
was not easy to conceive how it could be supported
by so slender a neck in proportion. It was taken
between the isles of Tinian and Pulotimien, and
was kept alive on board for the space of four months,
feeding on biscuit.

SENEGAL HORNBILL.

Buceros nasutus. B. albo nigroquc varius, rostro simplid rubro,

pedibus rubris.

Black and White Hornbill, with simple red bill, and red legs.
Buceros nasutus. B.f route Icevi, rectridbus apicc albis. Lin. Syst.

Nat.

Le Tock. Buf. ois. PL Enl. 260. 890.
Black-billed Hornbill. )
Red-billed Hornbill. f L

SIZE not much superior to that of a Magpie:
length rather more than twenty inches: the bill is
large for the size of the bird, and of considerable
length, measuring near three inches and a half
from base to point : it is slightly curved, but is en-
tirely destitute of any crest or casque on the upper
mandible. The Count de Buffon observes that this
species varies, according to age, both in colour of
plumage and bill: in its young state the plumage
is cinereous, and the bill black; but in its advanced
or full-grown state the plumage becomes black
above, and white beneath, as well as round the
front and on the neck: it is also said that the bill
and legs are black in the young, and red in the
full-grown bird.

This species is common in Senegal, where it is
known by the name of Tock. When young it is
very simple and unsuspicious, and will suffer itself
to be approached and taken, but becomes shy as
it advances in age. It freqaents woods, the old

BONTIAN IIORNBILL. 31

birds perching on the summits of the trees, and
often soaring with lofty and rapid flight, while the
young generally remain in the lower parts of the
trees, sitting motionless, with the head retracted
between the shoulders. I must not omit to observe
that, according to Monsr. Levaillant, the red and
the black-billed Hornbills above described are in
reality totally distinct species, though generally
considered as the same.

BONTIAN HORNBILL.

Buceros Hydrocorax. B. fuscus, frontc nigra, rostro fusco; gaka

plana mutica post ice rotundata.
Brown Hornbill, with black front, brown bill, and flat obtuse

casque rounded behind.
Buceros Hydrocorax. B. fronts ossea phina antrorsum muticaf ab-

domine fulvo. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Bontius's Indian Raven. Will. orn.
Calao des Moluques. Ruff. ois. PI. Enl 283.
Indian Hornbill. Lath. syn.

N. B. This, though usually described as a distinct species, is in
reality no other than the young of the Concave-Casqued
Hornbill.

SOMEWHAT larger than a Cock: length two feet
four inches: bill dusky 3 five inches and a half long,
and two and a half thick at the base, slightly bent,
and subserrated: on the top a kind of casque, of a
flattened form, widening towards the back part,
which is rounded, and projects over the back part

32 BONTIAN HORNBILL.

of the head: cheeks and throat black, edged with
grey: remainder of the bird brown, but the quills
black, and the breast and belly blackish mixed with
grey: tail even at the end, eight inches long, and
white. Native of the Molucca isles: said to feed
much on nutmegs: is kept in houses and rendered
domestic, on account of its services in destroying
rats and mice.

On collating Mr. Levaillant's plate of his Calao
a casque concave or Concave-Casqued Hornbill in a
young state with that represented in the Planches
Enluminees, belonging to the present species, I
cannot avoid entertaining a strong suspicion that
the Bontian Hornbill just described is in reality
no other than the Concave-Casqued Hornbill in its
first year's plumage. Mr. Levaillant himself is
perfectly convinced of this, and justly complains
of an unnecessary multiplication of species in the
present genus.

FURROWED HORNBILL.

Buceros Panayensis. B. subcristatus niger, (femind varid,) cauda

basi alba, mandibulis fuscis transversim rubro sukatis, galea com-

presso-obtusa.
Slightly -crested black Hornbill, (the female variegated,) with tail

white at the base, brown mandibles transversely furrowed with

red, and blackish compressed-obtuse casque.
Buceros Panayensis. Lin. Gmel. Lath. ind. orn.
Le Calao de 1'Isle Panay. Buff. ois.
Calao a bee cisele. PI. Enl. 780. 781.
Le Calao a bee cisele. Leoaill. Cal. pi. iG. 17- 18.

THE Furrowed Hornbill, so named from the la-
teral furrows on its beak, seems to have been first
described by Monsr. Sonnerat. Its size is that of a
Raven, but longer in proportion, as in the rest of
this genus: its colour is black with a gloss of blue,
and the tail is of a tawny white colour at the base
or upper half: the feathers on the back of the head
are long and loose, so as to form a pendent crest :
the bill is large, of a dusky or blackish horn-colour,
both mandibles being marked transversely, but in
an oblique direction, half way from the base, by se-
veral deep furrows of a brick-red colour, the inter-
vening prominences being blacker than the rest of
the bill. Above the upper mandible rises a simple
longitudinal crest or process of the same colour
with the rest of the bill, and terminating obtusely
in front. The female is rather smaller than the
male, and differs in having the head, neck, and
breast of a dull white ; the tail of the same colour,

v. vni. p. i. 3

34 STRIPE-TAILED HORNBILL.

tipped with black-, and the belly and thighs rufous-
brown : the bill resembles that of the male, but is
rather smaller. According to Levaillant, Monsr.
Sonnerat's figure of the pretended female is no
other than that of the male, reversed by the en-
graver. In its young state this bird is said to be
of a dull white colour, with brown wings and tail,
the latter crossed by a rufous-white bar, and the
bill browrn, without any furrows. This species is
a native of the Indian islands.

STRIPE-TAILED HORNBILL.

Buceros fasciatus. J5. niger, abdomine rectriceque utrinque secunda
tertiaque albis, rostro subcristato pallido apice rubro.

Black Hornbill, with the abdomen, second and third feather on
each side the tail white, and pale slightly-crested bill with red
tip.

Le Calao longibandes. Levaill. Cat. pi. 233.

DESCRIBED by Levaillant. Size that of a Mag-
pie: bill pale yellowish-brown, with dasky-red tip:
upper mandible furnished with a slightly rising crest
or casque, somewhat undulated or streaked trans-
versely, and passing from the base of the mandible
to about two thirds of its length : colour of the bird
black, except on the breast, belly, and the second
and third tail-feathers on each side, which are
white. Native of Africa, inhabiting the country
of Angola.

CROWNED HORNBILL.

Buceros coronatus. B. nigcr, abdomine stria vtrinqus occipitali
apiceque rcctricum albis, rostro subcristato rubro.

Black Hornbill, with the abdomen, stripe on each side the hind-
head, and tip of the tail white, and slightly-crested red bill.

Le Calao couroiiiie. Levaill. Cat. pi. 234. 235.

Tins Monsr. Levaillant considers as a new and
hitherto undescribed species. It size is rather
smaller than that of a Magpie, and its colour
black, with a narrow oblique white stripe passing
from behind each eye to the nape, and thus sur-
rounding the crown of the head: the breast, belly,
and vent-feathers are also white, as well as the tips
of three feathers on each side the tail, the four
middle feathers being black: the bill is bright red,
and furnished at the top of the upper mandible
with a sharp-edged, smooth, slightly-rising crest,
passing about two thirds towards the tip, and de-
clining nearly to the outline of the bill at that
part.

The female differs merely in not being furnish-
ed with the white crown or stripe on the head; and
the young are of a pale brownish-black above, and
dull white beneath.

This species is a native of Africa, and is common
about the Eastern coasts of the lower part of that
continent, frequenting woods, and perching on
lofty trees; chiefly dead ones. Monsr. Levaillant
has seen a flock of more than five hundred of these

36 GINGI HORNBILL.

birds assembled in company with crows and vul-
tures, and preying on the remains of slaughtered
elephants. The female deposits her eggs, which
are white, and four in number, in the hollows of
trees.

GINOI HORNBILL.

Buceros Ginginianus. JB. cristatm griscus, remigibus caudaquc
fuscis, fascia caudali nigra, rostra albido, galea antrorswn acu-
minata nigra.

Crested Grey Hornbill, with brown quill-feathers and tail, the
latter marked by a black bar; the bill whitish with black casque
acuminated in front.

Buceros Ginginianus. B. rostro compresso incurcato^ronte ossea
antrorsum subulata, corpore griseo subtm albo, remigibus fascia-
que rectricitm intermediarum apice nigris. Lath. ind. orn.

Le Calao de Gingi. Sonncr. voy. Ind. 2. pi. 121.

Le Calao de Gingi. Levaill. Cal. pi. 15.

FIRST described by Sonnerat: length two feet
from the tip of the bill to that of the tail, of which
the length is about ten inches: bill three inches
long, measured in a strait line : it is curved, and of
a black colour, the upper ridge of the upper man-
dible and the lower of the under white: the process
or casque follows the curvature of the upper man-
dible; is continued to nearly half the length of that
part, and terminates in a projecting horn or pro-
cess: the colour of the whole bird above is pale
cinereous, the quills and tail darker than the rest;
the smaller quill-feathers tipped with white, and the

GINGALA HORNBILL. 3?

tail marked at the end by a black bar tipped with
white: the two middle feathers are longer than the
rest and tipped with black: the breast, belly, thighs,
and vent are white, and the legs dusky: the fea-
thers on the top of the head are lengthened into a
pendent crest. This species, which, according to
Levaillant, has been very ill figured in the work of
Sonnerat, is a native of Gingi, and probably of
other parts of India.

GINGALA HORNBILL.

Buceros Gingalensis. B. violaceo-griseus subtus albicans, fascia

caudalinigra, rostro simplici pallido supra nigro.
Violaceous-grey Hornbill, whitish beneath, with a black bar across

the tail, and simple pale bill black above.
Le Calao Gingala. Leoaill. Cal. pi. 23.

THIS is considered by its describer Monsr. Le-
vaillant as an entirely new species. It is the
smallest of the genus, not exceeding the size of a
Magpie. Its general shape resembles that of most
other species, but the bill, which is very large, is
not distinguished by any crest or prominence: the
colour of the upper part of the head and the back
is blackish-brown, with a cast of blueish-grey; the
wings are of a fine blueish-grey, the smaller coverts
edged with black, marking out that part of the
plumage into so many scale-like divisions: the
face, fore-part of the neck, breast, belly, and
thighs are of a greyish white, growing deeper on

38 WREATHED HORNBILL.

the belly and thighs: the tail is longish, the two
middle feathers blueish-grey, the rest tipped pretty
deeply with white: the bill is pale or yellowish-
white on the sides, but the upper arch of the upper
mandible is blackish or dusky; the lower mandible
dusky, but whitish or pale beneath: both mandibles
are serrated in the usual manner of this genus: the
legs are dusky. This species is a native, of the
island of Ceylon.

WREATHED HORNBILL.

Buceros plicatus. B. niger, caitda alba, rostra Jlavesccnte, gaka
gibbosa septemplicata.

Black Hombiilj with white tail, yellowish bill, and gibbous seven-
plea *ed casque.

Buceros plicatus. jB. restro incurvo, f route elevata septemplicata,
corpure nigro, rectricibus albis. Lath. ind. orn.

Indian Raven. Will. orn. pi. 78. lower 'figure.

Wreathed Hornbill. Lath. sijn.

SIZE of a Crow: colour black, except the tail,
which is white. In some specimens however the
neck is said to be yellow or rufous, and in others
the tail black, with the exterior feathers white: the
bill is very large, of a yellowish colour, and distin-
guished by having the casque or crest on the upper
mandible formed into several transverse convexi-
ties or broad pleats, which probably vary in num.
ber according to the age of the bird. Native of
the island of Ceylon.

V/^, JIM.'/.

Ffrrt .

CRIMSON HOUNBILL.

Buceros ruber. B. subcristatus ruber, fronte verticeque nigris, fascia

humerali alba, rostro rimplici nigricante.
Slightly-crested red Hornbill, with black front and crown, white

bar across the shoulders, and simple blackish bill.
Buceros ruber. B. ruber, capite ?iigrot fascia dorsali alba. Lath.

ind. orn. suppL 2.
Crimson Hornbill. Lath. syn. svppL 2.

THIS species is described in Mr. Latham's se-
cond Supplement, from a drawing in the collection
of a Mr. Smith. It is to be lamented that neither
the size nor any other particulars of the bird are
known, so that the whole rests merely on the faith
of the drawing, a copy of which having been long
in my own possession, I have introduced it into the
present work. The whole bird is of a fine crimson,
or rather deep scarlet colour, except the top of the
head, which is black, while across the upper part
of the back passes a white band: the brll and legs
are dusky or blackish.

GREY HORNBILL.

Buceros griseus. B. griseus vertice nigro, rostroflaw, galea antice

dedinata, postice truncata.
Grey Hornbill, with black crown, yellow bill, and casque sloping

in front and abrupt behind.
Buceros griseus. B.fronte ossea antice dedinata, postice truncatas

corpore griseo, vertice nigro, tectricibus alarum nigro variegatis,

remigibus apice albis. Lath. ind. orn.
Grey Hornbill. Lath. syn. suppl.

SIZE uncertain : colour grey, with the crown of
the head and part of the wing-feathers black ; the
ends of the quills white; the tail long and white,
with the two middle feathers and the lower part of
the side feathers black. Native region uncertain;
described by Mr. Pennant.

GREEN-WINGED HORNBILL.

Buceros viridis. B. niger, alis virescentibus, abdomine albo, rostro

Jlavescente, galea truncata.
Black Hornbill, with green-glossed wings, white abdomen, and

yellowish bill with truncated casque.
Buceros viridis. B.fronte ossea truncata^ corpore nigro, alis vire-

scentibus, rectricibus exterioribus basi remigum abdomineque albis.

Lath. ind. orn.
Green- Winged Hornbill. Lath. syn. suppl.

SIZE uncertain: colour black with a gloss of
green; the exterior tail-feathers, upper part of the

NEW HOLLAND HORNBILL. 41

quill-feathers, and the belly white: bill pale yellow:
on the upper mandible a prominence which is ab-
rupt at each end; the further half being partly
yellow, and partly black: the base of the lower
mandible black, and near it a naked spot of blue-
ish white: beneath the eye a tuft of black feathers :
legs blueish. Described by Mr. Pennant.

NEW HOLLAND HORNBILL.

Buceros Orientalis. B. nigricans, orbitis nttdis rugosis, rostro con-
vexo carinato, basi gibbosa.

Blackish Hornbill, with naked wrinkled orbits, and convex cari-
nated bill with gibbous base.

Buceros orientalis. B. rostro cotwexo carinato, basi gibbosiore, or-
bitis nudis rugosis cinereis, eorpore alis caudaque nigricantibus.
Lath. ind. orn.

New Holland Hornbill. Lath, suppl.

SIZE less than that of a Jay: colour on the upper
parts dusky; paler beneath: the shafts of the wings
and tail-feathers white beneath : orbits of the eyes
naked, wrinkled, and cinereous; bill convex, cari-
nated, very gibbous at the base, and covered with
a naked skin: nostrils pervious, seated at about a
third part of the length of the bill from the base.
Described by Mr. Pennant. Native of New Hol-
land. The specimen having been mutilated by
clipping away the ends of the wings and the tail,
it remains doubtful whether the colour of those
parts differed from the rest.

MOMOTA. MOMOT.

Generic Character.

Rostrum validum, incurva-
tum, lateribus dentatum.
Nares tectae.
Lingua pennacea.
Cauda cuneiforrnis.
Pedes gressorii.

Bill strong, incurvated,

toothed at the sides.
Nostrils covered.
Tongue feather-shaped.
Tail cuneiform.
Feet gressorial.

BRASILIAN MOMOT.

Momota Brasiliensis. M. Viridis, subtus gilva, vertice cceruke

macula nigra, rectricibus duabus wediis elongatis. .
Green Momot, buft-colouied beneath ; with blue crown marked

by a black spot, and the two middle tail-feathers elongated.
Ramphastos Momota. R. pcdibus gressoriis, rectricibus duabus

intimis medio dtnudatis. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Moniotus Brasiliensis. M. viridis, frontc cctruko-v'ridi, occipite

violaceo, rertice et striga per oculos nigra, rectricibus duabus in-

tztmediia longioribus. Lath. ind. orn.
Momotus. Bris. «r. 4. p. 405.
Moniot. Raii syn. 164-

Le Houtou ou Momot. Buff. 6 p. 430. PI. Enl. 370.
Brasilian saw-billed Roller. Edw.pl. 328.
Biasilian Momot. Lath. syn. p. 338.

HIS bird, remarkable for the beauty of its
plumage, and the only species hitherto discovered,
is a native of the hotter parts of South America,

BBASI i

BRASILIAN MOMOT. 43

and seems to be chiefly found in Brasil. It appears
to have been first described by Hernandez in his
History of Mexico. His description, however, is
very slight and inaccurate. " It is, says he, of the
size of a Dove, and has scarlet eyes, with a black
pupil : a crooked blackish bill, almost three inches
long, sharp-pointed, with the lower mandible short-
est, and the upper serrated: the head is blue like
that of a Peacock; the legs and feet brown, and the
rest of the bird green ; and what is extraordinary
is, that the tail has one quill longer than the rest,
and feathered only at the end." This mistake of
Hernandez did not escape the notice of Mr. Ray,
who, in his edition of Willoughby's Ornithology,
thus expresses himself. " This is, I dare say,
more strange than true; for the tails of all birds
I ever yet saw have their feathers growing by
pairs, that is, two of a sort, on each side one."

In the year 1764 was published a very correct
description of this elegant bird by the ingenious
Edwards, accompanied by an accurate figure.
Edwards considered it as a kind of Roller, and
has named it the Saw-billed Roller. (e It is, says
he, short-legged in proportion, and not long-
winged: the bill is pretty strait, moderately bend-
ing downwards at the point, toothed on the edges
like a saw; the upper mandible dusky, the nethern
flesh-coloured towards its basis: the nostrils are
covered with small black feathers, and some black
bristles pointing forward round the upper mandi-
ble: the upper part and sides of the bill are in-
compassed with black, from which run black lines

44 BRASILIAN MOMOT.

through the eyes, and broader black lists, mixed
with a little blue, from the corners of the mouth
down the sides of the neck: the top of the head
is of an ultramarine blue, though next the bill in-
clining to sea-green: in the middle of this blue
space on the crown of the head is a black spot: it
hath a spot of black feathers edged with blue on
the fore-part of the neck a little below the throat;
otherwise the whole under side, from the bill to
the covert-feathers beneath the tail, is of an olive
or greenish buff-colour. Marcgrave says the eyes
are yellow : on the neck behind is a crescent-like
mark of a reddish colour: the sides of the head,
hinder part of the neck, back, rump, and covert-
feathers of the wings, are of a parrot- green colour:
the greater quills are blue with dusky tips: a few
of the first row of coverts above them are also
blue : a few of the quills next the back are green :
the coverts withinside the wings are of a yellowish
brown, the insides of the quills dark ash-colour.
I counted only ten feathers in the tail, which
seemed to me to be perfect: the tail-feathers are
of a fine blue colour, gradually changing to green
at their bottoms, having all of them black tips:
the under side of the tail is of a dark dusky colour.
What is very singular in this bird is, that the two
long feathers in the middle of the tail seem as if
they were stripped of their webs on each side for
an inch space a little within their tips, which is
however natural, and particularly taken notice of
by Marcgrave: the side feathers of the tail gra-
dually shorten to a third of the length of the mid-

BRA8ILIAN MOMOT. 45

dlemost: the legs, feet, and claws are of a brown-
ish flesh-colour, (Marcgrave says black.) It hath
three toes forward and one backward: the outer
fore toes are joined to the middle ones almost their
whole length: the feet are broad and flat: the toes
seem to have narrow membranes on their sides,
which give them breadth. I have been as parti-
cular as I could in its description ; there being, I
think, some difficulty, from the uncommonness of
the bill and tail, how to class it; so that I hope
the system-makers of this age will easily find it a
proper place."

The most celebrated system-maker of that age,
Linnaeus, accordingly considered the bird as a
species of Ramphastos or Toucan, under the
name of Ramphastos Momota ; but our own con-
summate ornithologist, Dr. Latham, has, with
stricter propriety, instituted for it a separate
genus; the structure of the feet forbidding it to
be associated with the genuine Toucans, which
are all furnished with what Linnaeus calls scan-
sorial or climbing feet, having the toes placed
two forwards and two backwards, as in the Parrot
tribe. Mr. Latham has also noticed an important
circumstance relative to the plumage of this bird;
viz. that though the tail in many specimens exhi-
bits the very remarkable particularity described
and figured by Edwards, yet in its truly natural
or perfectly complete state the two middle fea-
thers are entirely webbed throughout their whole
length.

The Momot is nearly equal in size to a Magpie,

46 BRASILIAN MOMOT.

measuring about eighteen inches in length. It is
said to be a bird of a solitary nature, frequenting
thick woods, and being only seen singly. It makes
its nest on the ground, frequently in the deserted
hole of an Armadillo or other quadruped ; the
nest being composed of dry grass and stalks, and
the eggs generally two in number.

j ( ) I JET Pi ^OSTTAHS 1E

MUSOPHAGA. PLANTAIN-EATER.

Generic Character.

Rostrum crassum, trigo-
num, mandibula superi-
ore basi supra frontem
elevata, maxillis dentatis.

Nares in medio rostri.

Lingua Integra, crassius-

cula.
Fcdes ambnlatorii.

Lath. ind. orn. suppl.

Bill stout, triangular, the
upper mandible elevated
at the base above the
front ; both mandibles
dentated at the edges.

Nostrils in the middle of
the bill.

Tongue entire, thick! sh.

Feet with three toes before,
and one behind.

VIOLET PLANTAIN-EATER.

Musophaga violacea. M. nigro-violacca, verticc ftmigibusquc
pftceiuceis, fascia suboculari alba.

Blackish-violet Plantain-Eater, with crimson crown and quill-
feathers, and a white stripe beneath the eyes.

Cuculus regius. C. mgro-coerultscens, remigibus phceniceis, rostro
rubro super frontem Jtavo, occipile purpureo. Museum Leveria-
num, p. 165. t. 4O.

Royal Cuckow. Museum Levericuium, p. 167. pi. 40.

Musophaga violacea. M. c<jeruleo-atraf striga aurium alba, rostro
remegibusque sanguineis. Lath. ind. orn. suppl.

Violet Plantain-Eater. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

JL HE highly elegant bird constituting the present
genus is of African origin, and appears to have

48 VIOLET PLANTAIN-EATER.

been first accurately described by Mr. Isert, in
the Berlin Transactions. Its length is about
nineteen inches, of which the tail measures about
one third : the colour of the whole bird is a fine
deep violet, except on the lower part of the wings,
where the quill -feat hers are bright purple or rather
crimson, tipped with violet, and the crown of the
head, which is also purple: beneath each eye is a
white streak pointing backwards to a considerable
distance: the bill is large and thick, but not long
in proportion, and is remarkable for the unusual
structure of the upper mandible, which rises up-
wards at the base, where it forms a kind of vault or
arch over the base of the forehead : it is of a yel-
low colour, stained with red towards the tip : the
legs are rather short than long, but very stout, and
of a blackish colour; the feet being disposed as in
the generality of birds, or with three toes forwards
and one backward. It is found in the province of
Acra in Guinea, and is said to live principally on
the fruit of the Musa or Plantain-tree. It is ex-
tremely rare, and Mr. Isert, its describer, informs
us that notwithstanding all his care, he could only
obtain a single specimen.

In the publication entitled Museum Leveri-
anum I have myself described this bird as a spe-
cies of Cuckow, under the name ofCuculus regius:
the description was made from a very fine draw-
ing, in which the toes were represented as of the
scansorial kind, viz, with two toes before and two
behind. This circumstance, added to an evident
alliance in many points between this bird and the

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VIOLET PLANTAIN-EATER. 49

Touraco-Bird, which ranks in the genus Cuculus,
determined me to station it as a species of Cuckow.
Mr. Isert's description, however, being drawn up
from the living bird, it is but just to suppose his
statement of this particular to be accurate ; though,
as Mr. Latham has well observed, the Touraco-
Bird possessing the power of placing the toes at
pleasure either in a scansorial or ambulatorial di-
rection, this particular still seems in some mea-
sure uncertain. Should future observations prove
that the feet are really scansorial in the present
bird, it may either be transferred to the genus
Cuculus, or be permitted to form a separate genus
among the tribe of Picae scansorise.

V. VIII. P. I.

BUPHAGA. OX-PECKER,

Generic Character.

Rostrum rectum, crassius-|| Bill strait, thickish, squarish,
' culum, subquadratum, gibbous towards the tip.

versus apicem gibbosum.
Pedes ambulatorii. Feet formed for walking.

AFRICAN OX-PECKER.

Buphaga Africana. B. ferrugineo-fusca, subtus pallidior, rcctri-

cibus subacuminatis.
Ferruginous-brown Ox-Pecker, paler beneath, with subacumi-

nated tail-feathers.

Buphaga Africana. Lin. Syst. Nat. Lat/t. ind. orn.
Le Pic-bo3uf. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 293.
Le Pique-Boauf. Levaill. ois. afr. pi. 97.
African Beef-Eater. Lath. syn.

HE bird which constitutes the present genus
is an inhabitant of the hotter parts of Africa, and
is said to be frequent in Senegal, where its chief
food consists in the larvae of Oestri or Gad-Flies,
which it picks out of the skin of the larger cattle,
thus delivering them from the trouble occasioned
by those noxious insects. It is for this reason
that the generic name of Buphaga has been
applied.

AFRICAN OX-PECKER. 51

The African Ox-Pecker W as observed by Monsr.
Adanson during his residence in Senegal, and a
.specimen was by him communicated to Monsr.
Brissson, who has, with his usual accuracy, de-
scribed it in his Ornithology. Its size is not
larger than that of a Lark, measuring about eight
inches and a half in length: its colour is rufous-
brown above, and dull yellowish- white beneath:
the bill is nearly an inch long, and of a yellowish
colour with a red tip: the tail is cuneated, all the
feathers being pointed at the end: the legs and
claws are brown.

Monsr. Levaillant, who observed this bird in the
country of the Greater Namaquas, informs us that
it is usually seen in small flocks of six or eight to-
gether. It is extremely wild or shy, and will not
easily admit of a near approach: the strength of
its beak is very great, and well adapted to the
purpose of extracting larva? from the skin of cattle;
but it also feeds on various other insects. The
female differs from the male in being rather
smaller, and in having the bill of a paler cast.

ALCEDO. KINGFISHER .

Generic Character.

Nostrum trigonum, crassum,

rectum, longum.
Lingua carnosa, brevissima,

plana, acuta.
Pedes gressorii plerisque.

Bill trigonal, thick, strait,

long.
Tongiie fleshy, very short,

flat, sharp-pointed.
Feet, (in most species) gres-

sorial.

JL HIS numerous genus appears to be dispersed
over all parts of the Old and New Continent, as
well as over the larger islands of both; but it is
remarkable that one species alone is found in
Europe. The Kingfishers in general are birds of
an inelegant shape, but of singular brilliancy of
plumage, in which the prevailing colours are blue,
green, and orange. Some of the larger species
however are of rather obscure colours, exhibiting
a mixture of brown, black, and white, variously
modified in the different birds. In their manners
they all seem to agree, frequenting rivers, sea-
shores, and other watery places, and feeding prin-
cipally on fish, which they watch, while sitting on
the branches or other objects overhanging the
water, and suddenly springing on their prey,
snatch it out of the water, and after bruising it
by repeated strokes of their bill, immediately
swallow it. They deposit their eggs in cavities
formed in the banks of rivers, and, in general, are

GIANT KINGFISHER. 53

supposed to lay from five or six to eight or nine
eggs, which in the European Kingfisher are of a
semitransparent white colour; the hole, or nest,
if it may properly be so named, being often deeply
lined at the bottom by a stratum of small fish
bones and scales. The flight of the Kingfishers is
horizontal, and remarkably rapid.

The genus may be divided into long and short-
tailed species; those of the latter division having
that part extremely short, as in the Common
Kingfisher.

LONG-TAILED KINGFISHERS.

GIANT KINGFISHER.

Alcedo gigantea. A. subcristatafusca, subtus albido nigroque un-
dulata, tectricibus alarum uropygioque subthalassinis, caudafas-
ciis Jiumerosis nigris.

Slightly-crested brown Kingfisher, beneath whitish with black un-
dulations, the wing-coverts and rump pale sea-green, and the
tail crossed by numerous black bars.

Alcedo gigantea. A. macroura subcristata, corpore oli-caceo-fusco
subtus albido nigricantefasciata, cau<!aferruginca nigroque fasci-
ata apice alba. Lath. ind. orn.

Alcedo fusca. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmel.

Le plus grand Martin-pescheur. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 663.

Great brown Kingfisher. Lath. syn. White's Voy. p. 137 and
pi. oppos.

THIS is by far the largest species hitherto dis-
covered, measuring about eighteen inches from the
tip of the bill to that of the tail. Its general d«-

54 GIANT KINGFISHER.

scription is well detailed by Dr. Latham. " The
bill, says that author, is very large, strong, thick
at the base, bent at the end, and three inches and
a quarter long; the upper mandible black, the
under white, with the base only black: the fea-
thers of the head are elongated, sufficient to form
a moderate crest: the feathers are narrow and
brown, streaked with paler bro\vn: sides of the
head, above the eye, and bind part of the head,
dirty white, with a mixture of dusky: beneath the
eyes, and sides of the neck deep brown: upper
part of the back, and wings olive brown; the
lower part and rump fine pale blue-green: on the
middle of the wing-coverts a large patch of glossy
pale blue-green: outer edges of the quills blue;
within, and the tips black; the base of some of
them white, forming a spot: tail five inches and a
half long, rounded at the end, barred ferruginous
and steel-black, with a gloss of purple; the end,
for one inch, white: the under parts of the body
dirty white, transversely streaked with narrow
dusky lines : legs yellow ; claws black." The
female is of a browner cast than the male; has
scarcely any appearance of a crest, and has less
of the blue-green gloss on the middle of the
wings, &c.

This species is a native of New Guinea, New
Holland, and several of the smaller islands of the
Southern Pacific. In New Holland it is said to
be known by the name of Googo-ne-gang, or the
laughing Jack-ass, from its singular note, which
the natives compare with the braying of the

GREAT AFRICAN KINGFISHER. 55

European ass, lately introduced among them. In
Mr. While's Journal of a Voyage to New Soutii
Wales we find an excellent figure of this bird.

GREAT AFRICAN KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Afra. A. cristata cinerea albo-maculata, sub t us ferrugintu,
gttla aWo nigroque maculata.

Crested cinereous Kingfisher, spotted with white, beneath ferru-
ginous, with the throat spotted black and white.

Alcedo maxima. A. ntacroura cristata albo ?naculosa) cot-pore
supra plumln-o subtus ferrugineo, jugulo nigro, striga collar i
gulaque ulbis. Lath, ind orn.

Alcedo maxima. Pall. spic. zoo/. 6. p. 15. Lin. Gmcl.

Martiu-pescheur huppe. Buf. ois. PI. Enl. 679.

Great African Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

THIS species is equal in size to a common crow,
and measures from fourteen to sixteen inches in
length. It is well described by Dr. Pallas, in his
work entitled Spicikgia Zoologica, and also by Dr.
Latham in his Synopsis of Birds. The bill is large,
strong, compressed, and of a black colour; the
upper mandible longest: the feathers of the head
and nape are lengthened into a slight crest, and
marked with numerous white streaks: the upper
parts of the body are of a deep lead-colour; the
under parts ferruginous, in some specimens deep
red: the crown of the head and the wings are
darker than the rest of the plumage, which is co-
vered with numerous white spots, five on each
feather, viz. two on each side, and one at the tip:

56 CINEREOUS KINGFISHER.

on each side the neck is an obliquely descending
stripe dotted with white: the chin is also white;
the throat and fore part of the neck black: the
quills are black, tipped with white, and have a row
of white spots on each side, those of the inner web
being placed transversely: the wings, when closed,
reach beyond the middle of the tail, which is even
at the tip, and marked in the same manner as the
quill-feathers: the legs are black. The female is
said to differ in having the throat and part of the
neck pale ferruginous instead of black, and the
remainder of the under parts white, marked by
narrow transverse black lines. Native of Africa,
and principally found about the Cape of Good
Hope.

CINEREOUS KINGFISHER.

Alccdo torquata. A. subcristata plumbea, alls caudaque albo-ma-

culatis, subtus ferruginea collari albo.
Subcristated lead-coloured Kingfisher, with white-spotted wings

and tail; beneath ferruginous with white collar.
Alcedo torquata. A. macroura subcristata cano-ccerulesccns, torque

albo, alls caudaque albo-maculatis. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Achalalactli. Raii syn. 126. UAlatli. Buff", ois.
Martin-pescheur huppe du Mexique. PI. Enl. 284.
Cinereous Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

A VERY large species, and much allied to the
African and Belted Kingfishers: indeed it should
seem that Mr. Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology,
considers it as the same with the latter, since he

CINEREOUS KINGFISHER. 5?

applies to that bird the Mexican name of Achala-
lacti or Fish-Eater. Linnaeus however regards
the present bird as a distinct species, in which he
is followed by Dr. Latham. Its size is that of a
Magpie, and its length fifteen inches and a half.
The Count de Buffon describes it under the name
of Alatti, shortening the aboriginal Mexican title.
Its general colour is blueish-grey above, and fer-
ruginous beneath : the feathers of the crown of
the head are lengthened into a slight crest, and
are of a deep or blackish lead-colour: the front,
as far as the eyes, and the throat are white, the
white passing behind the neck, and forming a
collar: the wings are varied with dull yellowish
white, the tips and edges of all the coverts being
of that colour; but the quill-feathers are dusky,
with yellowish white bars, and the tail lead-co-
loured, with similar bars; the bill and legs fer-
ruginous. This species is said to migrate into
the northern parts of Mexico at certain seasons
only, and is supposed to come from some warmer
regions.

BELTED KINGFISHER.

*
Alcedo Alcyon. A. crislata plumbea albo punctata, subtus alba

fascia pector all ferruginco nigroque nebulosa.
Crested lead-coloured Kingfisher, speckled with white; beneath

white with ferruginous pectoral bar clouded with black.
Alcedo Alcyon. A. macroura cristata cceruk&cens, abdomine albo,

pectorefcrrugineu, macula alba ante poneque oculos. Lin. Syst.

Nat. Lath. ind. orn.

American Kingfisher. Edw. 115. Catesb. Carol. I. pi. 69.
Belted Kingfisher. Lath. ind. orn. Penn. Arct. Zool. PI.

Enl. 715. 593.

GREATLY allied to the African Kingfisher, but
of smaller size, usually measuring from ten to
twelve or thirteen inches : general colour blueish
ash above, and white beneath : the bill black, two
inches and a half long; the head crested with long
blueish-grey feathers: above the upper mandible
a white spot, and beneath each eye another: chin
and throat white : the upper part of the breast
crossed by a broad grey belt ; in some individuals
chesnut-colour : the lower part and belly white:
the sides of a vermilion-colour; in some crossing
the breast: the upper part of the neck, the back,
and coverts of the wings blueish grey: the se-
condaries the same; their ends, and those of the
lower order of coverts, tipped with white: prima-
ries black, barred with white: the legs orange:
weight about three ounces and a half. The above
is the description of this bird as it is generally seen

BELTED KINGFISHER. 59

in the northern parts of America, where, accord-
ing to Mr. Pennant, it inhabits Hudson's Bay,
Norton Sound, &c. In Mexico it is called Acha-
lalacti or the Fish-Eater. It has, says Mr. Pen-
nant, the same cry, manners, and solitary disposi-
tion with the European species, and feeds not
only on fish but lizards. It makes its nest in the
face of high banks, penetrating deep into them in
a horizontal direction, and laying four white eggs,
which discharge the young in June. In Mexico
it is of a migratory nature: it is there considered
as an edible bird, but is observed to have a rank
or fishy flavour, like most other fish-eating birds.
Like many others of this genus, the present spe-
cies is observed to vary in different regions both
in point of size and plumage: the abdomen iu
some is ferruginous, and in others the zone or
band across the breast is of a mixed grey and
chesnut-colour instead of plain ; and lastly, the
legs and lower mandible are in some dusky, and
in others reddish.

AMAZONIAN KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Amazona. A. iriridi-nitens, subtus lunulaque colli alba, la-

teribus vindi-variegatis, remigibus rectricibusque albo-maculatis.

Lath. i/id. orn.
Glossy-green Kingfisher, white beneath ; the sides of the neck

white ; those of the body variegated with green, and the wing

and tail-feathers spotted with white.
Amazonian Kingfisher. Lath. syn. suppL

SIZE of the Belted Kingfisher, if not larger :
length thirteen inches: bill three inches long,
strait, and black: under mandible yellow at the
base: upper parts of the body shining green:
chin, throat, and belly white, passing backwards
in a ring to the nape: sides of the body, and parts
over the thighs mottled with green : breast clouded
with the same: quills spotted with white: the two
middle tail-feathers green; the others the same,
but darker, and spotted on each side the web
with white : legs black. Native of Cayenne. De-
scribed by Dr. Latham in the Supplement to his
Synopsis of Birds.

.T<TAW OX.

EGYPTIAN KINGFISHER.

Alcedo jEgyptia. A. macroura fusca maculisferrugineis, gvla sub-
ferruginca, abdomine fcmoribusquc allndis maeulis cinereis, cauda
cirwascente. Lath. ind. orn.

Brown Kingfisher with ferruginous spots, subferruginous throat,
whitish belly and thighs marked with cinereous spots, and sub-
cinereous tail.

Alcedo ./Egyptia. Hasselq. it. p. 245. Lin. Gmel.

Egyptian Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

THIS is described by Hasselquist as of the size
of the COITUS Cornix or Royston Crow: the bill
blackish; more than an inch broad at the base,
and two inches long: the head, shoulders, and
back brown, varied with oblong ferruginous spots:
the sides the same, with bright ferruginous spots,
broadest at the tips of the feathers: the throat
ferruginous-white : the belly and thighs whitish,
with longitudinal broadish cinereous spots: upper
tail-coverts quite white: quills spotted with white
on the inner webs, principally at the tips: tail
even at the end, and inclining to ash-colour:
legs pale green: claws blackish. Inhabits lower
Egypt 5 building in Sycamore Trees and Date
Palms, and feeding on frogs, insects, and small
fish.

I know not whether Hasselquist was sufficiently
conversant in Ornithology to have at all times ac-
curately distinguished the genera of birds. It is
not impossible that he may have referred to the

6C2 NEW GUINEA KINGFISHER.

genus Alcedo some species of the Bittern tribe.
The building on trees seems not to accord with
the general manners of the Kingfisher genus.

NEW GUINEA KINGFISHER.

A. Novae Guineas. A. nigra, supra macuhs albis rotundatis, sub-
tus elongatis; collo utrinque maculis duabus majoribus.

Black Kingfisher, marked above with round, and beneath with
lengthened while spots ; the neck marked on each side by two
larger spots.

Alcedo Novae Guineae. A. nigi'a albo maculata. Lin. Gmel.

Martin-p£cheur de la nouvelle Guine'e. Sotine*. voy. pi. 107.

New-Guinea Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Sonnerat. Size equal to that of
the Egyptian Kingfisher: bill and irides blackish:
whole plumage black, spotted or marked with
white, the spots being of an irregular figure : the
head, neck, and wing-coverts marked with small
round spots: the quill-feathers and tail similar,
but the spots twice the size: breast and belly-
marked with longitudinal white spots, each fea-
ther having a stripe down the middle: on each
side the neck two large white spots, one above
the other; the intervening space being narrow,
and spotted like the rest of the neck : the upper
spot is pear-shaped, with the point upwards, and
somewhat oblique; the lower spot round: the legs
are blackish. This species is a native of New
Guinea.

1MKI.)

•

PIED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo rndis. A. cristata supra albo nigroque varia, subtus alba

fascia pcctorali nigra.
Crested Kingfisher, varied above with black and white ; beneath

white with a black pectoral bar.

Alcedo nulls. A. macrourafusca albido varia. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Alcedo rudis. -4. macroura nigra albido varia, subtus alba. Lath.

ind. orn.

Black and white Kingfisher. Edw. pi. 9.
Le Martin-p£cheur pie. Buff. ois. PL Enl. 7 1 6. 62.
Black and white Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

WELL described by Edwards, whose specimen
however seems to have been a female, since no
mention is made of the head being furnished with
a crest. " This bird, says Edwards, is of the size
of a Song-Thrush; it hath a long, strait bill, flat
crown, long head, and short neck : the head I
think not so big in proportion to its body as in
some others of this genus: it hath pretty long
wings, and a long tail : all of the Kingfisher kind
are short-legged: the bill is pretty thick at the
base, ending in a sharp point, of a black colour,
having a groove or channel on each side the upper
mandible, in which the nostrils are placed near
the base : the eyes are placed just over the cor-
ners of the mouth: the crown of the head and
hinder part of the neck is black: from the corners
of the mouth, under the eyes, is abroad black liue,
which falls into the same colour behind the neck:

64 PIED KINGFISHER.

from the nostrils are drawn white lines above the
eyes, and continued the whole length of the head:
the whole under side, from bill to tail, is of a dirty
yellowish white, except a little bar of black spots
that crosses the middle of the breast : the whole
back is black, the feathers having grey tips: the
ridge of the wing is white; all the covert-feathers
party-coloured of black and white: the bastard
wing black : the first or largest quill-feathers are
white at their bottoms, then black, having the very
tips white: the middle quills have white spots in
their outer webs, and white tips: the remaining
quills next the back are black with white tips :
the tail-feathers are white toward their bottoms;
with a row of transverse black spots: toward the
tips is a bar of black of an inch broad, the tips
beyond the bar being white : the legs and feet are
of a dirty brown colour, shaped as in all others of
this kind."

The above-described specimen is said to have
been received from Persia. The bird appears to
inhabit various regions both of Asia and Africa,
and to vary somewhat in size, as well as in the
particular mixture of colours in the plumage. In
a specimen represented in the Planches Enlumi-
ne*es the head is strongly crested, and a black bar
passes across the breast. The figure engraved for
the present work is likewise from the Planches
Enluminees, and was probably taken from a
young bird, since it is said to have been some-
what smaller than the crested individual.

CAPE KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Capensb. A. cinereo-thalassina subtus svblutca, rostro
maxima rubro.

Cinereous sea-green Kingfisher, subluteous beneath, with very
large red bill.

Alcedo Capensis. A. macroura cinereo-c&ruka, subtusfuha, pec-
tore tcstaceo, rostro rubro. Lin. Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.

Martin pescheur a gros bee. Buff. ois. Bvff. ois. PI. Enl. 5QO.

Cape Kingfisher. Lath. si/n.

A LARGE species, measuring fourteen inches in
length: bill extremely large, and of a bright red
colour, as are also the legs: crown of the head
yellowish ash-colour: upper parts of the body
blue-green, growing more brilliant on the lower
part of the back and rump : wings and tail blue-
green: whole under parts, from bill to vent, pale
orange-colour. In some specimens the crown of
the heac^js brownish, and the tips of the wings
black. Native of Africa, and chiefly observed
about the Cape of Good Hope.

v. viii. p. i.

3IALIMBA KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Malimbica. A. thalassina, gula abdomineque albidis, tec-

tricibus alarum fasciaque transoculari nigris.
Sea-green or beryl Kingfisher, with the throat and belly whitish;

the wing-coverts and streak across the eyes black.
Le Martin-pecheur de Malimbe. Sonnini Buff.

THIS bird, according to Monsr. Sonnini, is per-
fectly distinct from the Cape Kingfisher, to which
it is much allied in the form of its bill, and, in some
degree, in the distribution of its colours. Its total
length is nine inches and a half, of which the bill
measures two and a half, and is ten lines in dia-
meter at its base: the tail measures three inches,
and the wings, when closed, reach half its length :
the forehead is grey ; the head, neck, back, rump,
tail, and breast of a beryl or sea-green colour: the
throat and belly whitish : on each side of the head
is a black streak across the eyes: the wing-coverts
and scapulars are black: the quill-feathers sea-
green externally, but brown within, and at their
tips: the irides rose-coloured: the upper mandible
yellow, spotted with red and black on the edges
and tip: the lower mandible black: the legs and
feet brown : in the female the head, neck, back,
and breast are of a blueish grey, and the wing-
coverts and scapulars brown instead of black.
This species was discovered, according to Sonnini,
by Monsr. de Perrein, who observes that it is-

JAVA KINGFISHER. 6?

common in Malimba about the sea-coasts, from
which it rarely departs, and frrds on worms and
fish.

JAVA KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Javanicu. A. cxrulea d'jrso thalassino, capite collo cor-

poreque subtus albido-Jiarescentibus, i-ertice tngro striato.
Blue Kingfisher, with sea-green back, \ello\vish\vhite head, neck,

and body; the crown of the head streaked with black.
Alcedo leucocepliala. A. Tiridi-cicrulea, capite collo corporequc

subtus albo-jlui-eocentibus, gula alba, verlice nigro-striato. Lath.

ind. om.
Martin-pescheur a tete et cou couleur de paille. />«/T. w'j. IV.

Enl. 757.
White-headed Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

OF somewhat larger size than the two immedi-
ately preceding species, measuring twelve inches
in length: the head, neck, and whole under parts
are of a straw-colour, but the crown of the head
slightly dashed or streaked longitudinally with
brown : the wings and tail line deep blue, glossed
or clouded with deep green, but the larger quills
black: the whole back and rump bright pale-blue
with a greenish cast: across the breast a narrow
bar of blue, joining that of the shoulders. Native
of Java.

SMYRNA KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Smyrnensis. A. ferruginea, gula albida, alls dorso cauda-

que nitide cceruleis, rostro pedibitsque rubris.
Ferruginous Kingfisher, with whitish throat, glossy blue wings,

back and tail, and red bill and legs.
Alcedo Smyrnensis. A. macroura Jerruginea, alls cauda dorsoquc

•ciridibiis. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Alcedo Smyrnensis. Briss. av. Lath. ind. orn.
Le Martin-pecheur bleu et roux. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 232. 894.
Great Gambia Kingfisher. Edw. pi. 8.
Smyrna Kingfisher. Lath. syn. Albin. 3. pi. 37.
Great Bengal Kingfisher. Albin. 3. pi. 28.

THIS, when in full perfection of plumage, may
be considered as one of the most brilliant of the
whole feathered race, the lucid blue of the wings
scarcely yielding in lustre to those of the splendid
butterfly called Papilio Menelaus. The bird, how-
ever, varies in point of colour in different indivi-
duals. It seems to have been first described and
figured in the wretched work of Albin, under the
name of the large Kingfisher from Bengal, and
afterwards by Edwards, who calls it the great
Kingfisher from the River Gambia. " For bigness,
says Edwards, this bird equals, if not exceeds the
Missel-Bird or Greater Thrush: it is great-headed,
short-necked, the body neither over-long or round:
the tail is long, the wings pretty long, the legs very
short : the bill is l9ng and strait, pretty thick to-
wards the head, ending in a sharp point, of a bright
scarlet colour: the upper mandible is channelled on

SMYRNA KINGFISHER. 6-9

each side, in which channels are placed the nostrils,
pretty near the head: the angles or corners of the
mouth are deep-cut, and fall directly under the
eyes: under each eye is a narrow border of white
feathers: the head, neck whole under side, and part
of the back, are covered with dirty orange-coloured
feathers: the chin and breast lighter than the back:
in the middle of the breast some of the tips of the
feathers are white: the wings are purple in the up-
per part, the greater feathers being blue: yet the
foremost of the prime-quills are black: though the
upper part of the wing be mostly purple, yet there
is a narrow space of blue runs round the purple:
the ridge of the wing is white: the lower part of
the back and rump is of a blue-green changeable
colour: the wing-feathers which border on the
back partake of the same changeable cplour: the
tail is of a fine blue colour, yet it in some lights
has a greenish cast : the legs and feet are of a red
colour, with black claws: the middle and outer toe
joined together as in our Kingfisher.'*

The above specimen was communicated to Ed-
wards by Mr. Peter Collinson, and, from no men-
tion being made of the peculiar brilliancy of the
wings, we may conclude that it was either a female
bird, or one in the first year's plumage. Albin's
specimen seems to have been of a brighter cast,
and was probably a male. In some specimens the
wing-coverts are marked by a patch or bar of black,
and in others a few spots oi that colour are observ-
ed on the sides of the breast, which is sometimes of
a clear white, and sometimes of a yellowish cast. In

70 BLACK-CAPPED KINGFISHER.

all the bill and legs are of a bright red colour. This
elegant species appears to be an extended inhabitant
of the warmer regions of the Old Continent, being
found about the coasts of the Grecian islands, in
the midst of Africa, and in several parts of India.

BLACK-CAPPED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo atricapilla. A. Tiolaceo ccerulea, collari pcctorcque albis,

vert ice humcrisque nigris, abdomineferrugineo.
Violet-blue Kingfisher, with white collar and breast, black crown

and shoulders, and ferruginous abdomen.
Alcedo atricapilla. A. vio(aceo-c&rulea, capite cervice humeris rr-

migibusque apice nigris, collo inferiore et torque albo, abdominc

rufo. Lath. ind. orn.

Le Martin-pecbeur a coiffe noire. Ruff. ois. PL Enl. 673.
Black-capped Kingfisher. Lath. syn.
Var. Martin-pecheur de 1'isle de Lu£on. Sonner. toy. pi. 31.

A MOST beautiful species, in size equal to the
Smyrna Kingfisher, and of equal brilliancy of co-
lour, but the blue, instead of verging towards a sea-
green hue on a change of light, is rather of a smalt-
colour. The Black-Capped Kingfisher appears to
have been first described by Sonnerat. Its length
is about ten inches: the bill and legs are red : the
crown of the head, the shoulders, and tips of the
wings are deep black: the back, wings and tail of
the rich blue above-mentioned; the throat and
breast white, passing behind the neck so as to form
a broad collar, separating the fylack colour of the
crown from the blue of the back: the abdomen ru-

.„

.iftn.Aufi.'iJ.nnAon, Published b\

, f-'/ert Strrrr .

CRAB-EATING KINGFISHEB. 71

fous or orange-colour. Native of India, China,
;m<l the Indian islands, and admitting of some
varieties in the intensity and disposition of tho
colours.

CRA1J-EATING KINGFISHER.

Alcedo caiicrophaga. A. viridi-cceruka, sulrfusjtaresccns, tcctriei-
busfasciaque traiisuculari nigris, rostra fcrrugineo.

Greenish-blue Kingfisher, yellowish beneath, with black wing-
coverts and eye-stripe, and Ion u^inous bill.

Alcedo cancrophaga. A. macroura arrttko-vlridjf, rubtu* Jtarct-
centi-fuha, fascia per oculos tec t tidbits alarum remigibu&qve apicc
nigris. Lath. ind. orn.
•i.irtin-prclieur apelle Cmlm-r. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 334.

Crab-eating Kingfisher. Lath. tyn.

SIZE equal to that of the Java Kingfisher: bill
ferruginous, and rather bending towards the tip,
then subascending, as in the preceding bird: crown
of the head, middle of the wings, back, and tail fine
blue-green: wing-coverts and tips of the wings
black, or rather brownish black: from the bill,
across the eyes, a black streak: whole under parts,
from bill to vent, pale buff, or yellow-ferruginous:
legs dull red. Native of Senegal, where it is called
the Crab-Eater.

SENEGAL KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Senegalcnsis. A. cyanea sitbtus alba, capite cano, tectrici-
bus nigris, rostro supra rubro infra nigro.

Deep-blue Kingfisher, white beneath, with grey head, black wing-
coverts, and bill red above and black below.

Alcedo Senegalensis. A. macroura cyanea, subtus alba, capite cano,
tectridbm alarum nigris. Lin. Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.

Martiu-pecheur a tete grise. Bujf. ois. PL Enl 5$4.

Senegal Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

Var. Martin pecheur bleu et noir du Senegal. Buff', ois. PL
Enl. 3 56. Jig. inf.

DESCRIBED by Buffon, Forskal, &c. allied to the
Crab-Eating Kingfisher, but smaller: length nine
inches: upper mandible red; lower black: head,
throat, and neck brownish grey; between the bill
and eyes a black spot: wing-coverts and tips of
the wings black: back, middle of the wings, and
tail blue-green; sometimes deep blue: abdomen
white : legs brown or black. A variety has been
observed in which the bill is red; the head and
neck whitish; the wings black, with a blue middle
bar: the breast and belly ferruginous; the tail
blue, and the legs red. Found in various parts of
Africa, and said to feed much on a species of land
crab.

; FlSHXB .

LONG-SHAFTED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Dea. A. nigro cceruka^ subtus subrosaceo-alba, rectricibus

duabus intermediis longissimis.
Dark-bine Kingfisher, subrosaceous white beneath, with the two

middle tail-feathers very long.
Alcedo Dea. A. rectricibus duabus intermediis longissimis media

attenuatis, corpore nigro ccerulescente, alts mrescentibus. Lin.

Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.

Avis paradisiaca teniatana. Seb. mits. 1. t. 46. f. 3.
Martin-pecheur a longs brins. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. Il6.
Ternate Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

THIS highly elegant bird departs in some degree
from the rest of the genus Alcedo in point of habit,
and would perhaps be arranged under a distinct
genus by an ornithologist solicitous of scrupulous
exactitude. Linnaeus, however, placed it among
the rest of the Kingfishers, and I shall, in the pre-
sent instance, follow his example*

The Alcedo Dea or Long-Shafted Kingfisher
seems to have been first described and figured in
the magnificent work of Seba, under the title of
Avis Paradisiaca Ternatana, or Ternate Paradise-
Bird. His description, however, is but slight, and
the figure not entirely correct. A highly accurate
description occurs in the Ornithology of Bnsson,
accompanied by a very exact figure. The size of
the bird is that of a Starling, and its length, frorn.
the tip of the bill to that of the tail, is thirteen
inches and three lines; the wings, when closed,
reach only about an inch beypnd its base: the

74 LONG-SHAFTED KINGFISHER.

bill is rather short than long, thick at the base,
sharp-pointed, and of a bright orange-colour : the
head and upper part of the neck are of a fine blue,
deeper on the sides, and lighter on the crown ; the
upper part of the back and the scapular feathers
brown, bordered with deep blue : the throat, under
part of the neck, breast, belly, thighs, and rump
white, slightly tinged with rose-colour: the smaller
wing coverts are of a very bright blue ; the larger
of a deeper blue: all the quill-feathers are blue on
the outside edges, but are brown within and at the
tips : the tail consists of ten feathers, the two
middle ones exceeding the next adjoining by four
inches, and the outer ones by four inches and a
half: the two long feathers are webbed to the dis-
tance of only about one third from the base, and
again at the tips, the intermediate part being only
very slightly barbed by extremely short fibres, so
as to appear at first sight like a naked shaft : this
naked part is of a blue colour, the base and tips
being of a subrosaceous white, with a blue spot on
the outer web : the rest of the tail-feathers are rose-
white, edged with brown; the legs and feet reddish.
This beautiful bird is a native of Ternate, one of
the Molucca islands. The middle tail-feathers are
said to be longer in the male than in the female. It
is not improbable that the same particularity may
take place in this bird which has before been re-
corded of the Momoty viz. that the naked appear-
ance of t>je middle part of the two longest tail-
feathers may not be truly natural, but may be
owing to a temporary loss of the webs on that

COROMANDEL KINGFISHER. ^5

part, as in the bird just mentioned. This, how-
ever, being merely conjecture, can only be ascer-
tained by a more complete knowledge of the bird.

COROMANDEL KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Coromanda. A. pallidc violaceo-rosea, subtvs rnfescens,

uropygio txnia longitudinali coeruleo-alba , gula alba. Lath. ind.

or tt.
Pale violaceous-rose-coloured Kingfisher, rufescent beneath ; with

the rump marked by a longitudinal blueish- white band, and

white throat.
Martin-pecheur violet de la cote de Coromandel. Sonner. voy.

pi 218.

SIZE of a Blackbird : bill and irides reddish: head,
hind part of neck, back, wings, and tail reddish
lilac-colour, glossed with violet: quills, externally,
the same, but within yellowish rufous: on the rump
a perpendicular blueish-white streak: throat white:
rest of the under parts light rufous : legs reddish.
Native of Coromandel, inhabiting the coasts: a
highly elegant species, first described and figured
by Sonner at.

SPOTTED BRASILIAN KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Maculata. A, fusca, jlavesccnti-maculata, subtus alba
fusco-maculata, gulajlava. Lin. Gmel. Lath. ind. orn.

Brown Kingfisher with yellowish spots ; beneath white with brown
spots, and yellow throat.

Matuiti. Raii. syn. Will. orn. Buff. <w>.

Brasilian spotted Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Marcgrave: size that of a Star-
ling: bill red, with the upper mandible a little bent
at the tip : upper parts of the body brown, spotted
with pale yellow : quills and tail brown, marked
by transverse pale yellow spots: throat yellow:
under parts white, marked with small brown spots:
legs cinereous. Native of Brasil.

CAYENNE KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Cayanensis. A. cceruka subtus alba, fascia infra occiput
tiigra, uropygio mridi-cceruko. Lath. ind. orn.

Blue Kingfisher white beneath, with a black bar below the hind-
head, and blue-green rump.

Taparara. Buff. ois.

Cayenne Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

THIS species, which is described by Buffon under
the name of Taparara, is a native of Cayenne and
Guiana: its size is that of a Starling, and its length,
according to the accurate Brisson, nine inches and

GREEN-HEADED KINGFISHER. 77

five lines : the upper part of the head, the back,
wings, and tail are of a fine blue; but the quills
and tail-feathers are blackish or dusky on their
inner webs: the rump and covert -feathers of the
tail of a brilliant beryl-blue or sea-green colour:
beneath the hind head is a transverse black band:
the throat, neck, breast, belly, thighs, and lower
tail-coverts are white: the upper mandible is black;
the lower red, as are also the legs and feet.

GREEN-HEADED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo chlorocephala. A. viridi-ccerulea subtus alba, vert ice viridi

?iigro marginato.
Blue-green Kingfisher white beneath, with green crown margined

with black.
Alcedo chlorocephala. A. viridis, collo albo, torque nigro, alis

caudaque thalassinis. Lin. Gmel.
Alcedo chlorocephala. A. cceruleo-viridis subtus colloque albo,

capite viridi, torque nigro. Lath. ind. orn.
Martin pecheur a tete verte. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 783. /. 2.
Green-headed Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

A HIGHLY elegant species; length about nine
inches: colour of the upper parts green, deepest on
the back, and changing to blue-green on the wings
and tail; the lower part of the quill-feathers dusky:
crown of the head deep green, bounded by black,
a stripe of that colour passing from the base of the
bill across the eyes, and uniting behind : the neck
and under parts of the bird are white, but some-
what dusky on the abdomen. Described by Buffon

78 SACRED KINGFISHER.

from a specimen brought by Commerson from
Bouro, one of the Molucca islands. In the work
entitled Planches EJuminees it is erroneously said
to be from the Cape of Good Hope.

SACRED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo sacra. A. coeruleo-viridis subtus alba, superciliis strigaquc
sub oculis ferrugineis, remigibus caudaque nigricantibus. Lath,
ind. orn.

Blue-green Kingfisher white beneath, with a ferruginous streak
above and beneath the eyes, and blackish wings and tail.

Sacred Kingfisher. White's Voy. p. 1Q3. and pi. oppos. "car. crested.

Sacred Kingfisher. Lath. syn. pi. 27. var. subfulvous beneath.

SIZE of the Green-Headed Kingfisher, to which
it seems considerably allied, and appears to be
found, in many varieties, throughout the smaller
scattered islands called the Society Isles in the
South Sea, as well as in some parts of the vast is-
land, or rather continent of New Holland. The
crown of the head and upper parts are blue-green,
palest on the lower and deepest on the upper parts
of the back: the quills and tail dusky, with blue
edges, appearing entirely blue when closed: over
the eyes generally passes a ferruginous streak,
bounding the green of the crown; the throat is
white ; the remainder of the under parts very pale
ferruginous, passing upwards, in the form of a
moderately broad collar, round the neck: the bill
is dusky, the under mandible whitish towards the

SACRED KINGFISHER. 79

base: the legs blackish. In some specimens a
dark or blackish streak or band passes from the
angles of the bill through the eyes, encircling the
crown ; and in others the vent and thighs are
dusky, the green on the upper parts darker, and
the wings and tail deep blue. Specimens have
also been observed in which the crown of the
head, wings, and tail were of a very dark or blue-
ish green, the wing coverts alone being pale-blue.

Far.

CRESTED SACRED KINGFISHER.

The most remarkable variety seems to be the
crested one, described and figured in Mr. White's
Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales. In
this variety the head is strongly crested; the bill
black, and the legs reddish. The description ac-
companying the figure runs thus. " This bird is
about the size of a Thrush, and measures nearly
ten inches in length: the top of the head is blue
and crested ; sides of the head and back part of it
black; over the eye, from the nostrils, a rusty- co-
loured streak; the chin, middle of the neck all
round, and all the under parts of the body, buff-
colour, more or less inclining to rust; the upper
part of the plumage chiefly blue ; but the begin-
ning of the back is black, as are also the quills and
tail-feathers within, being blue only on the outer
edges: the bill is large and black, but the base of
the under jaw is whitish: the legs are brown." In

80 COLLARED KINGFISHER.

most of the regions where these birds are found,
the inhabitants are said to hold them in particular
esteem, and hence the title of sacred, applied to
the present species.

COLLARED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo collaris. A. viridi-ccerulea, corpore subtus collarique albis.

Lath. ind. orn.

Blue-green Kingfisher, white beneath, and with white collar.
Le Martin-pecheur a collier blanc. Buff. ois. Sonner. voy. pi.

33.
Sacred Kingfisher. Var. D. Lath, syn,

THIS, which is described by Sonnerat, is a na-
tive of the Philippine islands, and is said to be
smaller than a Blackbird : the bill is black, with
the lower mandible yellowish at the base : the
head, back, wings, and tail blue, tinged with
green: the under parts of the body white, sur-
rounding the neck like a collar. This species
seems much allied to the Alcedo ccerulea or White-
Collared Kingfisher, but differs in being white be-
neath. Dr. Latham, in his Synopsis of Birds, con-
sidered it as a variety of the Sacred Kingfisher, but
in his Index Ornithologicus stations it as a distinct
species.

VENERATED KINGFISHER

Alcedo vencrata. A. fusca viridi naria^ subtus pallida, fasrid su»
pcrciliari riridi-albida. Lath. ind. orn.

Brown Kingfisher, varied with green, beneath pale, with a green-
ish-white band over each eye.

Venerated Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

LENGTH nine inches: upper parts of the body
pale brown, but more or less glossed with green^
especially along the sides of the head, forming a
kind of zone: the wing-coverts, quills, and tail-
feathers are also edged with green: the under
parts of the body are whitish : the bill black, with
the base of the lower mandible white; the legs
dusky. Native of the Friendly Islands in the
South Sea, where it is said to be held in venera-
tion, like the preceding kind.

RESPECTED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo tuta. A. macroura viridi-olivacea, subtus alba, coUari >ci-

ridi-tiigro, superciliis albis. Lath. ind. orn.
Olivaceous-green Kingfisher, white beneath, with black-green

collar, and a white streak over the eyes.
Respected Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Latham. Size of the Com-
mon Kingfisher : length eight inches and a half:
bill depressed, black, an inch and half in length;

v. vin. p. i. 6

82 FLAVESCENT KINGFISHER.

the lower mandible white; the upper parts of the
body olive-green : over the eye a white streak :
round the neck a collar of greenish black : the
under parts of the body white: tail longish; legs
black. Native of Otaheitee, where it is held a sa-
cred bird.

FLAVESCENT KINGFISHER.

Alcedo flavescens. A. supra viridis, subtusjlavescens, rostro rulra,

cauda cceruka.

Green Kingfisher, yellowish beneath, with red bill and blue taU.
Alcedo flavicans. A. subtus flavicans, capite dorsoque viridibus,

rostro rubro, cauda carulea. Lath. ind. or/?.
Ten-rou-joulon. Hist. gen. d. voy. 10. p. 14Q. Buff. ois.

THIS species, which is slightly described by
Voyagers, is a native of the island of Celebes,
where it is named Ten-rou-joulon. It is said to
be of the size of a Lark, with the bill red, the
head and back green, the belly yellowish, and the
tail of a most beautiful blue.

M'OTTJ.I) K [NOFISHERi

Alccdo Inda. A. atro-i-irid'ts nitens, albo-punctata, subtus fulva,

fuicia pcctorali <dbo nigroque nebulosa.
< <!<'^\ dark-given Kingfisher speckled with white, beneath fulvous

with clouded black and white pectoral band.
Alcedo Inda. .-/. brachyura iirens, subtus fulva, fascia pectorali

iicbulosa. Lin. Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.
Spotted Kingfisher. Edw. pi. 335. Lath. syn.
Alcedo bicolor. A. viridis, fascia pectorali albo nigroque varicgatcij

corpore subtus torque colli strigaque nares inter et oculum rufia.

Lath. ind. orn.
Alccdo bicolor. Lin. Gmel.

Martin-p£cheur vert et roux. Buff. ois. PI. EnL 5y2.
Rufous and green Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Buffon. Size of the Common
Kingfisher: length eight inches: colour above deep
green, the wings marked both on the coverts and
quills with small scattered whitish spots: under
parts deep golden-rufous, passing, like a collar,
round the lower part of the neck: across the breast
a mixed or waved black and white band or zone:
tail spotted with yellowish white, like the quills:
from the nostrils to the upper part of the eye runs
a rufous streak: the bill is blackish, and the legs
reddish. Native of Cayenne.

The bird described and figured by Edwards under
the name of the Spotted Kingfisher is so very nearly
allied to the above that I have no hesitation in con-
sidering it as the same species. Edwards describes
his specimen in the following manner. " The bill

84 SPOTTED KINGFISHER.

is black or dusky, except the basis of the lower
mandible, which is orange-coloured : a broad black
line runs from the bill on each side the head, in
which lines the eyes are placed : above and beneath
these black lines pass narrow lines of orange-colour :
the throat, breast, belly, thighs, coverts beneath the
tail, and inner covert-feathers of the wings are of a
fine orange-colour: between the neck and breast
passes a broad list or collar of black feathers edged
with light ash or whitish: the crown of the head is
black, but gradually becomes green on the hinder
part of the neck: the sides of the head beneath the
eyes are green : the back, rump, upper sides of the
wings, and tail are also of a fine glassy dark green,
the wings, rump, and tail-feathers having white
spots on the edges of their webs: the quills within-
side, and the under side of the tail are of a dark
ash-colour, with whitish spots on their webs : the
tips of the quills without are dusky an inch deep:
the legs and feet are of a reddish flesh-colour; the
three forward toes remarkably connected together
almost to their claws. This curious bird is a native
of Guiana in South America."

WHITE AND GREEN KINGFISHER.

A'feedo Americana. A. obscure viridis, subtus alba viridi-maculata,
striga sub ocuiis alba, fascia pectnrali rufa. Lath. ind. orn.

Dark-green Kingfisher, beneath white spotted with green, with a
white streak beneath the eyes, and a rufous pectoral band.

Martin-p£cheur vert et blanc de Cayenne. Buf. ois. PI. Enl.
591.

White and green Kingfisher. Lath. syti.

DESCRIBED by Buffon: length seven inches: the
whole upper parts are of a glossy blackish green,
but the wings are marked on the larger coverts
ati'l the smaller quill-feathers with scattered white
spots: from the corners of the bill on each side
passes a white streak beneath the eye to the back
part of the head, forming a white collar: the under
parts are white, clouded or varied with a few dark
green spots, and across the breast of the male runs
a broad ferruginous bar: the tail is rather long
than short in proportion to the body; the bill
black, and the legs red. Native of Cayenne,

BRAS1LIAN KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Brasiliensis. At rufescens, castaneo fusco alboque varia,
subtus alba, fascia ocularifusca. Luth. ind. orn.

Rufescent Kingfisher, variegated with chesnut brown and white,
beneath white, with a brown eye-stripe.

Le Gip-gip. fiujf> ois.

Brasilian Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

THIS, according to Brisson, is of the size of the
Common Kingfisher: the head, upper part of the
neck, the back, wing and tail coverts are pale ru-
fous, mixed or varied with chesnut, brown, and
white : the quill-feathers rufous, marked by trans-
verse white spots; and the tail is of similar co-
lour: the bill black, and the legs brown. Native
of Brasil.

SUPERCILIOUS KINGF1SHEIJ.

Alcedo superciliosa. A. viridis svltus fuhci , gula abdomincqnc al-
bidis, fascia pectorali viridi.

Green Kingfisher, fulvous beneath, with whitish throat and abdo-
men, and green pectoral bar.

Alcedo superciliosa. A. submacroura viridis, subtiis alba fascia
viridi, superciiiis fulvis.

Little green and orange-coloured Kingfisher. Edw.pl. 245.

Le Martin-pecheur vert et orange. Biff. ois. PL Enl. ?56.

Supercilious Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

THIS elegant species is accurately described by
Edwards, and is in length about five inches. " The

SUPERCILIOUS KINGFISHER. 87

bill, says Edwards, is of a blackish or dusky colour,
except the lower mandible, which is reddish: the
throat is orange-coloured, and it hath a mark of
the same colour passing from the base of the bill
on each side, over the eyes: the head, hinder part
of the neck, back, tail, and covert-feathers of the
wings are of a fine parrot-green colour : it hath
also a bar of the same green across the breast;
the sides, under the wings, and sides of the belly
are of a bright reddish orange-colour: the middle
of the belly, the thighs, and covert feathers under
the tail are white: the tail hath twelve feathers,
the middle ones a little longer than the others:
the inner webs of the tail-feathers are spotted with
white : the inner coverts and the ridges of the
wings are of a light orange-colour: the quills are
dark brown or dusky, spotted with light clay-co-
lour on their outer and inner webs, except a few
of the outer quills, which are without spots: the
legs and feet are small; the toes connected, as in
other Kingfishers, and of a flesh-colour : it hath
the tail a little longer in proportion than the
Common Kingfisher."

The individuals of this species, like most others,
are observed to vary a little in point of plumage;
the orange stripe over the eyes, which gives rise
to the Linnaean trivial name, being less conspiciir
ous in some specimens than in' others; in some
also the orange-colour of the throat is continued
on each side, so as to form a complete collar round
the neck; and lastly, in the female bird the green
bar across the breast is wanting.

SHORT-TAILED KINGFISHERS.

COMMON KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Ispida. A. atro-mridis, subtusfttha, dorso cccruleo

siniOy vert ice maculis transversis c&ruleis.
Dark-green Kingfisher, fulvous beneath, with brilliant-blue back,

and crown marked by transverse blue spots.
Alcedo Ispida. A- bracfyyura, supra cyanea, subtus fttlva, loris

rufis. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Ispida. Gesn. Aldrov. SfC. fyc.
The Kingfisher. Will. orn. Pemi. Brit. Zoo!.
Le Martin-p£cheur. Ruff. ois. PL Enl. 77.
Common Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

THE Alcedo Ispida or Common Kingfisher is
the only species of this genus found in Europe,
where, as well as in other parts of the Old Conti-
nent, it is chiefly observed in the temperate re-
gions. Of the British birds it is by far the most
brilliant, and indeed no European bird can equal
it iii splendor of colours except the Coracias Gar-
rula or Roller, and the Merops Apiaster or Bee-
Eater, neither of which are natives of Britain,
though sometimes seen as occasional stragglers.
The Kingfisher is a bird of a retired and solitary
nature, and is only to be found near rivers, brooks,
or stagnant waters, living entirely on the smaller
kind offish: its general length is about seven inches,
its breadth eleven inches, and its weight about

Strut, £ th* othss

COMMON KINGFISHER. 89

aa ounce and quarter: its shape is not elegant,
the body being of a heavy form, the head large,
the bill Jong, and the legs very short: the parti-
cular distribution of colours on the Kingfisher may
be thus described : the upper mandible is blackish,
the lower orange-coloured or reddish : the crown
of the head very dark green, crossed or undulated
by numerous short, transverse, bright-blue streaks :
the shoulders and whole wings of the same dark-
green colour, but the edges of the quill-feathers
glossed with pale blue, and the shoulders marked
by numerous small spots of the same colour: from
the neck, down the middle of the back to the tail,
passes a broad stripe of the most brilliant pale
blue, formed of fine long-fibred feathers: the tail
is very short, and of a deep blue colour: on each
side the head, between the bill and eye, is a small
rufous spot: from the corners of the lower man-
dible on each side is a dark green stripe, crossed
by numerous blue undulations, like the crpwn of
the head: above this, on each side, beyond the
eye is an oblong orange streak, and behind this a
white one: the throat is white to a small distance,
but soon becomes tinctured with rufous or orange-
colour, which possesses the whole remainder of the
lower part of the body: the irides and legs are red:
the claws black. The male and female bear an ex-
treme resemblance to each other.

The Kingfisher builds, or at least deposits its
eggs, in the banks either of rivers or stagnant
waters, the eggs being generally from five to seven
or nine in number. This bird is supposed to be

90 COMMON KIXGFISHETt.

the poetical Alcyon or Halcyon of the ancients,
which was believed to build %a floating nest; an
idea which perhaps originated from a view of the
nests of some of the Colymbi or Grebes, which
build their nests among aquatic plants, and which
are sometimes so loosely attached as to be occa-
sionally carried to some little distance on the sur-
face of the water. The nest of the Kingfisher is
variously described by different authors; some
maintaining that the bird deposits its eggs on the
bare surface of the mould at the end of the hole
in which it resides: this hole is constantly observed
to be in an ascending direction, and is often two
or three feet in length, terminating in a cavity,
which is generally strewed or lined with a layer of
small fish bones, intermixed with scales. Aristotle
affirms that the nest is in the form of a long-necked
gourd, and composed offish-bones. <f The King-
fisher, says the Count de Buffon, nestles in the
banks of rivers and brooks, in holes made by wa-
ter-rats, or by crabs, which it deepens and fashions,
and contracts at the aperture : small fish bones and
scales are found in it, among sand, but without
any arrangement, and here its eggs are deposited:
though we cannot find those little pellets with which
Belon says it plasters its nest, or trace the form im-
puted to it by Aristotle, who compares this nest
to a gourd, and its substance and texture to those
sea-balls or lumps of interwoven filaments which
cut with difficulty, but when dried become friable.'*
Dr. Latham says the Kingfisher lays its eggs, to
the number of seven or more, in a hole in the bank

COMMON" KINGFISHER. 91

of the river or stream it frequents, for it makes no
nest, and adds, that the remains of the fish on
which it feeds do by no means soil the habitation,
as it brings up the indigestible parts in pellets,
like birds of prey.

In Mr. Bewick's elegant publication on British
birds, mention is made of a Kingfisher's nest,
which, in the compactness of its form, resembled
that of a chaffinch : it was made entirely of small
iish-bones, cemented together with a brown gluti-
nous substance. In a succeeding paragraph, how-
ever, an account is given of a boy's having found
the eggs of a Kingfisher deposited on the bare
ground, at the end of a hole in a bank, half a yard
in length; and the author concludes with a suppo-
sition that these birds sometimes, perhaps from ne-
cessity, build a nest, and at other times make the
dry ground answer that purpose.

In the Ornithological Dictionary of Colonel
Montagu we find the following statement on this
subject. <c The many curious accounts which have
been given of the nest of this bird induced us to
take some pains to discover the fact. The result
of our researches are, that the hole chosen to breed
in is always ascending, and generally two or three
feet in the bank: at the end is scooped a hollow,
at the bottom of which is a quantity of small fish
bones, nearly half an inch thick, mixed in ths
earth: this is undoubtedly the castings of the pa-
rent birds, and not the young, for we have found
it even before they have eggs, and have every rea-
son to believe both male and female go to that

92 COMMON KINGFISHER.

spot for no other purpose than to eject this matter
for some time before the female begins to lay; and
that they dry it by the heat of their bodies, as
they are frequently observed to continue in the
hole for hours, long before they have eggs. On
this matter the female lays to the number of seven
eggs, which are all perfectly white and transparent,
of a short oval form, weighing about one dram.'*
Colonel Montagu adds, that he coujd never ob-
serve the old birds with any thing in their bills
when they went in to feed their young; from which
it may be concluded that they eject from their sto-
mach for that purpose.

The general manners of the Kingfisher are well
detailed by Mr. Pennant, who observes that it
frequents the banks of rivers, and feeds on fish.
To compare small things with great, says Mr.
Pennant, it takes its prey after the manner of the
Osprey, balancing itself at a certain distance over
the water for a considerable space; then darting
below the surface, brings up the prey in its feet.
He adds, that while it remains thus suspended in
air in a bright day, the plumage exhibits a most
beautiful variety of the most dazzling and brilliant
colours; a particularity which did not escape the
notice of the ancients. In Mr. Bewick's elegant
work, before quoted, we find a similar account of
this attitude of the Kingfisher. " It is difficult,
says this writer, to conceive why ornithologists
have classed the Kingfisher with land birds, as its
habits and manner of living are wholly confined
to the waters, on the margins of which, it will sit,

COMMON KINGFISHER. 93

for hours together, on a projecting twig or stone;
at one while fluttering its wings, and exposing its
brilliant plumage to the sun ; at another, hovering
in air like the Kestril, it waits the moment when
it may seize its prey, on which it darts with almost
unerring certainty, often remaining for several se-
conds under the water, before it has gained the
object of its pursuit ; then brings up the little fisfi,
which it carries to the land, beats to death, and
swallows."

The Kingfisher is with great difficulty kept for
any length of time in a state of captivity, even
when supplied with its proper food. We are in-
formed, however, by the Count de Buffon that
Monsr. Daubenton, of the Academy of Sciences,
led, for some months, a brood of Kingfishers, by
means of small fish, put into basons of water.
Monsr. de Montbeillard also received in July
1771 a brood of young Kingfishers, which at first
devoured some small earthworms which were pre-
sented to them ; but soon refused this kind of food,
and died in the space of a few days.

The superstition of former times attributed very
extraordinary properties to this bird in a dried
state; viz. that of preserving clothes from being
attacked by moths, if kept in the same drawer;
and of shewing the direction of the wind, by turn-
ing its breast to the proper point, when suspended
by the beak from the ceiling of a room. On this
subject a long and learned chapter may be found
in the works of the celebrated Sir Thomas Brown,

WHITE-COLLARED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo capistrata. A. ccerulca. tectricibus vropygioque virentibus,
collari superciliisque albis3 subtus maculaque postuculari rufa.

Blue Kingfisher, with greenish wing-coverts and rump, white
collar and brows; beneath rufous with a rufous spot behind
the eyes.

Alcedo caerulea. Lin. Gmel. Lath. ind. or/?.

White-collared Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

THE White-Collared Kingfisher is a native of
India: in size it somewhat exceeds the European
Kingfisher, being of a stouter or thicker habit, but
measures only about six inches and three quarters
in length: the head and back are of a rich and
beautiful blue; the shoulder-feathers and rump of
a bright green: the whole under parts, from the
bill to the vent, rufous, but the neck is encircled
by a narrowish white collar, and a streak of that
colour passes over each eye: behind each eye is
also a small rufous spot: the bill is strong, and of
a dusky colour, pale or greyish towards the base :
the legs are also dusky. This species was first
described by Brisson, from a drawing by Monsr.
Poivre.

U-IIJ.AD? f) KINGFISHER.

Alcedo erithaca. A. brachi/ura, dorso cxrulco, abdominc luteo,
cnpitc uropygioque purpureis, gula nuchaque albis. Lin. Syst.
Nat.

Kingfisher \\iih blue hack, luteous abdomen, purple head and
rump, and white nape and throat.

I->pk!a Bengalensis torquata. L'ws. ar.

L< Marthi-pecheur a front jaunc. Buff. ois.

Bengal Kingfisher. A/bin. 3. pi. 29.

R&Kheaded Kinfisher. Lath. ind. orn.

A MOST beautiful species: size of the Common
Kingfisher: length about six inches and a quarter:
in the individual described by Brisson the upper
part of the head was dull red, with a yellow spot
in front; and from each side the base of the bill
passed a black band or streak across the eyes, be-
hind which was a second streak of deep blue : the
upper part of the neck was surrounded by a white
collar, the remainder of the neck, the back, and
scapulars were deep blue: the wings cinereous:
the rump and upper tail-coverts, as well as the tail
itself, dull red: the throat white; the sides of the
head beneath the eyes, lower part of the neck, and
whole under parts of the bird, fine yellow : the bill
and legs red.

VAR.

This is of smaller size than the preceding. It
is figured in Mr. Pennant's Genera of Birds, from

9$ PURPLE KINGFISHER.

an original drawing communicated by Governor
Loten, and differs in having the wings black, the
coverts edged with blue, and the under parts of
the bird pale yellow with a cast of rufous: the
head and hind part of the neck orange-red, and
from each eye a purple bar, continued into a black
one at the back part of the head, while below the
junction of the purple and black parts of the bar
is a white spot : on the front is also a white spot,
and the throat is of the same colour : upper part
of the back rich deep blue; lower part paler, gra-
dually sinking into purple-lilac: tail orange-ferru-
ginous: bill orange-colour, legs bright red.

PURPLE KINGFISHER.

Alcedo purpurea. A. purpureo-cceruUa, subtus rufu-alba, capite
uropygio caudaque rufo-aureis, pone oculos striga purpurascente.
Lath. ind. orn.

Purple-blue Kingfisher, rufous-white beneath, with golden-rufous
head, rump and tail, and a purplish streak behind the eyes.

Alcedo purpurea. Lin. Gtnel.

Martin-p£cheur pourpre. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 778. f. 2.

Purple Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

A VERY beautiful bird; in size similar to the
preceding, of which it is not improbable that it
may be rather a variety, than a truly distinct spe-
cies. The wings and upper part of the back are
black, spotted and edged with deep blue: the
lower part of the back purple-lilac, continued in
the manner of a stripe down the middle of the

(PUE

jSuJnq.'jJj0nd0n. Published 'bv C.KearslfV .Flfft Strftt.

PURPLE KINGFISHER. 97

tail-coverts, which, as well as the tail itself, the
head, breast, and sides, are of a bright reddish
orange-colour: from the bill on each side, over the
eyes, passes a rich blue streak, clouded with lilac-
colour: behind which is a yellowish white patch:
the throat is white, the abdomen yellow, and the
bill and legs red.

VAR.?
RUFOUS KINGFISHER.

Of similar size with the former, but entirely of
a very bright orange-rufous colour above, except
the quill-feathers, which are dusky or black, with
rufous edges : the whole under parts, from bill to
rent, white: bill and legs orange-red. Said to in-
habit Madagascar, where it was observed by Com-
merson. Perhaps a female, or a young bird.

v. viir. p. i,

CRESTED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo cristata. A cristata ccerulta, crista nigro undulata, snbttes

fulva, gula crissoquc albidis.
Crested blue Kingfisher with the crest undulated with black;

beneath fulvous, with whitish throat and vent.
Alcedo cristata. A. brachyura subcristata cxrulca, subtus rufat

crista nigro-wdulata. Lin. Syst. Nat.
The Crested Kingfisher. Edw. pi 33(5.
Alcedo cristata orientalis, #c. Seb. 1. pL §7.f. 4,
Le vintsi. Ruff. ois. PL Enl. 756.f. 1.
Crested Kingfisher. Lath. syn. Nat. Misc. I. pi. 13.

A SPECIES of singular brilliancy and elegance,
It seems to have been first described by Edwards,
whose specimen appears to have been of rather
larger size than those of other authors, measuring
about five inches and a half in length. Edwards
describes it in the following manner* " The bill
is strait, sharp-pointed, ridged both above and
beneath, and of a blackish colour : from the lower
mandible of the bill the throat is white, which
whiteness passes round the neck, and forms a col-
lar: the crown of the head is covered with long
blue-green feathers variegated with black lines :
these feathers being long and loose, form a crest,
which I suppose the bird can raise or lower at
pleasure: the feathers immediately above the eyes
are blue : the hinder part of the neck, the back,
rump, wings, and tail are of an exceeding fine ul-
tramarine blue, the rump something lighter than
the other parts: the tips of the quills are dusky:

CREST

mli-n,

1'.. l\>.i

WHITE-BILLED KINGFISHER, 99

the inner covert- feat hers of the wings orange-co-
loured: the quills within are dusky, with their
edges of a faint orange-colour: the underside of
the tail is dusky or blackish: the breast, belly,
thighs, and covert-feathers under the tail are of a
bright orange-colour : the legs and feet are made
as in other Kingfishers, and of a red or scarlet
colour: it was shot in the island of Johanna to the
northward of Madagascar."

I know not how it happens that Dr. Latham
has neglected to quote Ed wards 's description and
figure of this bird in his most excellent Ornitho-
logy, since there can be no doubt of its being the
same species with the Crested Kingfisher of that
author, and the Vintsi of Button, whose specimen
appears to have been merely somewhat smaller,
and with a red bill, as was the case also in a beau-
tiful specimen in the Leverian Museum, which has
been figured in the Naturalist's Miscellany, and
is also represented in the present work.

WHITE-BILLED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo albirostris. A. cccrulea, verticc pwpureo-castaneo, remigi-
bus subfuscis, subtus albo-jlarescens, rostro albido.

Blue Kingfisher with purple-chesnut crown and brownish quill-
featliers ; beneath yellowish-white, with whitish bill.

Alcedo Americana, seu Apiu&tra. Seb. 1 . pi. 53. f. 3.

Le Martin-p£cheur a bee blanc. Buff", oi*.

White-billed Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED and figured in the work of Seba:
length about four inches and three quarters : bill

100 BLUE-HEADED KINGFISHER*

white: head and hind part of the neck purplish
chesnut: back, wing-coverts, scapulars, rump, up-
per tail coverts, and tail bright beryl or blue-green:
quill-feathers cinereous: whole under parts yellow-
ish white. Native, according to Seba, of America,
but of what particular part is not specified.

BLUE-HEADED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo cyanocephala. A. ccerulea subtus fulva, vertice »>gro-««-

dulata, rostra pcdibusque rubris.
Blue Kingfisher, fulvous beneath, with the crown undulated with

black, and red bill and legs.
Alcedo ccerulocephala. Lin. Gmel. Lath. ind. orn.
Martin-pe"cheur a tete bleue. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 356.
Blue-Headed Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

THIS is an elegant small species described by
Bufftm, and figured in the Planches Enluminees.
In colours and general appearance it is nearly
allied to the Crested Kingfisher, and measures
about four inches in length: its colour above is
fine ultramarine blue, the crown of the head trans-
versely undulated with paler or greenish blue : the
quill-feathers dusky: the whole under parts bright
rufous, except the throat, which is white: the bill
and legs are red : the rufous colour of the under
parts is in some specimens continued found the
neck in form of a collar,

Dr. Latham in his Supplement mentions a va-
riety of this species, in which the head a*id neck
were of a yellowish rufous colour; the crown va-

BLUE-HEADED KINGFISHER. 101

with black and blue, and the abdomen white.
Native of Madagascar, and, according to Monsr.
Daudin, (who describes it under the title of Aicedo
ultramarina,} of the country of Malimba iu Africa,
where it is not uncommon.

VAR.?

MINUTE KINGFISHER.

This very small Kingfisher has been generally
considered as belonging to the genus Todus rather
than Aicedo, and is the Todus cceruleus or Blue
Tody of Latham, and the Todier de Juida of the
Planches Enluminees. Monsr. Daudin, however,
in the Annales du Museum National d'Histoire
Naturelle, is decidedly of opinion that it is a ge-
nuine Kingfisher, and no other than a variety of
his Aicedo ultramarina^ which is doubtless the same
with the Blue-Headed Kingfisher. I have myself
described it as a species of Kingfisher in the fifth
volume of the Naturalist's Miscellany, under the
name of Aicedo pusilla or Minute Kingfisher. Its
Jength is three inches and a half: the crown of the
head and whole upper parts of the bird deep blue:
the cheeks and whole under parts orange-red , but
the throat is white, and beneath the eye on each
side is a purple spot : the bill and legs are pale
flesh-colour. The specimen represented in the
Naturalist's Miscellany is still smaller than that
figured in the Planches Enluminees, and has on
jeach side the head, beneath the eyes, a broad

LITTLE INDIAN KINGFISHER.

purple stripe or band, extending to a considerable
distance on the neck; the wings and tail are also
of a dusky colour. 'The Minute Kingfisher is said
to be a native of Africa, but Buffon, considering it
as a species of Todus, concluded that, like the rest
of that genus, it must be an inhabitant of America.

LITTLE INDIAN KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Bengalensis. A. quadruncialis vtridi-carvlea, vertice nigro~

undulato, subtus rufa.
Blue-green Kingfisher, measuring about four inches in length;

beneath rufous ; the crown unduiated with black.
Little Indian Kingfisher. Edw. pL U .
Alcedo Ispida. Var. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Alcedo Bengalensis. A. cceruleo-viridis, subtus rufa, capite cceruleo-

striato, gula alba, per oculos vitta rufa. Lath. ind. orn.
Martin-p£cheur a tete bleue. Bujf. ois.
Blue-headed Kingfisher. Lath. syn.

A VERY small species, measuring about four
inches and a half in length. It is described and
figured by Edwards, who observes that the general
likeness is so great between this bird and the Com-
mon Kingfisher that one description might serve
for both; and Linnaeus, from the contemplation of
Edwards's figures, seems to have been convinced
of its being no other than a diminutive variety of
the European Kingfisher: the quill-feathers and
tail are however of a brown colour, without any
appearance of green on the edges, and the bill of
the male is red. The female seems to differ in

EASTERN KINGFISHER. 103

wanting the rufous eye-streak, instead of which a
small spot only of that colour is visible on each
side the back part of the head. Native of Bengal.

EASTERN KINGFISHER.

Alcedo orientals. A. viridis, subtus rvfa, svperciliis albis, verticc

gula fascia per oculos remigibusque cceruleiy, sub oculis macula

rufa. Lath. ind. orn.
Green Kingfisher, rufous beneath, with white brows, blue crown,

throat, eye-stripe and quill-feathers, and a rufous spot under the

eyes.

Ispida Indica. Briss. av. 4. pi. Sj.f. 1.
Eastern Kingfisher. Lath. syn.
Alcedo orientalis. Lin. Gmcl.

DESCRIBED and figured by Brisson, from a draw-
ing by Monsr. Poivre. It is about a third part
less than the Common Kingfisher; with the head
and throat fine blue ; the upper parts of the neck,
the body, wings, and tail brilliant green, but the
quill-feathers blue: over the eyes passes, on each
side, a white stripe, and beneath them is a rufous
spot : the bill is red, and the legs black. Native
of the East Indies.

104

THREE-TOED KINGFISHERS.

TRIDACTYLE KINGFISHER.

Aleedo tridactyla. A, brachyura supra caudaque rufa, subtusjluva,

pedibus tridactylis. Lath. ind. orn.
Short-tailed rufous Kingfisher, yellow beneath, with three-toed

feet.
Aleedo tridactyla. A. pedibus tridactylis. Lin. Mant.l'tfl. Pall.

spic. 6. t. 2./. 1. Votmaer monogr. 1/68. t. 1.

Var.

A. brachyura pallide violacco-rubescens, mbtus alba, alif cwuleo-
atritf remigibus margine cceruleis. Lath. ind. orn.

Short-tailed lilac-coloured Kingfisher, white beneath, with dark-
blue wings edged with paler blue.

Martin-pecheur de Flsle de Lu^on. Sonner. voy. pi. 32.

THIS species was first described by Monsr. Vos-
maer. It is considerably smaller than the Com-
mon Kingfisher, measuring only four inches in
length, and admits of two varieties: perhaps sex-
ual differences. In one the crown is ferruginous,
with a cast of violet : on the temples is a blue spot,
beneath which is a white streak: the parts between
the shoulders and the tips of the wing-feathers are
also blue : the cheeks and under parts of the body
yellowish white; the throat pure white: the quills
brown black, ferruginous within $ and the tail fer-
ruginous.

In the other variety the bird is rufo-ferruginous

TKIDIGITATKD KINGFISHER.

above: the crown of the head, rump, and tips of
some of the feathers on the back tinged with vio-
let: the breast more inclining to ferruginous than
in the former; the belly whiter, and the blue spot
on the temples wanting. In both kinds the bill is
square, and of a yellowish white colour.

The specimen described by Sonnerat, under the
title of Kmgjishtr from the island of Luzonui, was
extremely beautiful. The whole head and upper
parts of the body being deep lilac; the wings blue*
black; the quills edged with blue, and the under
parts of the body white: the legs reddish, and the
toes only three in number.

TR1D1GITATED KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Tribracbyg. A. cyanea, subtus ferruginea,

bus, pedibus tridactylis.
Deep-blue Kingfisher, ferruginous beneath, with blackish wings,

and three-toed feet.

Alcedo Tribrachys. Vivar. Nat. 16. t. 681.
Tridigitated Kingfisher. Nat. Misc. l6.pl. 681.

THIS elegant species is a native of New Holland,
and was first described in the sixteenth volume of
the Naturalist's Miscellany. Its size is that of the
Common Kingfisher, and its colour on the upper
parts very fine deep ultramarine blue; the wings
are blackish, with a slight cast of blue on the
coverts: the under parts, from bill to tail, pale
orange-ferruginous, the throat being nearly white.

106 TRIDIGITATED KINGFISHER.

At some distance beyond the eye, on each side the
head, is a lengthened pale-orange spot, and a very
small one of a much deeper colour is placed on
each side the base of the upper mandible : the bill
is black, and very sharp-pointed; the legs and feet
red, with three toes only, the two foremost con-
nected, as usual in the Kingfisher tribe.

The Azure Kingfisher, described by Dr. Latham
in his second Supplement, seems much allied to
the above, but no mention is made in the descrip-
tion of any particular structure in the feet. Dr.
Latham describes his Azure Kingfisher as follows,
viz. " Length six inches and a half: size of the
European species : bill an inch and half long, and
black: the plumage on the upper parts of the body,
wings, and tail, is of a fine deep blue: between the
bill and eye a buff-coloured streak: on each side
of the neck a long oblique streak of white: all the
under parts of the body, from chin to vent, deep
buff-colour: quills brown: legs red."

107

SITTA. NUTHATCH,

Generic Character.

Rostrum subulatum, tereti-
usculum, rectum, porrec-
tum, integerrimum: man-
dibula superiore paulo
longiore, apice compres-
so.

Lingua emarginato-lacera.

Nares vibrissis tectae.
Pedes ambulatorii.

Lin. Syst. Nat.

Bill subulate, strait, strong,
sharp-pointed ; the upper
mandible rather longer
than the lower.

Tongue rather short, horny
and jagged at the tip.

Nostrils covered by reflected
bristles.

Feet with three toes forward
and one backward.

AN this genus, as in that of Alcedo, only one
European species is hitherto known to exist. In
their general manners the Nuthatches resemble
the Woodpeckers, chiefly frequenting trees, in the
cavities of which they breed, and feeding on nuts,
insects, berries, &c.

108

EUROPEAN NUTHATCH..

Sitta Europea. S. plumbea, subtus subferruginea, fascia transoculari

irigra, rectricibus lateralibus nigris props apicem albidis.
Lead-coloured Nuthatch, subferrugiiious beneath, with a black

streak across the eyes, and black lateral tail-feathers whitish

near the tip.
Sitla Europa. S. rectricibus nigris, lateralibus quatuor infra apicem

albis. Lin. Syst. Nat.
The Nuthatch or Nutjobber. Will. orn.
The Nuthatch. Perm. Brit. Zool.
La Sittelle ou Torchepot. Buf.ois. PI. Enl. 623. f. !„

THIS bird is very correctly described by Mr.
Pennant in the British Zoology. " The Nuthatch
weighs near an ounce: its length is near five
inches three quarters ; breadth nine inches : the
bill is strong and strait, about three quarters of an
inch long; the upper mandible black, the lower
white: the irides hazel; the crown of the head,
back, and coverts of the wings are of a fine blueish
grey: a black stroke passes over the eye from the
mouth: the cheeks and chin are white: the breast
and belly are of a dull orange-colour; the quill-
feathers dusky: the wings underneath are marked
with two spots, one white, at the root of the ex-
terior quills, the other black, at the joint of the
bastard wing: the tail consists of twelve feathers;
the two middle are grey; the two exterior feathers
tipped with grey; then succeeds a transverse white
spot; beneath that the rest is black : the legs are

EUROPEAN wtrr OATCB .

EUROPEAN NUTHATCH. 109

of a pale yellow; the back toe very strong, and the
claws large." " This bird, adds Mr. lYnnnnt, runs
up and down the bodies of trees, like the \\ nod-
pecker tribe; and feeds not only on insects but on
nuts, of which it lays up a considerable provision
in the hollows of trees. It is a pretty tight, says
Mr. Willughby, to see her fetch a nut out of her
hoard, place it fast in a chink, and then standing
above it with its head downwards, striking it with all
its force, breaks the shell, and catches up the kernel.
It breeds in the hollows of trees; if the entrance
to its nest be too large, it stops up part of it with
clay, leaving only room enough for admission: in
autumn it begins to make a chattering noise, being
silent for the greatest part of the year. Dr. Plott
tells us, that this bird, by putting its bill into a
crack in the bough of a tree, can make such a
violent sound as if it was rending asunder, so that
the noise may be heard at least twelve score yards. "
Plott's account of this particular is given in his
History of Oxfordshire as follows. " But amongst
the inhabitants of the air, or lowermost heaven,
it cannot be expected in so small a county I should
produce many not already noted, since the fea-
thered kingdom has been so lately arid so carefully
surveyed by the learned and industrious Francis
Willughby, Esq. nor indeed could I meet with any
omitted by him, except perhaps a little bird, some-
times seen, but oftener heard in the park at Wood-
stock; from the noise that it makes, commonly
called the Wood-Cracker; described to me, (for I
had not the happiness to see it,) to be about the

110 EUROPEAN NUTHATCH.

bigness of a sparrow, with a blue back, and a red-
dish breast, a wide mouth, and a long bill, which
it puts into a crack or splinter of a rotten bough
of a tree, and makes a noise as if it were rending
asunder with that violence, that the noise may be
heard at least 240' yards, some have ventured to
say a mile from the place."

But the ingenious Colonel Montagu, in his Or-
nithological Dictionary, affirms that the noise
above descrihed is in reality produced by Wood-
peckers, and not by the Nuthatch. " The singu-
lar noise, says this author, produced by some spe-
cies of Woodpeckers, by reiterated strokes of the
bill against the decayed limb of a tree, has been
erroneously ascribed to this bird."

Colonel Montagu further informs us, that cc the
Nuthatch chiefly affects wooded and inclosed situa-
tions, choosing the deserted habitation of a Wood-
pecker in some tree for the purpose of nidification.
This hole is first contracted by a plaster of clay,
leaving only sufficient room for itself to pass in and
out : the nest is made of dead leaves mostly of oak,
which are heaped together without much order.
The eggs are six or seven in number, white, spot-
ted with rust-colour, so exactly like those of the
Great Titmouse in size and markings, that it is
impossible to distinguish a difference. If the bar-
rier of plaster at the entrance is destroyed when
they have eggs, it is speedily replaced; a peculiar
instinct, to prevent the nest being destroyed by
the Woodpecker and other birds of superior size
who build in the same situations. No persecution

EUROPEAN NUTHATCH. Ill

will force this little bird from its habitation when
sitting: it defends its nest to the last extremity,
strikes the invader with its bill and wings, and
makes a hissing noise; and after every effort of
defence, will suffer itself to be taken in hand rather
than quit."

" The Nuthatch is more expert in climbing than
the Woodpecker, for it runs in all directions up
and down a tree; whereas the other is never ob-
served to descend; the stiff tail of those birds sup-
port them in the act of climbing and hacking.
The flexible tail of the Nuthatch gives it no such
advantage, nor does it seem to want it;jfor its
most favourite position, when breaking a nut, is
with the head downwards. In autumn it is no
uncommon thing to find in the crevices of the
bark of an old tree a great many broken nut-shells,
the work of this bird, who repeatedly returns to
the same spot for this purpose. When it has fixed
the nut firm in a chink, it turns on all sides, in
order to strike it with most advantage. This, with
the common hazel-nut is a work of some labour ;
but it strikes a filbert with ease. In defect of
such food, insects and their larva? are sought after,
amongst the moss on trees and old thatched build-
ings. It is commonly met with about orchards,
and is sometimes seen in the cyder season picking
the seeds from the refuse of the pressed apples.
The note is various; in the spring it has a remark-
able' loud shrill whistle, which ceases after incuba-
tion; in the autumn is a double reiterated cry."

112

VAR. ?
LITTLE NUTHATCH.

This is mentioned by Belon, who affirms that i
is much smaller than the common Nuthatch, am
of a more noisy disposition. It resides in similai
situations, and is equally solitary : associating onl}
with its mate, and attacking any other which it
happens to see.

BLACK-HEADED NUTHATCH.

Sitta Carolinensis. S. cinerea subtus candicans, abdomine imo rufes-
centef capite et collo superiore nigris, rectricibus lateralibus albo
nigroque variis. Lath. ind. orn.

Cinereous Nuthatch, whitish beneath, with the lower part of the
abdomen inclining to rufous, the head and upper part of the
neck black, and the tail-feathers varied with black and white.

Black-headed Nuthatch. Penn. Arct. Zool. Lath. syn. suppl.

SMALLER than the European Nuthatch: bill,
head, and hind part of the neck black ; over each
eye a white line : back of a fine grey: wings dusky,
edged with grey : breast, belly, and vent feathers
red: two middle tail-feathers grey; the rest black
with white tips. Native of the temperate parts of
America.

113

SMALL NUTHATCH.

Sitta pusilla. S. cinerca, subtus sordide alba, capife fusco, macula
occipitis sordide alba, rectricibus latcrulibus nigris. Lath. ind.
orn.

Cinereous Nuthatch, dull white beneath, with brown head, dull-
white occipital spot, and black lateral tail-feathers.

Small Nuthatch. Catesb. Carol. 1. pi. 22.

Least Nuthatch. Lath. syn.

MUCH smaller than the European Nuthatch, mea-
suring only about three inches and a half: head
brown, with a white spot at the hind part: back
grey: wings deep brown: under parts of the body
dull white: two middle tail-feathers grey, the rest
black: bill black: legs grey. Inhabits North Ame-
rica, and is said to be found in Carolina throughout
the whole year.

GREAT NUTHATCH.

Sitta Major. 5. grisea, subtus albescens, gula alba, revnigibus rcc-
tricibusquefuscis, margine fufcis. Lath. ind. orn.

Grey Nuthatch, whitish beneath, with white throat, and brown
quill and tail-feathers with fulvous edges.

Another sort of Loggerhead. Sloan Jam. p. 301.

Great Nuthatch. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Sir Hans Sloane in his History of
Jamaica; length seven inches and a half: bill
v. vin. p. i. $

114 SPOTTED NUTHATCH.

thickest in the middle, and curved at the end:
head and back grey: under parts whitish: wings
and tail brown with orange edges : native of Ja-
maica, feeding on worms, insects, &c.

SPOTTED NUTHATCH,

Sitta naevia. S. plumbea albo-maculata, subtus cceruko-cinerca,

lincis longitudinalibus albis. Lath. ind. orn.
Lead-coloured Nuthatch spotted with white, beneath blue-grey

with longitudinal white streaks.
Wall-creeper of Surinam. Edw. pi. 346.
Spotted Nuthatch. Lath. ind. orn.

DESCRIBED by Edwards under the title of Wall-
Creeper of Surinam. " The bill of this bird is
long in proportion, strait, somewhat compressed
sideways, a little hooked at the point, and of a
dusky brownish colour: the head, hinder side of
the neck, back, rump, tail, and wings, are of a
.dark blueish lead-colour: all the covert-feathers on
the upper side of the wings are tipped with white :
the inner coverts of the wings are dusky, edged
with white: the insides of the quills, and under
side of the tail-feathers are ash-coloured, lighter
than they are above: the throat is white: the
breast, belly, thighs, and coverts beneath the tail
are of a blueish ash-colour, lighter than the upper
side of the bird : from the throat as far as the legs
the breast is marked with white lines, drawn down
the middle of each feather, which end in points :
the legs and feet are of a dusky brown colour."

JAMAICA NUTHATCH. 115

The length of this bird, according to Edwards's
plate, which represents it of the natural size, is
about six inches. It is a native of Surinam.

; JAMAICA NUTHATCH.

Sitta Jatnaicensis. S. cinerea subtus alba, vertice ni%rot rectricibut

lateralibus nigricantibus, apicc lineis tranaversis albis nutatis.

Lath. ind. orn.
Cinereous Nuthatch white beneath, with black crown, and blackish

lateral tail-feathers marked at the tip with transverse white

lines.

Sitta Jamaicensis. S. pileo nigro. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Loggerhead. Brown Jam. p. 4/5. Sloan Jam. p. 30Q.pl. 25g.f. 1.
Jamaica Nuthatch. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Sir Hans Sloane in his Natural
History of Jamaica: size of the Common Nut-
hatch: length five inches and a half: bill near an
inch long, and black : head large, with black crown :
upper parts of the body cinereous; under parts
white: quill-feathers blackish, with grey edges:
tail blackish, with all the feathers, except the two
middle ones, crossed towards the ends by trans-
verse white lines. Native of Jamaica and South
America, feeding on Insects, arid having the cha-
racter of a stupid bird, easily suffering itself to be
taken. From the size of its head it is known in
Jamaica by the title of Loggerhead.

VAR.?
SMALLER JAMAICA NUTHATCH.

This is considered by most ornithologists as a
variety of the immediately preceding, from whick
it is said to differ in size only.

CANADA NUTHATCH.

Sitta Canadensis. S. cinerea, subtus dilute ruf a, fascia supcrciliari
Candida pone oculos nigricante, rectricibus later alibus quatuor ex-
timis apice intus albis. Lath. ind. orn.

Cinereous Nuthatch, pale rufous beneath, with white brows grow-
ing blackish behind the eyes, and the four exterior tail-feathers
white on their inner tips.

Sitta Canadensis. S. superciliis albis. Lin. Syst. Nat.

La Sittelle ou Torchepot du Canada. Buff. ois. PL Enl. 623./. 2.

Canada Nuthatch. Penn. Arct. Zool. Lath, syn,

SIZE of the European species: bill blackish-,
crown of the head, hind part of the neck, and
shoulders black: back and rump light blue-grey:
over each eye a white line: cheeks white: larger
quill-feathers dusky, with grey edges: breast and
belly pure white: the two middle tail-feathers grey,
the rest black with a white spot at the tip: vent
ferruginous: legs brown. Native of Canada, and
extending as far south as New York. It is consi-

CAPE NUTHATCH. 11?

dered by Mr. Pennant as a mere variety of the
European Nuthatch, but both Linnaeus and Dr.
Latham suppose it a distinct species.

CAPE NUTHATCH.

Sitta Caffra. S. supra Jlavo nigroque varia, subtus jlava, pcdibus

nigris. Lath. ind. orn.
Nuthatch varied above with black and yellow, beneath yellow,

with black legs.

Sitta Caffra. Mus. Carls, fasc. 1. t. 4.
Cape Nuthatch. Lath. syn.

THIS is described by Sparmann in his Museum
Carlsonianum, and is said to be nine inches in
length, with a strait blueish- black bill: the front,
hind part of the neck, and back mixed brown and
yellow: cheeks, neck, breast, and under parts dusky
yellow, as are also the edges and tips of the wing-
feathers: the tail dusky black, beneath olive: the
two middle feathers longer than the rest: legs
black. Native of the Cape of Good Hope.

118

LONG-BILLED NUTHATCH.

Sitta longirostra. S. ccerulescens, subtus pallide rufesccns, remigibus
primoribus apice fuscis, loris m^ris. L,ath. ind. orn.

Blueish Nuthatch, pale ruiescent beneatli, with black lores, and
larger quill-feathers tipped with brown.

Long- billed Nuthatch. Lath. syn. suppl.

THIS is a species described by Dr. Latham from
a drawing, and is said to measure nine inches: the
bill is above an inch long, and black; but the base
pale or whitish: the crown of the head and whole
upper parts of the bird are pale blue-grey, but the
cheeks and forehead are white, and a black streak
passes through each eye along the sides of the
neck: the wings are tipped with brown, and the
under parts of the bird are pale tawny: the legs
pale brown. Inhabits Batavia.

CHINESE NUTHATCH.

Sitta cristata ferrugincn, capite colloque nigris, pectore abdominequc

albis, macula postoculari nigra alteraque nivca.
Crested ferruginous Nuthatch, with black head and neck, white

breast and abdomen, a red spot behind the eye, and another

white one.

Chinese Nuthatch. Lath. syn.
Lanius jocosus. £. Lath. ind. orn.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Latham: size somewhat su-
perior to that of a Goldfinch : bill and head black :

SURINAM NUTHATCH. 119

back deep blueish-ferruginous : throat, breast, and
belly white, but the throat bounded or encompass-
ed by a black band, descending from the sides of
the head, which is black and crested: near the eye
is a small scarlet spot, succeeded by a large white
one: rump yellpw: tail blackish, with white tip:
bill and legs black. Native of China, where it is
said to be much esteemed on account of the ele-
gance of its colours, and is, according to Dr. La-
tham, a frequent ornament on Chinese papers.
It appears to me to be much allied to the Lanius
jocosus or Red- Vented Shrike, and if only described
from the account of Osbeck, and the figures on
Chinese papers, may, perhaps, prove, on future
investigation, to be no other than the same bird.

SURINAM NUTHATCH.

Sitta Surinamensis. 5. castaneo-rufa, subtus rufescente-alba, alts

nigris, tectricibus albo maculatis, cauda nigra apice alba. Lath.

ind. orn.
Rufous-cbesnut Nuthatch, whitish-rufescent beneath, with black

wings varied on the coverts with white, and black tail with

white tip.
Surinam Nuthatch. Lath. syn.

A VERY small species, first described by Dr. La-
tham : total length three inches and a half: colour
fine chesnut brown, paler beneath ; the feathers on
the head and back having black shafts: wings and
tail black, the coverts tipped and the smaller quill-
feathers edged with white: bill brown: legs blagk.
Native of Surinam.

120

ORANGE-WINGED NUTHATCH.

Sitta chrysoptera. S. cinerea subtus albida, alls caudaque fuscis,
remigibus medio aurantio-ferrugineis. Lath. ind. orn. svppl.

Cinereous Nuthatch whitish beneath, with brown wings and tail,
the quill-feathers orange-ferruginous on the middle.

Orange-winged Nuthatch. Lath. syn. suppl. 2. pi. ] 2/.

A VERY small species, at least according to the
drawing from which the description was made:
colour above olivaceo-cinereous, with orange-co-
loured quill-feathers tipped with brown: under
parts and rump blueish white: tail short, and
slightly tipped, except on the two middle feathers,
with white: bill -brown: legs blueish. Native of
New Holland.

GREEN NUTHATCH.

Sitta Chloris. S. corpore supra viridi, subtus candido, cauda atrti,

ultimo apicejla'cicante. Luth. ind. orn.
Nuthatch with the body green above, and white below; the tail

black, with the extreme tip yellowish.
Sitta Chloris. Mus. Carls, fuse. 2. /. 33.

DESCRIBED by Sparmann in his Museum Carl-
sonianum: size of the Surinam Nuthatch: colour
green above, milk-white beneath: wings brown,
edged with olive, and with a transverse yellowish
middle bar: tail short and black, with yellowish
tip: bill longer than the head: legs rather long.
Native of the Cape of Good Hope.

1*1

TODUS. TODY.

Generic Character.

Rostrum tenue, depressum,
latum, basi setis patulis.

Nares ovatae, parvae.

Pedes gressorii, digitus ex-
terior medio basi connex-
us.

Lath. ind. am.

Bill thin, depressed, beset

at the base with spreading

bristles.

Nostrils ovate^ small.
Feet gressorial; the outer

toe connected at the base

to the middle one.

HE birds of this genus, which are principally
natives of the warmer parts of America, are cha-
racterised by a peculiar flatness or depression of
the beak. They may be considered as greatly
allied to the Muscicapae or Flycatchers, though
somewhat differing in the structure of the feet,
which have the outer and middle toes connected,
whereas in the Flycatchers they are perfectly se-
parate.

BROAD-BILLED TODY. ,

Todus rostratus. T. rostro latissimo, corpore luteo-fusco, subtus
iuteo, gula maculfique verticis albis. Lath. ind. orn.

Tody with very broad bill, luteo-fuscous body, luteous beneath,
with white throat and a white spot on the crown.

Todi species octava. Pall. spic. 6.

Broad-billed Tody. Lath. syn.

THIS species was first described by Dr. Pallas.
Its size is that of a Nightingale; the crown of the
head lead-colour, with an oblong white spot: back
luteous-brown : wings and tail brown : throat
whitish: remainder of the under parts luteous:
bill extremely broad, flat, pointed, and of a whit-
ish colour. Native region uncertain: described
from a specimen in the Museum of the Prince of
Orange.

GREAT-BILLED TODY.

Todus nasutus. T. niger, rostro latissimo, gula abdomine crissoque
coccineis, scapularibus subulatis incurvatis albis.

Black Tody with very broad bill, red throat, abdomen, and vent-
feathers, and incurvated white subulate scapulars.

Todus nasutus. T. rostro latissimo, corpore nigro, gula uropygi&
abdomine crissoque coccineis. Lath. ind. orn.

Great-billed Tody. Lath. syn.

SIZE of the Broad-Billed Tody, and allied to it
in the excessive breadth of the bill, which is of a

WHITE-CHINNED TODY. 123

blackish colour with whitish edges and tip: colour
of the plumage glossy bine-black, with the abdo-
men and vent fine purple-crimson, and a bar or
crescent of the/same colour beneath the throat:
the edge of the alulet or spurious wing, at the
shoulders, pale orange, and the scapular-feathers,
to the number of six or seven, white, lanceolate,
and spread ing over the coverts: legs black: middle
and outer toes connected. This curious species
was preserved in the Leverian Museum, but its
native country was unknown : probably South
America.

WHITE- CHINNED TODY.

Todus gularis. T. fuscvs, subtus albidus, pcctore fusco varicgato,

gula alba. Lath. ind. orn.
Brown Tody, whitisli beneath, with the breast variegated with

brown, and white throat.
White-chinned Tody. Lath. syn.

THIS was first described by Dr. Latham, and
measures about nine inches in length: its colour
is brown above, with the chin and under parts
white, slightly mottled round the neck and breast
with brown : bill an inch and three quarters long,
much compressed, three quarters of an inch broad
at the base, and rather bending upwards at the
point: legs brown: outer toe unittd with the
middle one. Native region uncertain.

124

ROYAL TODr.

Todus regius. T. cristatus fuscus, subtus albidus fusco undulatus,

cristaferruginea apice nigra.
Crested brown Tody, whitish beneath with brown undulations ;

the crest ferruginous, tipped with black.
Todus regius. T. fusco-nigricans cristatus, pectore albido nigri-

cante transversim striato, gula superciliisque albis, abdomine uro»

pygio caudaque ntfis. Lath. ind. orn.
Le Roi des Gobe-mouches. Biiff". ow. PI. Enl. 280.
King Tody. I^ath, syn.
Todus cristatus. Crested Tody. Nat. Misc. ll.pl. 405.

THIS most elegant species is described in the
Ornithology of the Count de Buffon, where it is
considered as a species of Muscicapa or Flycatcher,
and it must be acknowledged that it might perhaps
be arranged under that genus as well as in that of
Todus. Its size is but little superior to that of the
common European Fly catchers, but the bill is some-
what disproportionately broad, very much flatten-
ed, about ten lines in length, and beset with nu-
merous strong bristles at the base: the colour of
the plumage on the upper parts is a deep yellow-
ish brown or chesnut, passing round the fore part
of the neck in the manner of a collar: the throat,
whole under parts, beneath the collar, and the
rump, are pale or whitish yellow, the breast being
crossed by numerous dusky undulations: the tail
is bright ferruginous, and on the head is situated a
most beautiful broad, transverse crest, consisting

. vAJL T01JY-

TO ID IT

ROYAL TODT. 125

of very numerous feathers, disposed in several
series, lengthening as they recede from the front
or base : these feathers are of a bright or red-ferru-
ginous colour, and are each terminated by a black
tip, so that the crest resembles that of a Hoopoe,
placed in a transverse direction: over each eye
passes a narrow white streak: the bill is dark
brown, and the legs flesh-colour. This curious
bird is a native of. Cayenne, where it is said to be
yery rare.

Var.f

In a German work entitled Naturforscher is
described and figured what appears to be a variety
of the above species. In this the colour of the
upper parts, as well as of the tail, appears to be
deep-brown, with the wing-coverts varied by a few
scattered white specks; the whole under parts
white, without the brown collar, and the breast
marked, as in the former, by numerous dusky un-
dulations: the crest is of a fine purple-crimson,
each feather tipped, as in the former, with black :
the bill is brown, and the legs pale. This bird
appears to be of smaller size than the preceding,
and is said to be a native of Guinea. Perhaps,
however, this supposed difference of native country
may be owing to a typographical error in the pub-
lication abovementioned j Guinea having been sub-
stituted for Guiana.

126

RED-BREASTED TODY.

Todus Rubecula. T. cinereus, gula pectoreque aurantiis, abdomine
albo. Lath. ind. orn. suppl.

Cinereous Tody, with orange throat and breast, and white abdo-
men.

Red-breasted Tody. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

SIZE of a Yellowhammer: bill stout, broad:
tongue bifid, with the points slightly feathered or
divided: colour on the upper parts slate-grey:
wings and tail brown: throat and breast orange;
from thence to the vent nearly white: crown of
the head rather full-feathered: legs long, slender,
and dusky. Native of New Holland.

FERRUGINOUS-BELLIED TODY.

Todus ferrugineus. T. ferrugineo-nigricans, subtus ferrugineus,

gents albo nigroque rnaculatis, rcniigibus semifascia fcrruginea*

Lath. ind. orn.
Ferruginous-blackish Tody, beneath ferruginous, with the cheeks

spotted with black and white, and the wing-feathers marked by

a half bar.
Ferruginous-bellied Tody. Lath. syn.

LENGTH about seven inches and a half: bill
three quarters of an inch; very much compressed,
slightly incurvated at the tip, and blackish: upper
parts sub-ferruginous black, most of the feathers

SHORT-TAILED TODY. 127

being edged with ferruginous: cheeks varied with
white: all the under parts dull ferruginous: over
each eye a pale streak: on the wings a short ferru-
ginous bar: tail brown. Native of South America.

WHITE-HEADED TODY.

Tod us leucocephalus. T. nigricans, capite gula colloquc superiors

albis. Lath. ind. orn.
Blackish Tody, with the head, throat, and upper part of the

neck white.

Todus leucocephalus. Pall. spic. 6. t. 3./. 2.
White-headed Tody. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Pallas. Size of a Redstart :
colour of the whole bird, except the head and
neck, dull black: bill blackish: legs black: head
rather full of feathers, so as to appear almost
crested. Native of South America.

SHORT-TAILED TODY.

Todus brachyurus. T. niger, sincipite genis corporequf subtus albit,

cauda abbreviata. Lath. ind. orn.
Black Tody, with the forehead, cheeks, and under parts of the

body white, and very short tail.
Todi species septima. Pall. spic. 6. p. 18.
Short-tailed Tody. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Pallas. Smaller than a Red-
start : forehead, cheeks, and under parts of the body

128 PLUMBEOUS TODY.

white: upper parts black, but the inner margins
of some of the quill-feathers, and the under coverts
of the wings white: tail very short: bill dusky:
legs black. Native of America.

PLUMBEOUS TODY.

Todus plumbeus. T. plumbeo-nigricans, subtus nivcus, Venice r<?-
migibus rectricibusque, nigricantibus. Pall, spic. 6. p. 17. Lath,
ind. orn.

Blackish lead-coloured Tody, milk-white beneath, with blackish
crown, wings, and tail.

Plumbeous Tody. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Pallas: size of a Wren:
upper parts hoary lead-colour, inclining to black
on the crown : beneath, from throat to tail, milk-
white : quills and tail dusky black with the outside
edges of the quill-feathers white: bill and legs
dusky. Native of Surinam.

G KKK.IX TODY

III

/« V// ..////;. '/../, o ml an, l*u 1> lixltfd l> \ • G=..l\tw -sic \ ' , J'lct f S/rtrt. ^tJif 06 ler Proprietor s?

129

DUSKY TODY.

Todus obscurus. T. olivaceo-fuscus, subtus albo-flaTctcens, gufa

pallida. Lath. ind. orn.
Olivaceous-brown Tody, yellowish white beneath, with pale

throat.

Todi species quarta. Pall. spic. 6. p. 17 •
Dusky Tody. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Pallas. Size of a Hedge-
Sparrow: upper parts olive-brown: under parts
yellowish white: chin pale; quills and tail pale,
with grey edges: bill ahd legs dusky. Native of
North America.

GREEN TODY.

Todus viridis. T. viridis, pectore rubro. Lin. Syst.Nat.

Green Tody, with red breast.

Rubecula viridis elegantissima. Raii. syn. 187.

Green Sparrow, or Humming- Bird. Edw. pi. 121.

Todier de TAmerique septentrionale. Buff. <ris. PI. Enl. 585.

/.3.
Green Tody. Lath. syn.

THIS elegant little bird is about the size of a
Wren, and is described by Sloane in his History of
Jamaica, but more accurately by Edwards. " The
bill, says Edwards, is long in proportion, like that
of a Kingfisher; much broader than deep, like a
duck's bill: it is ridged along the top of the upper

v. viii. P. i. 9

130 CINEREOUS TODY.

mandible: the nostrils are placed on each side the
ridge, near the head : the upper mandible is of a
dusky brown, the lower of a yellow or orange-
colour: at the base of the bill are placed stiff black
hairs or bristles, standing forwards: the whole
upper side of the bird, from bill to tail-end, is of
a very fine parrot-green : the inner coverts of the
wings are white : the inside of the quills, and the
under side of the tail are of a brownish ash-colour:
five or six of the prime quills are dusky or black
at their tips: the throat is of a very fine red : the
breast, belly, thighs, and covert feathers under the
tail are white, a little shaded with pale green : the
legs and feet are of a dusky colour: the toes are
joined, as they are in the Kingfisher."

CINEREOUS TODY.

Todus cinereus. T. cinereus, subtus luteus. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Cinereous Tody, luteous beneath.

Grey and yellow Flycatcher. Edw. pi. 262.

Le Tic-tic ou Todier. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 585. f. 3.

Cinereous Tody. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Edwards, and is rather larger than
the Green Tody. "The bill, says Edwards, is
pretty long, and broad, and compressed like a
duck's bill, with a ridge along the middle of the
upper mandible : its point is dusky: its base gra-
dually becomes reddish, and is surrounded with
stiff hairs or bristles pointing forward: the fore-

BROWN TODY. IS I

head is black: the hinder part of the head and
neck, the back, and rump, are of a dark ash-colour:
the whole under side, with tin M<!<S \wl r the
wings, are bright yellow: the inner covert-feathers
of the wings are yellow: the quills within are ash-
coloured, having the edges of their inner webs
whitish: the tail hath twelve feathers; the middle
ones longest, and gradually shortening to the outer-
most on each side: the middle feathers are wholly
black or dusky, with white tips: the legs and feet
are made as in most small birds, and of a dark
flesh-colour. " This species is a native of Surinam.

BROWN TODY.

Todus fuscus. T. ferrugineo-fuscus, subtus olivaceo-fuscus albo

maculatuSf alis fascia nigricante, caudaferruginea. Lath. ind.

orn.
Ferruginous-brown Tody, beneath olivaceous-brown spotted with

white, with a blackish bar across the wings, and ferruginous

tail.
Brown Tody. Perm. Gen. of Birds. Lath. syn.

THIS species is described by Mr. Pennant in his
work entitled Genera of Birds, and is larger than
the Green Tody: the whole upper parts are ferru-
ginous brown; the coverts of the wings crossed by
a dusky bar: the lower parts of the body olive,
spotted with white: the tail ferruginous* Native
of the hotter parts of America.

152

YELLOW-BELLIED TODY.

Todus xanthogaster. T. sexundalis fusco-cinereus, subtus luteus,

rostro pallido.
Brown-cinereous Tody, six inches in length, beneath luteous, with

pale bill.
Todus flavigaster. T. fusco-cinereus, subtus lutew, rostro pallido,

pedibus obscuris. Lath. ind. orn.
Yellow-bellied Tody. Lath. ind. orn. suppl. 2.

SIZE of the Brown Tody: length six inches: bill
broad, and short: head, chin, and all the upper
parts ash-brown; the wings deeper than the rest,
but pale in the middle: all the under parts, from
the chin, yellow: bill pale; legs brown. Native
ef New Holland.

VARIEGATED TODY?

Todus??? varius. T. cceruleo nigro viridique varius, capite colloque
cxrulco-nigris, tectricibus alarum viridibus. Lath. ind. orn.

Tody??? variegated with blue, black, and green; the head and
neck blue-black, and the wing-coverts green.

Todus varius. Briss. av.

Todier varie'. Bujf. ois.

Ispida Indica. Aldrovand. av. 3. p. 52O.

Variegated Tody. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Aldrovandus under the name of
Ispida Indica, and referred to the present genus by

VARIEGATED TODY? 133

Buffon and other modern ornithologists, though
entirely unknown, except from the short descrip-
tion and rude figure in Aldrovandus, who says it
was brought from India, and that, on account of
some resemblance in point of colours, and make
of the feet, it has been named an Indian Kingfisher,
though much smaller than our Kingfisher, and
scarcely larger than a Wren: the bill, he adds, is
longish, but slender, and of a black colour: the
head very small, which, together with the whole
neck, is of a blackish blue: the whole remainder
of the body, as far as the tail, is beautified by a
mixture of blue, green, and black, but sprinkled
over with certain specks of pale green, except on
the wings, which are almost entirely green: the tail,
\vhich is rather long for the size of the body, is
entirely black, except that the edges of some of
the feathers, toward the tips, are green j and the
feet black.

Whoever will take the trouble to consult Aldro-
vandus, will readily see, from the figure, that the
bird intended was a species of Certhia or Creeper,
and that Aldrovandus merely calls it a Kingfisher
in compliance with the title by which he received
it. It has therefore nothing to do with the present
genus, and can only serve as a remarkable instance
of the carelessness with which works of this kind
are frequently quoted. The Count de BufTon, or
his coadjutor Montbeillard, observes, that, as Al-
drovandus is silent relative to the shape of the bill
in this bird, he cannot pretend to determine whether

134 VARIEGATED TODY

it should be placed in this genus or not. Aldro-
vandus, however, expressly declares the bill to be
longish, slender, and of a black colour, and the
figure, though rude, would, even at the present
day, pass for a tolerable representation of some of
the African and American Certhia?.

s * . - '•'. '. .<' "£-

' ' 'r

DMMIXN ".1.1 '• DPOE .

135

UPUPA. HOOPOE.

Generic Character.

Rostrum longum,arcuatum,
subcompressum, gracile.
Lingua brevis, sagittata.
Caput cristatum.
Pedes ambulator ii.

Bill long, subcompressed,

slender, and bent.
Tongue short, sagittated.
Head crested.
Feet formed for walking.

COMMON HOOPOE.

Upupa Epops. U. ferruginea, alls albo nigroque fasciatis , caudd

nigra fascia lunata alba, crista albo nigroque terminata.
Ferruginous Hoopoe, with the wings barred black and white, the

tail black with a lunated white bar, and the crest tipped with

black and white.

Upupa Epops. U. cristata variegata. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Upupa Epops. U. nigricante et rufo-albo variegata, subtus rufes-

ccns, crista rufescente apice nigra , cauda nigra fascia alba. Lath.

ind. or/?.
The Hoopoe. Will. orn. Penn. Brit. Zool. 1. pi. 39. and edit.

fol. p. 83. pi. L. Edw. pi 345.
Common Hoopoe. Lath. syn.
La Huppe. Bvf. ow> PI. Enl 52.

HIS elegant bird appears to be a pretty gene-
ral inhabitant of the warmer and temperate parts
of the Old Continent, migrating occasionally, at
different seasons, in different directions. In our
own island it is much more rarely seen than in

136 COMMON HOOPOE.

other northern climates. Its size is that of a
common Thrush: the colour of the head, neck,
and body is pale ferruginous or cinnamon-brown;
darkest on the back and shoulders: the wings and
tail are black, the former crossed by five white
bars, the latter crossed in the middle by a white
crescent, the horns pointing towards the end: the
rump and lower part of the abdomen are white,
and the sides of the body generally marked by a
few longitudinal dusky streaks : on the head is a
most elegant crest, composed of numerous length-
ened feathers of different proportions, and disposed
in a double longitudinal series : this it can either
erect and expand, or depress and close at pleasure :
the feathers composing it are cinnamon-coloured,
with black tips, a white bar separating the tip from
the rest of the feather: the crest is usually carried
in a flat or recumbent state, and is raised only on
surprize, or at particular intervals: the general
length of the largest feathers is about two inches :
the bill is long, slender, slightly curved, sharp-
pointed, and black, with the base of the lower
mandible flesh-coloured: the legs short and black-
ish. The Hoopoe migrates during the spring
season from Africa into various parts of Europe,
and again returns in winter. This migration, how-
ever, is not universal, since it is observed that
great numbers of these birds are constantly found
about many towns and villages in various parts of
Egypt, where they may be considered as nearly do-
mesticated ; building and breeding even among
the houses. The flesh of these domestic Hoopoes

COMMON HOOPOE. 137

is rank and uneatable, but that of the migrating
birds is considered in many parts of Europe as an
agreeable food, particularly in Italy, the south of
France, and in the Grecian islands. The nest, or
rather hole of the Hoopoe is generally said to have
a peculiarly fetid smell: sometimes, however, it is
said to be strewed with moss, wool, dry leaves, &c.
and to have no disagreeable scent. Sometimes the
bird breeds in the hole of a wall, but more gene-
rally in the hollow of a tree ; seldom higher than
about ten feet from the ground; and instances have
been known in which the eggs have been placed
on the ground, or among the roots of old trees.
The number of eggs is from five to seven, and
their colour a blueish white, speckled with brown.
The disagreeable smell proceeding from the nest
or hole of the Hoopoe is supposed to be chiefly
owing to the remains of various kinds of insects,
with which it is generally crowded, and among
which the young are as it were imbedded.

In Egypt the wild or migrating Hoopoes are
never observed to associate with those of the
towns, but frequent remote and solitary places.
Those which make their appearance in Europe
are generally of this disposition; but in Africa
they associate in great numbers.

The ordinary food of the Hoopoe consists of
various kinds of insects and worms, and hence, as
Buffon observes, " it usually haunts wet grounds,
where its long and slender bill can easily pene-
trate ; and hence in Egypt it follows the retreat of
the Nile ; for in proportion as the waters subside,

138 BLUE-CRESTED HOOPOE.

the plains are left covered by a coat of slime,
swarming with immense numbers of insects ; and
accordingly the wild or migratory Hoopoes are
fat, and a delicious food, while those which fre-
quent the city of Cairo, where they breed in full
security on the house-tops, are uneatable. It is
indeed easy to conceive that -such as live in the
plains must be better food than those which fre-
quent the streets or environs of a large city ; the
former subsisting on the insects inhabiting the
ground, while the latter prowl among all kinds of
filth ; a circumstance which cannot fail to commu-
nicate an offensive odor to their flesh."

The flight of the Hoopoe is observed to be
rather slow and undulating than strong and rapid,
and the bird is generally seen on the surface of
the ground, being very rarely observed to perch
on trees.

VAR. ?
BLUE-CRESTED HOOPOE.

This supposed variety rests on the authority of
the Marquis Gerini, author of a work on Italian
ornithology, and who affirms that he observed it
at Florence, and again on the Alps, near the town
of Rota, and that it differs from the Common
Hoopoe in having the crest-feathers tipped with
sky-blue instead of black.

139

% SMALLER HOOPOE.

Upupa minor. U.ferruginea, alls albo variis, crista apice nigra.
Ferruginous Hoopoe, with the wings varied with white, and the

crest tipped with black.
La Huppe d' Afrique. Aud. et Vicll. pi. 2.

THIS species, if such it really be, and not a mere
variety of the Common Hoopoe, differs in being
a trifle smaller, with the beak rather shorter, and
the legs rather longer in proportion : the white on
the wings is not distributed into such regular bars
the white crescent on the tail is situated somewhat;
nearer the base, and the feathers of the crest are
tipped with black only, without any white bar
between that colour and the rest of the feather, as
in the Common Hoopoe. It is an inhabitant of
the southern parts of Africa, being found in the
kingdom of Congo, and at the Cape of Good
Hope, frequenting low grounds, especially in the
neighbourhood of thickets, and is not, like the
Common Hoopoe, of a migratory nature.

140

MADAGASCAR HOOPOE.

Upupa Madagascariensis. U. alba, alis caudaque cinereo-fuscis,
crista decomposita.

White Hoopoe, with cinereous brown wings and tail, and loose-
webbed crest.

Upupa Capensis. U.fusco-mbulosa, crista corpore subtus macula-
que alarum albis. Lath. ind. orn.

La Huppe noir et blanche du cap de Bonne-Esperance. Buff", ois.
PL Enl. 697.

Madagascar Hoopoe. Lath. syn.

THE Madagascar Hoopoe is described by Buf-
fon, or rather by his associate Monsr. Monbeillard,
who informs us that its length is sixteen ?* inches,
and its breadth eighteen : the bill shorter in pro-
portion than in the Common Hoopoe, and of a
yellowish colour, with the upper mandible notch-
ed on each side near the tip : the tongue rather
broad, and divided at the extremity into several
fibres : the crest is of a much looser or more
fibrous structure than in the Common Hoopoe,
and lastly, the tail-feathers are twelve in number.
The colour of the crest, throat, and all the under
parts of the bird., is white, without any variegation :
that of the upper parts, from the back of the head
to the end of the tail, dusky or greyish brown,
deepest on the wings and tail : on the edge of the

* The specimen described by Viellot measured but ten inches :
he therefore suspects a mistake in the measure given by Buffon.

BLACK HOOPOE. 141

wing is a white spot, the tips of two or three of
the larger coverts being of that colour : the legs
and feet are yellowish. It is a native of the Island
of Madagascar, as well as of some of the smaller
African isles, and is said to feed on seeds and
berries.

From the structure of the tongue in this bird it
should seem to be nearly related to the genus
Merops or Bee-Eater. It is figured in the Planches
Enluminees, and in the much more superb publi-
cation of Monsr. Viellot, who suspects an error in
the measure of this bird in the ornithology of
Buffon ; the two specimens in the Paris Museum
measuring only ten inches in length.

BLACK HOOPOE.

Upupa nigra. U. tota nigra.
Hoopoe entirely black.

Une espece de Huppe dont le plumage est entierment noir. Son-
nini Buff. 54. p. 18?. note.

OF this species nothing but its existence and
native country seems to be known. It is men-
tioned by Sonnini, on the authority of Monsr.
Viellot, who affirms that it is found in Africa,
towards the kingdom of Congo.

142

PROMEROPS, PROMEROPS.

Generic Character.

Rostrum Upupae.
Pedes ambulatorii.
Cauda elongata plerisque
cuneata.

Bill as in the genus Upupa.
Feet formed for walking.
Tail lengthened, and in
most species cuneated.

BLUE PROMEROPS.

Promerops caeruleus. P. ccerukus, rostra pedibusque nigris.

Blue Promerops, with black bill and legs.

Upupa Indica. U. indico-ccerulea, cauda cuneiformi, rostro nigro,

pedibus plumbeis. Lath. ind. orn. Blue Promerops. Lath. syn.

svppl.
Le Promerops bleu. And. et Viell. Pi-om. pi. Q.

of a Common Hoopoe : length twelve inches :
bill two inches long, curved, and black: whole
bird of a fine but rather pale blue, lightest on the
head and under parts of the body : tail above four
inches in length, and slightly cuneiform : legs lead-
colour. Native of India. First described by Dr.
Latham, from a drawing communicated by Capt.
Paterson.

CAPE PROMEROPS.

Proraerops Cafer. P. fuscus, subtus albidus, pectorc rufescentc,

cauda longissima.
Brown Promerops, whitish beneath, with rufescent breast and

very long tail.
Upupa Promerops. U.fusca, subtus alba, pectore rufescente, uro»

pygio viridi-olivaceo, crisso luteo, rectricibus sex intermediis lon-

gissimif. Lath. ind. orn.
Upupa Promerops. Lin. Syst. Nat. Merops Cafer. Lin. Syst.

Nat. Miller Illustr. pi. 6 (femina.)

Promerops. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 637. 4ud. et Viell. Prom. pi. 4.
Cape Promerops. Lath. syn.

LENGTH about seventeen inches: size that of a
lark : colour rufous brown, somewhat deeper on
the wings and tail : forehead whitish, and covered
with narrow feathers: throat white, with a narrow,
longitudinal, dusky streak on each side : under part
of the abdomen whitish, dashed with dusky streaks:
vent yellow : tail very strongly cuneated, as in the
Striped Promerops : bill about an inch and half
long, and of a black colour, as are also the legs.
In some, probably the males, the breast, as well
as the abdomen, is spotted, and the wings are
crossed by a narrow grey or whitish stripe. Na-
tive of Africa, and said to be a very common bird
about the Cape of Good Hope.

144

STRIPED PROME110PS.

Promerops striatus. P. fuscus, subtus albo nigroque wdulatus,

cauda tongissima.
Brown Promerops, beneath white with black undulations, and

very long tail.
Upupa Papuensis. U.fusca, subtus albo nigroquefasciata, capite

colloque atris, rectricibus duabus intermediis longissims. Lath.

ind. orn.
Promerops brun a ventre ray£. Buff. ois. PL Enl. 638. A ud.

et Fiell.Prom.pl.j.
New Guinea brown Promerops. Lath. syn.

FIRST described and figured by Sormerat : total
length about twenty-two inches : colour of the
head similar to polished steel : throat black : neck,
back, wings, and tail brown : breast and remainder
of the under parts white, undulated by numerous
transverse black stripes, each feather having two
white and two black bars : the tail is very long,
and strongly cuneated, the two exterior feathers
measuring about four inches, and the rest length-
ening gradually towards the two middle ones,
which measure thirteen inches : the bill is about
two inches and a half long, considerably curved,
and of a blackish colour : the legs yellowish brown.
In the female the head and neck are brown : in
other respects the sexes resemble each other. Na-
tive of New Guinea, inhabiting large woods.

If the above description by Sonnerat be cor-
rect, it follows that this bird must be perfectly

SUPERB PROMEROPS. 145

distinct from the Superb Promerops, with which
it has sometimes been confounded.

SUPERB PROMEROPSt

Proraerops superbus. P. niger violaceo viridique nitcns, pennis
scapularibus falcatis aureo-nitentibus, cauda longissima.

Black Promerops with violet and green gloss, falcated golden-
shining scapular-feathers, and very long tail.

Upupa superba. U. atro-violacea, vert ice cervice abdomincque
sup fr lore viridi-nitentibus, pennis scapularibus lateralibmquc
caudcefalciformibus, cauda longissima. Lath. ind. orn.

Grand Proraerops a paremens frisks. Buff. ois. PL Enl 63£.

Le Grand Promerops. And. et Viell. Prom. pi. 8.

Grand Promerops. Lath. syn. pL 32.

THIS magnificent species, which exceeds all the
rest in the splendor and elegance of its plumage,
was first described by Sonnerat, and is a native of
New Guinea. Its total length is nearly four feet,
the tail being almost three times the length of the
remainder of the bird, which is not larger in body
than a common Pigeon. Its shape is slender : the
bill narrow, black, and pretty much curved : the
general colour of the whole bird is also black, ac-
companied, according to the different directions of
the light, by varying reflexions of blue, green, and
violet : the head, hind part of the neck, and middle
of the abdomen are of a golden green : the scapular
feathers or those situated along the sides of the
body rise up into two rows of reversed, falciform
plumes, gradually enlarging from the shoulders to

v. vnr. p. i. 10

146 SUPERB PROMEROPS.

the rump, beyond which they become much longer,
but far less curved, and are stretched to some dis-
tance on each side the base of the tail : all these
feathers are of a purplish black colour on their
inner or shallower webs, but along the edges and
tips of the wider Web are of a brilliant golden
green : on each side the lower part of the body,
beneath the wings, is also situated a thick and
moderately long groupe of loose-webbed, pendent,
brownish feathers, as in some of the Paradise-
Birds, to which this species, in the disposition of
its plumage bears a considerable resemblance : the
tail is most strongly cuneiform, and consists of
twelve feathers, the two exterior ones being about
five inches in length, the rest lengthening in pro-
portion, and the two middle feathers measuring
about twenty-eight inches : these are of a much
broader and less pointed form than the side-fea-
thers : the legs are of a moderate length, strong,
and black. Nothing particular seems to be knowi*
of the history or habits of this beautiful bird.

147

PARADISE PROMEROPS.

Promerops paradiseus. P. castancus, subtus can us, capite cristato

nigro, cauda longissima.
Chesnut Proraerops, grey beneath, with black crested head, and

very long tail.
Upupa paradisea. U. rcctricibus duabus longissimis. Lin. Syst.

Nat.
Upupa paradisea. U. cristata spadicea, subtus cincrascens, capite

coiloque nigrls, rectricibus duabus intennediis longiasimis. Lath.

ind. orn.

Avis paradisiaca cristata, &c. Scb. mus. 1. t. 30. f. 5.
Crested Promerops. Lath. syn.

THIS bird seems to have been first described in
the magnificent work of Seba, where it is consider-
ed as a species of Paradise- Bird. It is about the
size of a Starling, and measures nineteen inches in
length, of which the tail is fourteen inches and a
quarter : the bill is rather more than an inch long,
curved, and of a lead-colour, as are also the legs:
the head and neck fine deep black, the crown
<of the head ornamented by a very conspicuous,
lengthened, semipendent crest, composed of nu-
merous feathers of unequal length: the whole
remainder of the bird, on the upper parts, is
bright brown, on the under pale ash-colour : the
tail-feathers of very moderate length, except the
two middle ones, which extend to a vast distance
beyond the rest. Native, according to Seba, of
the East Indies, where it is said to be very rare.
The description of this species is given by Brisson

148 MEXICAN PROMEROPS,

with his usual scrupulosity of exactness, and is
probably composed from Seba's figure; yet, from
his declaring that figure to be accurate, it should
seem that he had himself seen tiie bird.

MEXICAN PROMEROPS.

Promerops Mexicanns. P. grisens purpureo viridique nitens, re-
migibm c&ruleweHtibu*, abdondnejiavescente, cay da longiss'-ma.

Grey Proineiops with green and purple gloss, blueish wingSj yel-
lowish belly, and very long tail.

Upupa Mexicana. U. grisea, viridi carulto purpureoque variegata,
abdominejlaTescente, rectridbus quatuor infer tncdiis loiigissimis.
Lath. ind. orn. «

Avis Ani Mexicana cauda longissima. Seb. 1. 1. 45. f. 3.

Mexican Promerops. Lath. xyn.

THIS also is described and figured in the work
of Seba. Its total length is nearly nineteen inches:
the body the size of a thrush, and the tail-feathers
twelve inches in length : the bill near two inches
long and blackish : the whole upper parts of the
bird, except the quills which are light blue, are
grey, accompanied by green and purplish glosses :
the tail is deeper than the rest : the whole under
parts of the body are light yellow, and a spot of
the same colour is situated above each eye: the
four middle tail-feathers are longer than the rest.
This species is said to be a native of Mexico, fre-
quenting mountainous regions, and feeding on
insects of various kinds.

149

ORANGE PROMEIiOPS.

Promerops aurantius. P. aurantius, canda mediocri cequali.
Change coloured Promerops, with tail of moderate length and

even at the top.
Upupa aurantia. U.jla-vo-aurantia, cupite colhque. aureis, rani-

gibus prirnoribus aurantio-ntbro contawinatis* Lath. ind. orn.
Avis paradisiaca Americana elegantissima. Seb, J. t. 66. f. 3.
Orange Promerops. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED and figured in the work of Seba.
Size of a Starling : length about nine inches and
a half: bill rather above an inch long, somewhat
curved, sharp-pointed, and yellow, as are also the
legs : the head and neck are of a deep yellow or
gold-colour, with a few red feathers round the base
of the bill : the remainder of the bird is orange
yellow; the larger quill-feathers of a redder cast
than the rest : the tail measures near four inches
in length, and is even at the end. Native of Gui-
ana, frequenting the small islands in the mouth of
the river Berbice.

The supposed female of this species is described
by Fernandez in his History of Mexico, under the
name of Cochitolotl: the head, throat, neck, and
wings are said to be irregularly varied with grey
and black : the rest of the bird yellow : the bill
black, and the legs grey.

150

RED-BILLED PROMEROPS.

Promerops erythrorynchos. P. niger purpureo viridique nitens,

rostro pcdibtisnue rubris, cauda loiiga, rcctricibus versus apices

albo maculatis.
Black Promerops, with green and purple gloss, red bill and legs,

and long tail with the feathers spotted with white near the tip.
Upupa erythrorynchos. U. viridi-atra, abdomine atro, cauda cu-

neiformi, remigibus sex primoribus rectricibusque lateralibus albo

maculatis. Lath. ind. orn.
Upupa erythrorynchos. U. uigro-violdcca, viridi nitens, rectricibus

versus apices macula utrinque albaf rostro rubro. Citnel. Phys.

t.52. Nat. Misc. I3.pl. 533.
Red-billed Promerops. l.uth. syn. suppl.
Promerops a bee rouge. Viell. et And. Prorn.pl. 6.

THIS highly elegant species is an inhabitant of
Africa, and seems to have been first described by
Dr. Latham from a specimen in the collection of
the Duchess of Portland. Its size is that of a
Hoopoe, and its length about fifteen inches : its
colour is black, with varying glosses of red, violet,
and golden green : the red cast predominates on
the head, the golden green on the wing-covert^
and the violet on the back and tail: the latter 'is
very long, and of a strongly cuneated shape, the
shortest or outside feathers measuring about three
inches in length, and the rest gradually lengthen-
ing to the two middlemost, which measure about
eight inches : all the tail-feathers, except the two
middle ones, are marked near the tip by an oval
white spot on each side the web : the six first quill-
feathers of the wings have also a white spot on

. /J/////:.-///v//r tih'mrslfi. P/tvt Stn-ff.

RED-BILLED PROMEROPS. 151

the inner web near the tip : the bill is rather long,
slender, moderately curved, and of a red or orange-
colour, as are likewise the legs, which are rather
short in proportion to the bird.

A most elegant figure of this species occurs in
Mr. Miller's miscellaneous plates of Natural His-
tory : in this figure the violet gloss seems greatly
to predominate, and the bill and legs are orange-
coloured. It is also figured in the superb work of
Monsr. Viellot, whose specimen appears to have
had the quills marked with a white spot on the
exterior web, with a similar appearance at the tips
of the covert-feathers.

MEROPS. BEE-EATER,

Generic Character.

Rostrum curvatum, com-
pressum, carinatum.

Lingua plerisque apice laci-
niaia*

Pedcs gressorii.

Lin. Syst. Nat.

Bill curved, compressed,
carinated.

Tongue in most species la-
ciniated at the tip.

Feet gressorial, viz. with
three toes forwards and
one back wards; the middle
toe connected with the
outer one.

COMMON BEE-EATER.

Merops Apiaster. M. thalassina, gula jlava, dorso ferruginco-
jlavescente, fascia oculari mgra, rtctricibus mediis elongato-acu-
minatis.

S«a-green Bee-Eater, with yellow throat, yellow ferruginous back,
black eye-stripe, and the two middle tail feathers sharp-elon-
gated.

Merops Apiaster. M. dorso ferrvgineo, abdomine caudaque viridi-
ccerukscente, rtctricibus duabus loiigioribus, gula lutea. Lin. Si/st.
Nat.

Merops. Ge.sn. Aldrov. fyc.

Merops sive Apiaster. Raii. syn. p. 4Q. Charlt. onom, zoic. p.
87. pi. oppos. Apiaster. Briss. av.

The Bee-Eater. Will. orn.

JLe Guepier. Buff. ois. PI. Enl 93 8.

Common Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

JL HIS is one of the most elegant of the European
birds, and, next to the Roller and the Kingfisher,

////..///// '/ /./ •nilrii.riiHishrithv '- A'ws/t r, yX-v/ S/r» •/

COMMON BEE-EATER. 1<53

may be considered as the most brilliant in point of
colour. Its size is nearly that of a thrush : the
bill is rather long, slightly curved, sharp-pointed,
and black: the irides bright red : the crown of the
head and upper parts of the neck arid back are
orange-chesnut : the throat yellow, the scapulars,
lower part of the back, and wing-coverts pale yel-
low, more or less shaded or varied in different indi-
viduals with chesnut and green : the smaller quill-
feathers are rufous-chesnut, tipped with green, the
larger sea-green with dusky tips ; the rump and
tail sea-green, the latter of moderate length, and
slightly cuneated, with the two middle feathers
projecting, in a pointed form, to some distance
beyond the rest. It is to be observed, however,
that this elongation of the two middle tail-feathers
does not always take place, and is probably pecu-
liar to the male bird. The sides of the head, above
the eyes, and the whole under parts of the bird are
sea-green : from the corners of the bill, on each
side the head, passes a black streak across the eyes,
curving downwards, and nearly meeting the tips
of a black crescent placed across the throat, and
separating the yellow of that part from the sea-
green of the under parts : the legs are short, and
of a reddish brown colour. This bird is a native
of the warmer parts of Europe, and of many parts
both of Asia and Africa. In the northern regions
of Europe it is rarely seen. In Greece, as well as
among the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, it
seems to be extremely common, and we are told

154 COMMON BEE-EATER.

by Belon that in the island of Crete in particular
a curious mode of catching it is frequently prac-
tised, viz. by a Cicada, fastened on a bent pin, or
a fish-hook, and tied to a long line : the insect is
then thrown into the air, and flies with rapidity ;
and the Bee-Eater, ever on the watch for insects,
seeing the Cicada, springs at it, and swallowing
the bait, is thus taken by the Cretan boys. It is
said to be particularly fond of bees, and hence its
common title ; but all kinds of flying insects are
its occasional victims. It is said to build in the
manner of the Kingfisher in deep holes in the
banks of rivers, forming a nest of moss, and laying
from five to seven eggs, rather smaller than those
of a blackbird, and of a white colour.

In the northern parts of Europe, as before ob-
served, this bird must be considered as very rare,
and as driven, by some peculiar circumstances,
out of its intended track. It is said to have been
sometimes seen in Sweden, and, in the third vo-
lume of the Transactions of the Linnsean Society,
an instance is recorded of a flight, consisting of not
fewer than twenty in number, having been seen
near Mattishall, in Norfolk, in the month of June
1793, and again in the October following. In
the southern parts of Russia and Siberia the Bee-
Eater is said to be seen in vast numbers, migrating
into those regions in the month of April, and
building in clayey banks, which it perforates ob-
liquely to the distance of half a foot, and so nu-
merous are these holes that the banks appear like

YELLOW-HEADED BEE-EATER. 3 55

the surface of a honeycomb. It again migrates
southwards, in \ast Hocks, into other regions in the
month of September.

YELLOW-HEADED BEE-EATER.

Merops congener. AJ.JZavcscens9 dor so ferrugineo, fascia oculari
nigra, humcris cceriilcis, < au<ta nitdto eloiigato-acumintita.

Yellowish Bee-Eater, with ternu'iuous back, black eye-stripe, blue
shoulders, and tail sharp-elongated in the middle.

Merops congener. M.Jtavewcns, umpygio virescente, remigibus
apice rubris, rectricihi/s basi luteis. Lin. Syst. Nat*

JMerops alter. Gesn. Atdr.

Apiaster icterocephalus. Brisi. av.

L'Icterocephale ou Guepier a ?ete iau'ie. Buff. ois.

Yellow-headed Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

THIS bird, which is described by Gesner, seems
to be unknown to modern ornithologists. It is
said to be somewhat larger than the Common
Bee-Eater, with the head, throat, and all the under
parts yellowish : the back and scapulars fine ches-
nut ; the rump of a mixed green and yellow ; the
smaller wing-coverts blue; the middle ones mixed
blue and yellow; and the greater ones entirely
yellow: the quill-feathers black, with red tips, and
the tail half yellow, and half green ; viz. yellow
half its length from the base, with the remainder
green : a black streak passes through the eyes ; the
bill is curved and black, and the legs yellow. Na-
tive of Germany, inhabiting, according to Gesner,
the neighbourhood of Strasburg,

156

INDIAN BEE-EATER.

Merops viridis. M. viridis, gula uropygioque caruleis, fascia ocu-
lari et pectorali n/grw, redricibus mediis elongato-acuminatis.

Green Bee- Eater, with blue throat and rump, black eye-strip*
and pectoral bar, and sharp-elongated middle tail-feathers.

Merops viridis. M. virens, fascia pectorali nigra, gula caudaquc
cceruleis, rectricibus duabus elungutis. Lin. Syst. Nat.

The Indian Bee-Eater. Edw. pi. 183.

Guepier vert a gorge bleue. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 740.

Indian Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

THIS species, which is about half the size of the
Common Bee- Eater, has the shafts of the two
middle tail-feathers produced to a much greater
length in proportion ; the general shape however
and appearance of the bird is very strongly allied
to that of the European species. It is thus accu-
rately described by Edwards. " The bill is pretty
long, sharp-pointed, and a little bowed downwards;
the upper mandible black or dusky, the nether
whitish at the base: from the corner of the mouth
there passes a black line through the eye, bending
downwards on the side of the head : the beginning
of the forehead, next the bill, is blue, as are the
throat, and sides of the head beneath the eyes: the
crown and hinder parts of the head and neck are
of a red or orange-colour : on the upper part of the
breast is a black transverse mark, like a new moon,
with the horns pointing upwards : the back and
lesser covert-feathers of the wings are of a parrot-
green : the rump or coverts of the tail of a blueish

INDIAN BEE-EATER. 15?

green ; the breast and belly are of a light green :
the thighs of a reddish brown : the coverts beneath
the tail are of a dirty green : the greater quills of
the wings are black or dusky at their tips, having
a little green at their edges near the roots : the
middle quills are of an orange-colour, bordered
with green, having black spots a little within their
tips, the very tips being orange-colour; the inner
quills next the back are wholly green : the first
row of coverts above the quills are orange in their
middles, and green on their borders : the tail is
green; the shafts of the feathers dark brown: the
two middle feathers shoot out more than two inches
beyond the rest, and are brown at their tips, being
little more than bare shafts: the under side of the
tail is of a dusky green: the legs short, as in the
Kingfisher, of which it is a species, and of a dusky
brown colour : the three forward toes are joined
partly together, the outer to the middle one more
especially."

This species appears to be subject to some va-
riety in point of colour. In a specimen described
by Dr. Latham, the upper parts of the bird were
green-gold ; the under parts green, changing to
blue under the throat : in other particulars resem-
bling the former, but without the red or orange-
coloured crown and neck. Native of Bengal, and
likewise of some parts of Madagascar, &c.

158

VARIEGATED BEE-EATER.

Merops ornatus. M. cceruleo viridique varius, nucha gula remigi-

busque basifulvis, rectricibus duabus elongatu: Lath. ind. orn.

svppl.
Bee-Eater varied with blue and green; the nape, throat, and

base of the quill-feathers fulvous, and two of the tail-feathers

elongated.
Variegated Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Latham from a drawing.
Size rather superior to that of the Red-winged
Bee-Eater: general shape and appearance similar
to that of the Indian Bee- Eater, to which it is also
much allied in colours, having the crown of the
head dull orange, the middle of the feathers darker:
across the eyes a black streak, dashed with blue
beneath : lipper part of the back, wings, and tail
green, but varied with orange, as in the Indian
Bee- Eater: under parts of the bird orange yellow,
with a broad patch or bar of black below the
throat, or at the upper part of the breast : lower
part of the abdomen blueish white: bill and legs
black: the tail shaped as in the Indian Bee-Eater,
the two middle feathers being produced into two
lengthened narrow-plumed shafts. In some the
crown of the .head is blue, with a slight cast of
orange at the back part : the back brownish green,
and the rump blue. Native of New Holland.

159

BLUE-GREEN BEE-EATER.

Merops caerulescens. M. cceruleo-'riridis, nigro varians. Lath.

ind. orn. suppl.

Blue-green Bee-Eater, with black reflexions.
Blue-green Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

THIS bird seems to have been first described by
Dr. Latham, who informs us that the colour of the
whole plumage is blue-green, with a deeper gloss,
appearing black in some lights : legs black. Na-
tive country uncertain.

YELLOW BEE-EATER.

Merops flavicans. M. Jlavus, subtus albidus, capite albo flaw

aureoque vario, pectorc rubro, alis uropygio caudaque rufis.

Lath. ind. orn.
Yellow Bee-Eater, whitish beneath j the head varied with white,

yellow, and gold-colour ; the breast red, the wings, rump, and

tail rufous.
Aldrovandus's second Bird of Paradise. Will. orn.

DESCRIBED by Aldrovandus, who considered it
as a species of Paradise-Bird. In the year 15?7>
says Aldrovandus, I observed this bird in the pos-
session of a Roman knight of the name of Caval-
lieri. The head was nearly white, sprinkled with
yellow and gold-coloured spots: the eyes were
luteous, with red eye-lashes : the bill between green
and yellow, two fingers breadth long, and rather
curved : the tongue red, longish, and sharp, not

160 CAYENNE BEE-EATER.

unlike that of a Woodpecker, and calculated for
piercing insects : the breast was reddish : the back,
wings and belly whitish, but the upper parts and
tips of the wings ferruginous : the upper part of
the back yellowish, but becoming reddish or ferru-
ginous at the rump : the tail-feathers were white
at the base, but ferruginous for the remainder of
their length, arid the two middle feathers exceeded
the rest two palms in length. The wings, in Al-
drovandus's figure, appear very long in proportion
to the bird, and the author says they measured five
palms in length : the tail itself also, exclusive of
the two middle feathers, appears of considerable
length. '

CAYENNE BEE-EATER.

Merops Cayanensis. M. viridis, alis caudaque riifis, remigibus

basi albis. Lath. ind. orn.
Green Bee-Eater, with rufous wings and tail ; the base of the

quill-feathers white.

Le Guepier vert a ailes et queue rousses. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 454.
Cayenne Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Buffon. Size of the Common
Bee-Eater, or rather smaller : colour pale subci-
nereous green, except the quill-feathers and tail,
which are bright ferruginous or red: the green
colour is paler beneath than above, and the throat-
feathers, according to the representation in the
Planches Enluminees, appear to have white shafts,
*s in some of the Rollers: the smaller wing-coverte

SUPERB BEE-EATER. 161

are tipped with white, forming a slight bar of that
colour across the upper part of the wings : tail
rather long than short, and even at the end : bill
black : legs brown. Native, according to the
Planches Enluminees, of Cayenne.

SUPERB BEE-EATER.

Merops superbus. M. ruber, frontc gula uropygioque cterulcu,
rectricibus duabus intcrmediis longioribus. Vivarium Naturae,
t. 78.

Red Bee-Eater, with front, throat, and rump blue, and the two
middle tail-feathers longer than the rest. Nat. Misc. pi. /8.

THE size of this splendid bird is nearly that of
the Common or European Bee-Eater, and its co-
lour a fine ruby-red, with the front, throat, and
rump blue, the tips of the secondary quill-feathers
dull green, and those of the larger or primary ones
black : the two middle tail-feathers are producer! to
a very considerable extent beyond the rest, the
lengthened part being very narrow and of a black
colour : the bill is also black.

irp 9
,fm 'to

V. VIII. P. I. 11

BRASILIAN BEE-EATER.

Merops Brasiliensis. M. ruber, alls fuscis subtus jtavicantibus*

remigibus primoribus caudaque cequali camlets.
Red Bee-Eater, with brown wings yellowish beneath ; the larger

quill- feat hers and tail blue; the latter even at the end.
Pica Brasiliensis. Seb. mus. 1. t. 66. f. 1.
Merops Brasiliensis. M.fusco nigroque varius, capite gula tectri-

cibus alarum minoribus corporeque subtus rubris, remigibus cauda-

que cxruleis. Lath. ind. orn.
Brasilian Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

THE Brasilian Bee-Eater is described as of nearly
similar size with the European species, and is said
by Seba, who seems to have been its first describe^
to have the head, throat, and all the under parts
of the body of a bright ruby-red, the wing-coverts
deep red, the rest of the wings, and upper parts,
varied with black and brown: the under wing-
coverts yellow, the quill and tail-feathers pale blue,
and the bill and legs yellow : the tail is even at
the end.

163

SENEGAL BEE-EATER.

Merops Senegalensis. M. supra rufo-castaneus uropygio cceruleo,
subtus cceruleus, rectricibus duabus intermediis elongatis apice
nigricantibus.

Bee-Eater rufous-chesnut above with blue rump, beneath blue ;
the two middle tail-feathers elongated and blackish at the tips.

Guepier a longue queue du Senegal. PI. Enl. 314.

Chesnut Bee-Eater. Far. A. Lath. syn.

THIS is allied in a very great degree to the
Brasilian Bee- Eater, and it seems by no means
clear that it may not in reality be the same species,
differing in the cast of its colours. The upper
part of the head and neck, together with the back,
wings, and tail, are of a bright rufous chesnut-
colour, the cheeks and whole under parts, together
with the rump, blue: the bill black, and the legs
brown : the two middle tail feathers are produced
into two narrow, black, pointed extremities, very
considerably surpassing the rest of the tail. Native
of Senegal.

VAR.?

CHESNUT BEE-EATER. Lath.

This, which Dr. Latham makes the species, I ra-
ther choose to consider as the variety. It differs
from the former bird in being of a chesnut colour
on the crown, back, and scapulars : the wings, tail,

164 SUPERCILIOUS BEE-EATER.

and whole under parts blue : the quill-feathers are
fulvous internally, and have dusky tips : the bill is
black y the legs reddish ; the tail similar in shape to
the preceding, the two middle feathers being pro-
duced considerably beyond the rest.

SUPERCILIOUS BEE-EATER.

Merops superciliosus. M. viridis, vtrtice rufescente, fascia supra

infraque oculos alba, gulajlavicante, rectricibus duabus elongatis.
Green Bee-Eater with rufescent crown, white stripe above

and beneath the eyes, yellowish throat, and the two middle

tail-feathers elongated.
Merops superciliosus. M. vindis, lineafrontis supra infraque oculos

alba, gulaflavicante, rectricibus duabus elongatis. Lin. Syst. Nat.

THIS is described by Brisson and BufFon. Its
length is rather more than eleven inches, and its
prevailing colour dusky green, palest on the rump^
changing into a bright rufous brown on the head :
above and beneath each eye is a white stripe : the
under parts of the bird are paler than the upper :
the tips of the quill-feathers dusky or blackish : the
middle tail-feathers reach considerably beyond the
rest : the bill is black, and the legs brown. Native
of Madagascar.

165

PHILIPPINE BEE-EATER.

Merops Pliilippinus. M. wricks, subtusfla'cesccns, vropygio c&ru-

leo, cauda (equali. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Green Bee-Eater, yellowish beneath, with blue rump, and eveo

tail.

Apiaster Philippensis major. Briss. orn.
Guepierde Madagascar. PL Enl. 215.
Philippine Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Brisson. Length about nine
inches : colour green above, with a slight gloss of
copper-colour : beneath yellowish : rump and tail
blue or sea-green : quill-feathers tipped with black,
and fulvous on the inner webs : across the eyes a
black stripe : bill black ; legs brown : tail rather
short, and even at the end. Native of the Philip-
pine isles.

PIED BEE-EATER.

Merops picatus. M. albo nigroqve varius, rostro albido apicefusco,

pedibus nigris.
Bee-Eater varied with black and white; the bill whitish with

dusky tip : the legs black.

SIZE of a small pigeon: length about twelve
inches : bill whitish, with dusky tip : whole bird
varied with glossy jet-black and milk-white, in the
following manner, viz. head and neck, both above

166 COWLED BEE-EATER.

and below, black, continued beneath, round the
lower part of the neck, and forming a very broad
pectoral zone, deepening on the middle of the
breast; above continued to the back, the whole of
which, as far as the rump, is black: smaller scapu-
lars, or those between the shoulders, mixed black
and white : wings black, with the smaller coverts
white, the larger white at the base half, black at
the other half, and tipped with white : on one or
two of the exterior smaller coverts an oval black
spot : over the eyes a white streak : whole under
side, from the breast, white, as are also the under-
coverts of the wings: rump and base-half of the
tail white ; the end part crossed by a moderately
broad black bar, leaving the tips of the feathers
white: the black colour on the two middle feathers
runs higher up towards the base than on the others :
legs black. Native of New Holland ; a very ele-
gant species.

COWLED BEE-EATER.

Merops Monacbus. M. supra fuscus, subtus albus, capite subto-
mentoso nigro, icrtice e/ciato. Lath. ind. orn. suppl.

Brown Bee- Eater, white beneath, with black and somewhat
downy head with raised crown.

Cowled Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

" THIS, says Dr. Latham, is a large species : the
bill stout and bending : colour black : tongue very
bristly at the end, appearing like a brush: the
head and part of the neck are black, and covered

EMBROIDERED BEE-EATER. 16?

with a sort of down : the nape at the back part is
elongated with a kind of bristly tuft : the hind parts
of the neck and back are brown ; the first mottled
with a paler colour : the under parts white, marked
on the chin and throat with dusky sagittal streaks:
quills and tail brown : legs dusky blue." Native
of New Holland.

EMBROIDERED BEE-EATER.

Merops phrygius. Merops niger jlavo varius. Zool. New HolL

pi. 4.

Black Bee-Eater variegated with yellow.
Black and yellow Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. siippl 2.

THIS beautiful species I have long ago described
in the work entitled Zoology of New Holland. Its
size is that of a Thrush, and its colour black, most
elegantly variegated witli bright and pale yellow:
the sides of the head, round the eyes, are covered
by a naked, yellow, granulated skin : the back and
breast undulated by numerous pale or whitish yel-
low crescents, the tips of the black feathers being
of that colour: the smaller wing-coverts are marked
in a similar manner ; the larger tipped with bright
yellow, and the quill-feathers edged with the same
colour, as are also the exterior tail-feathers : the
bill is black, of a very moderate length, and sharp-
pointed : the legs brown. Native of New Holland.

368

BLUE-HEADED BEE-EATER.

Merops caerulocephalus. M. ruber, capite vropygioque beryllinis,

caufla suhcequali.
Red Bee-Eater, with beryl-blue head and rump, and nearly even

tail.
Merops caerulocephalus. M. ruber, capite gula uropygioque cceru*

leo-viridibus, cauda subfoijicata. Lath. ind. orn.
Le Guepier rouge a tete bleue. Bvf. ois. PL Enl. 64Q.
Blue-headed Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Buffon, and figured in the
Planches Enluminees : size rather less than that
of the Common Bee-Eater : colour of the upper
parts fine rufous, deepest on the wing-coverts and
tail : under parts pale crimson : head and throat
beryl-blue, deepest on the throat : rump and upper
tail-coverts of the same colour : the middle quill-
feathers edged with blue ; the larger ones brown
towards the tips : tail nearly even, or very slightly
subfurcated ; the feathers edged with blue-green :
bill black : legs ash-colour. Native of Nubia, and
described by BufFon or Montbeillard from a draw-
ing or specimen communicated by Mr. Bruce.

BTLUK HEABEB BEE 32 ATE:

J ,

FOE BEE -K AT i-. u

idnJirov*i.Lonjd0nJ3u2>lLfJi£d, bv C.Eearylni •Fles(S(rret.,t-t/ip oth f Frr/ '

169

POE BEE-EATER.

Merops cincinnatus. M. atro-Tiridia nitens, cincinno collari utrin-

tjue faacid'/ue huwerali albis.
Glossy blackish-green Bee-Eater, with a feathery white curl on

each side the neck, and a white band on each shoulder.
Merops cincinnatus. M tiridi-atro-nitens, lateribus juguli utrin-

que cincinno fascia(] ue alarum albis. Lath. ind. orn,
Poe Bee-Eater. Cook' A Voy. 1. p. 48. 150. Lath. syn.
The Poa. Rubt. I varies plate.
Kew Zealand Creeper. Brown ill. t. Q.

THIS most elegant species is a native of New-
Zealand, and of some of the scattered islands in
the South Seas. Its size is that of a Blackbird,
and its length about eleven inches : the general
colour of the whole bird is glossy greenish black,
but the rump is glossed with rich deep blue, and
strong varying glosses of green accompany the
general plumage of the back and wings: the larger
wing-coverts are white, forming a bar of white
across the wings : the feathers of the neck are of a
loose silky texture, and of a lengthened shape,
curving slightly upwards at the tips : each is also
marked down the middle by a whitish streak ; but
the principal mark of distinction in this elegant
bird is a moderately large and lengthened pendent
tuft of broadish white feathers curving upwards at
the tips, and situated on each side the neck be*
neath the ears : the bill is slightly curved, and of
a black colour, as are also the legs. This bird is
greatly valued by the natives of the Southern

170 HOODED .BEE-EATER.

islands ; its glossy plumage often contributing to
the ornaments of the feathered mantles worn by
the chiefs and persons of distinction. In the British
Museum is a mantle of this kind, appearing to be
wholly composed of the feathers of this bird, which
is esteemed not less for its song than its plumage,
having, according to our late voyagers, a remark-
ably sweet note : they also add, that it is a delici-
ous food, and may be considered as the greatest
luxury afforded by the woods of New Zealand.

HOODED BEE-EATER.

Merops cucullatus. M.fusco-phmbeus, subtus albidus fusco linea-
tus, cucullo verticali per oculos ducto nigro. Lath, ind, orn. suppl.

Dusky lead-coloured Bee-Eater, beneath whitish with dusky
lines ; the crown of the head black, including the eyes.

Hooded Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. .suppl. 2.

VERY correctly described by Dr. Latham in his
second Supplement. " Length from nine to ten
inches : bill yellow, curved, and rather stout :
tongue twice the length of it, and fringed at the
tip: front of the head whitish; across the crown of
the head black, which colour passes through the
eyes on each side to the throat : the rest of the
head whitish grey and dusky, in fine transverse
lines: upper parts of the body pale lead-coloured
brown : lower belly and vent white: the six outer
quills brownish ; the first very short ; the others
incline to brown ; but six or seven of the middle
ones are of a greenish yellow in the middle of the

CHATTERING BEE-EATER. 1?1

outer webs, and the tips greenish yellow : tail
rounded; of a pale greenish lead-colour, with a
dirty white tip: legs yellow-brown." Native of
New Holland.

BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER.

Merops cyanops. M.fascus subtus albus, capite svpra gulaque
nigris, macula ocufari cyanea. Lath. ind. orn. stippl. ,

Brown Bee-Eater, white beneath, with black crowu and throat,
and blue eye-spot.

Blue-cheeked Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. suppL 2.

LENGTH sixteen inches: colour brown above,
white beneath : crown of the head, back of the
neck, and throat black, but the eyes are surround-
ed by a naked ? blue patch : tail even : bill black ;
legs blue. Native of New Holland.

CHATTERING BEE-EATER.

Merops garrulus. M. fmcus subtus albus, fascia verticis nigra,
macula pone oculos remigibusquc magna ex partc Jtams. Lath,
ind. orn. suppl.

Brown Bee-Eater, white beneath, with a black stripe on the
crown, a yellow eye-spot, and the greater part of the quill-
feathers yellow.

Chattering Bee-Eater. Lath. ind. orn. suppl. 2.

SIZE of a Thrush : body pale brown above, white
beneath ; the breast spotted and the thighs barred
with brown : wings black, but most of the larger
quill-feathers yellow with black tips: across the
top of the head a black bar, passing downwards

172 YELLOW-TUFTED BEE-EATER.

on each side beyond the eyes in a pointed form :
immediately behind each eye a yellow spot : tail
long and cuneiform : bill and legs yellow. Native
of New Holland, and said to be of a noisy chatter-
ing disposition.

YELLOW-TUFTED BEE-EATER.

Merops fasciculatus. M. nigro-nitens, crisso fasciculoque axillari

jlavis, cauda maxime cuneiformi, rectrice extima tota, proxima

latere exteriore alba. Lath. ind. orn.
Glossy-black Bee-Eater ? with yellow rump and axillary plumes,

and greatly cuneiform tail, with the exterior feather entirely

white and the next white on outside.
Yellow-tufted Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

TOTAL length about fourteen inches; of which
the tail measures half: general colour glossy black;
head and throat covered with soft, short, pointed
feathers : beneath each wing a large pendent tuft
of yellow plumes : vent yellow : tail strongly cunei-
form ; the two exterior feathers measuring about
two inches, and the two middle ones seven ; these
two feathers are edged and tipped with white : the
rest are black : bill and legs black. Native of the
Sandwich islands, where it is much esteemed
on account of the tufts of yellow feathers beneath
the wings, which are used in various ornamental
articles of dress among the natives, and which
might justify placing this species among a parti-
cular division of the genus Certhia.

178

WATTLED BEE-EATER,

Mcrops carunculatus. M. fuscus, abdomine flavo, palcaribus
cariMCulat'iSy cauda cuneiformi apice alba. Lath. ind. orn.

Brown Bee-Eater, with yellow abdomen, with reddish wattles
beneath the bill, and cuneated tail with white tip.

New-Holland Bee-Eater. Phill. Bot. Bay, pi. p. 164. Lath,
ind. orn.

Corvus paradoxus ? Daudin. orn.

SIZE of a Missel Thrush, but much longer in
proportion, measuring about fourteen inches : the
feathers on the upper part of the head are some-
what longer than the rest, giving the appearance
of a slight crest: the plumage of the bird is brown,
the feathers long and pointed, and each feather has
a white longitudinal middle streak: beneath the
eye on each side the head, beyond the base of the
lower mandible, is a lengthened pendent wattle of
an orange-colour : the middle of the belly is yellow:
the tail wedge-shaped, like that of a Magpie, and
the feathers tipped with white : the bill and legs
are brown. In some individuals a silvery streak
appears beyond each side of the bill, and in the
young birds the white streaks on the plumage ter-
minate in a kind of dilated spot at the tip of each
feather. Native of New Holland; described and
figured in White's Voyage to New South Wales.
There can be little doubt that the Corpus paradoxus
of Monsr. Daudin, already described under that
genus, is in reality the same bird with the present.

174

MALIMBA BEE-EATER.

Merops Malimbicus. M. cmereo~violaceus, subtus roseo-sangm-
fieus, stria oculari nigra, gula alba, remigibus duabus elongatis.

Cinereo violaceous Bee-Eater, sanguine rose-coloured beneath,
with black eye-stripe, white throat, and two lengthened tail-
feathers.

Merops bicolor. M. supra atro-iiolaceus, subtus roseus mento albo,
cauda longa et bifurcata. Daud>n. Ann. Mus.

Merops Malimbicus. Malimba Bee-Eater. Nat. Misc. vol. \*f.

THIS species is described by Monsr. Daudin, in
the Annales du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle. Its
length is about ten inches, and its extent of wings
sixteen : the irides are red : the bill and legs black:
the head and neck of a slate-grey colour ; the chin
white ; the colour passing from the corners of the
lower mandible in the form of a streak on each
side the throat : the upper parts of the body, wings,
and tail are of a vinaceous ash-colour ; but the
quill-feathers blackish brown; and across the eyes
runs a blackish brown stripe : the lower part of the
throat, breast, belly, and thighs are of a fine deep
or sanguine rose-colour, somewhat paler towards
the vent : the two middle tail-feathers exceed the
rest by about an inch and six lines, terminating in
a narrow point or slightly webbed shaft, as in the
Common Bee-Eater. This species is an inhabitant
of Malimba in the kingdom of Congo in Africa,
where however it only continues about three
months in the year ; migrating in troops, flying
with the swiftness of a Swallow, and principally

RED-WINGED BEE-EATER.

feeding on hymenopterous insects ; rarely perching
on trees, nor even on the ground for any great
length of time. When a troop of these birds has
established itself in any particular spot, they are
seen flying about for whole days together in pursuit
of insects; after which they repose for a time on
the nearly bare top of some tree, and then seek
another spot well peopled with insects.

RED-WINGED BEE-EATER.

Merops erythropterus. M.fusco-'tiridis, sub t us albidus, remigibut
rectricibusque rubris apice nigris, gula lutea. LatJi. ind. orn.

Dusky-brown Bee-Eater, whitish beneath, with red wing and tail-
feathers black at the tips, and luteous throat.

Le Guepier rouge et vert du Senegal. Buf. ois. PI. Enl. 318.

Red-winged Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED byBuffon from a specimen brought
by Adanson from Senegal, of which country it is
a native. Total length about six inches : colour
of the crown, upper part of the neck, back, wing-
coverts, and rump olive green : wings and tail dull
red, with black or dusky tips : under parts, from
the throat, dull white : throat yellow : behind each
eye a dusky spot : tail even : bill and legs black.

176

YELLOW-THROATED BEE-EATER.

Merops chrysocephalus. M. viridi-aureus, gula futea, sindpite
superciliis corporeque subtus viridi-cceruleis, vertice cerviceqite
aureo-rubris. LatK. ind. orn.

Gold-green Bee-Eater, with luteous throat, blue-green forehead,
brows, and under parts, and gold-red crown and nape.

Le grand Guepier vert el bleu a gorge jaune. Buff. ois.

Yellow-throated Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

THE length of this species, according to Buffon,
is ten inches : the crown of the head and upper
part of the neck bright golden red; the upper
parts of the bird golden green : the throat bright
yellow, bounded by brown : the forehead, eye-
brows, and all the under parts from the throat,
blue-green : the two middle tail-feathers near an
inch longer than the rest. Native country not
particularized. Described from a specimen brought
by Sonnerat.

ANGOLA BEE-EATER.

Merops Angoleusis. M . viridi-nitens, subtus viridi-ccerulcus, gula
lutea, jugulo castaneo, per oculos fascia cinerea nigro maculata.
Lath. ind. orn.

Glossy-green Bee-Eater, blue-green beneath, with luteous throat,
chesnut under-neck, and a spotted grey and black eye-stripe.

Le Petit Guepier vert et bleu a queue etagee. Buff, ois.

Angola Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Brisson from a drawing by
Monsr. Poivre : length five inches and a half: co-

, Fleet Strstt .

RED-THROATED BEE-EATER* 1?7

lour above green, accompanied by a slight gilded
gloss : throat yellow : forepart of the neck chesnut ;
remainder of the under parts blue : tail strongly
cuneated : across the eyes a mixed black and grey
stripe : bill black j legs ash-colour* Native of An-
gola.

RED- THROATED BBE-EATER*

Merops gularis. M. niger, frunte uropygioque camlets, abdomine
cceruleo maculato, gula rubra. Vivar. Nat. vol. 9. t. 33 J.

Black Bee-Eater, with the forehead and rump blue, the abdomen
spotted with blue ; the throat red. Nat. Misc. vol. 9. pi. 337.

THIS beautiful species I have before described in
the Naturalist's Miscellany. Its size is rather
smaller than that of the Common Bee-Eater, and
its prevailing colour the finest velvet-black : the
forehead is of the richest blue, passing a little
above and beyond the eyes on each side : the rump
is also blue, rivalling that of the Kingfisher : the
scapulars and two middle tail-feathers are edged,
and the abdomen clouded or mottled with the same
colour : the throat is of a bright blood-red, the
larger wing-coverts and middle quill-feathers bor-
dered with bright ferruginous : the tail is even at
the end ; the bill and legs black. Native of Sierra
Leona in Africa.

v. vni. p. i. 12

178

CINEREOUS BEE-EATER.

Mefops cinereus. M. cano-jlcwescens rubro inter mist us, rectridbus

duabus mediis elongatis rubris.
Yellowish grey Bee-Eater with a mixture of red ; the two middle

tail-feathers lengthened and red.
Avicula de Quauhcilui. Scb. mus. 1. 1. 31. f. 10.
Le Guepier a tete grise. Euff. ois.
Cinereous Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Seba. Size that of a Lark: total
length nine inches : colour pale whitish grey with
a cast of yellow, the feathers both on the body and
wings being slightly edged with red: tail rather
short, except the two middle feathers, which extend
above two inches beyond the rest ; not in a pointed
form, but of the same diameter throughout : these
feathers are entirely red : the head is grey, but
with a patch or streak of brown through the eyes;
the bill green, and the legs grey. Seba describes
it as a native of Mexico.

EASTERN BEE-EATERv

Merops Oriental is. M. viridis, rectridbus mediis elongatis, remi-

gibus rubris apice nigris. Lath. ind. orn. suppl.
Green Bee-Eater, with the two middle tail-feathers lengthened ;

the quill-feathers dull red with black tips.
Eastern Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Latham from a specimen in
the British Museum. " Size of the Red- Winged

WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATER. 1?9

Bee-Eater : the general colour dull green : the fea-
thers rather full : quills red, but not bright : the
outer edges of them dull green with black tips :
tail green : the two middle feathers produced be-
yond the others, where they are narrow and black,
as far as they exceed them : said to come from the
Mahratta country in India."

WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATER.

Merops Albifrons. M. rufus subtus albidus, capite supra nigro,

fronte nivea, rcmigibus rectricibusque ccerulescentibus albo macu-

latis.
Rufous Bee-Eater whitish beneath, with snow-white forehead,

and blueish wing and tail-feathers spotted with white.
Merops albifrons. M. rufus subtus albidus, capite supra nigro,

fronte nivea, remigibus rectricibusque maculatis. Lath. ind. orn.

suppl.
White-fronted Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

THIS is about eight inches in length : the body
is of an elegant rufous-brown above ; the forehead,
and all the under parts white; but the shafts of the
feathers both on the upper and under parts of the
bird are black: the crown of the head and cheeks
are also black, and the sides of the body beneath
the wings marked with five dark blueish bands : the
quill-feathers and tail are pale blue, spotted with
white : the bill and legs yellowish brown. The
supposed female is described as of duller colours;
having the crown and cheeks brown instead of
black ; and the wings and tail varied with brown
and dull yellow. Native of New Holland.

180

OLIVACEOUS BEE-EATER.

Merops olivaceus. M. olivaceus remigibtis caudague subfuscisf
subtus ofanceo-flavescens, super ciliia flams, cauda oequali.

Olivaceous Bee-Eater with brownish wings and tail, beneath yel-
lowish-olivaceous, with yellow brows and even tail.

Le Proraerops olivatre. ViellotProm.pl. 5.

DESCRIBED and figured by Monsr. Viellot, who
considers it as a new species. Length seven inches :
head and all the upper parts olivaceous, browner
on the wings and tail : all the under parts pale
yellowish or whitish olive, growing almost white
towards the vent ; across the eyes, or rather be-
neath, on each side the head, a yellow streak : tail
even : bill and legs brown ; the exterior toe con-
nected, as far as the first joint, to the middle one.
Native of the Southern isles.

GOLDEN-WINGED BEE-EATER.

Merops ebrysopterus. M. fuscus, macula alarum fulva, remigi~
bus rectricibusque exterioribus apice albis. Lath. ind. orn. suppL

Brown Bee-Eater, with a fulvous spot on the wings, and the ex-
terior wing and tail-feathers tipped with white.

Golden-winged Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

DESCRIBED from a drawing: size uncertain;
general colour brown, the shafts of the feathers
very pale : greater quill-feathers darker than the

RED-HEADED BEE EATER. 181

others: four or five of the exterior ones orange-
yellow in the middle part, with white tips: tail
strongly cuneated, and tipped with white, except
on the two middle feathers : bill and legs black.
Native of New South Wales.

BLACK-EARED BEE-EATER.

Merops auritus. M. corpore supra rufo, subtus albido, striga pone
oculos remigibus rectricibusqitc nigris. Lath. ind. orn. suppl.

Rufous Bee-Eater, whitish beneath, with black eye-stripe, wings
and tail.

Black-eared Bee-Eater. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

LENGTH about seven inches: bill and legs brown:
colour of the upper parts pale rufous brown: quill-
feathers black: tail dusky: colour of the under parts
white, the abdomen and thighs spotted with black:
and behind each eye is a broad, black, pointed
streak. Native of New Holland.

RED-HEADED BEE-EATER.

V i '- V - :•;. ?- * )' • r

Merops erythrocephalus. M. viridis, subtusjlavicans, capite rubro,

fascia oculari nigra, gula lutea.
Green Bee-Eater, yellowish beneath, with red head, black eye-

stripe, and yellow throat.
Apiaster Indicus erythrocephalus. Briss. ois.
Guepier a tete rouge. Buff. ois.
Red-headed Bee-Eater. Lath.

A SMALL species, described by Brisson from a
drawing by Monsr. Poivre. Length six inches :

182 RUFOUS BEE-EATER.

crown of the head and upper part of the neck
bright red : across the eyes a black streak : all the
upper parts of the bird fine green : the throat and
under parts yellow, but slightly dashed, from the
throat downwards, with red : tail even at the end,
and rather short: irides red: bill black; legs brown.
Native of Angola.

RUFOUS BEE-EATER.

Merops rufus. M. rvfus, subtus rufo-Jlavicans, remigibus fuscis
extus rvfis. Lath. ind. orn.

Rufous Bee-Eater, beneath yellowish rufous, with brown quill-
feathers rufous on the edges.

Le Fournier de Buenos Ayres. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 739.

Rufous Bee-Eater. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBEP by Commerson : length about eight
inches and a half, colour rufous, deepest on the
upper parts, and inclining to pale yellow beneath :
the larger quill-feathers brownish : the tail slightly
rounded at the end : the bill and legs, according
to the Planches Enluminees, yellowish brown. It
is observed by BufFon, that as the toes in this spe-
cies are not united, as in the rest of the genus, it
seems to form as it were a connecting link or shade
between the BeeJEaters and the Hoopoes or Pro*
jneropes.

183

KNOB-FRONTED BEE-EATER.

Merops corniculatus. M. fuscus, capite corpore subtus apicequc

caudce albis, corniculo frontali obtuso.
Brown Bee-Eater, with the head, under parts of the body, and

tip of tail white, and obtuse frontal horn.
Merops corniculatus. M . fuscus, capite nudiusculo, corpore subtus

rectricibusque apice albidis, corniculo frontali obtuso. Lath. ind. orn.
Knob-fronted Bee-Eater. White's Voy. Bot. Bay, p. 190.
Le Corbi Calao. Levaill. Cal. pi. 24-

DESCRIBED and figured in Mr. White's Journal
of a Voyage to New South Wales. It is about the
size of a Blackbird, or rather larger : the plumage
brown above, and white beneath: the head and
upper part of the neck sparingly covered with nar-
row white feathers, almost like hairs ; but the fore
part of the neck and breast are furnished with long
ones, of a white colour with a dark middle streak,
and pointed at the ends : the tail is pretty long,
and the feathers tipped with white : the bill about
an inch in length, and pale; but what is most re-
markable is that on the forehead, just at the base
of the bill, is a short blunt knob, about a quarter
of an inch in height, and of a brownish colour : the
tongue is nearly of the length of the bill, and
bristly at the end: the legs are dark brown. Monsr.
Levaillant, who has figured this species in his work

184 KNOB-FRONTED BEE-EATER.

entitled Histoire Naturelle d'Oiseaux Nouveaux tt
rares de rAmerique et des Indes, with singular
infelicity of arrangement, considers it as belong-
ing to the genus Buceros. ! ! !

185

CERTHIA. CREEPER.

Generic Character.

flostrum arcuatum, tenue,

acntum.
Lingua variis varia.

Pcdes ambulatorii.
Cauda pennis duodecim.

Lath. ind. orn.

Bill bowed, slender, sharp-
pointed.

Tongue differing in different
species.

Feet formed for walking.

Tail consisting of twelve
feathers.

HE numerous genus Certhia, which seems to
be generally diffused over all parts of the globe,
is principally distinguished from that of Trochilus
or Humming-Bird by the structure of the tongue,
which in the Creepers is generally of a lengthened
form, divided into several processes or filaments at
the extremity; while in the Humming-Birds it
rather resembles a long double tube, the end of
which is also sometimes divided into filaments as
in the Creepers. In the splendor and variety of

186 COMMON CREEPER.

their colours the Creepers rival the Humming-
Birds, to which they are so nearly allied that in
some of the smaller species the distinction between
the two genera becomes somewhat obscure. The
general food of the Creepers consists of insects,
while many of the smaller species extract likewise
the juices of flowers in the manner of the Humming-
Birds. To this must be added, that the alliance
between this genus and the preceding one of Me-
rops is very close, and that some species might
with almost equal propriety be ranked in either
genus.

COMMON CREEPER.

Certhia familiaris. C. castanea nigro albidoque variaf subtus alba,

cauda subfulva rectricibus acuminatis.
Chesnut Creeper varied with black and whitish, beneath white,

with subfulvous pointed tail.
Certhia familiaris. C. grisea subtus alba, remigibus fuscis decem

macula alba, rectricibus deccm. ' Lin. Syst. Nat.
Certhia. Gesn. Aldr. tell. Will. fyc.
Common Creeper. Perm. Brit. Zool. Lath. syn. fyc. $c.
Le Grimpereau. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 681. /. 1. Vidl. Certh.

pi. 72.

" THE Creeper, says Mr. Pennant, weighs only
five drams, and next to the Crested Wren, is the
least of the British birds. The manner it has of
ruffling its feathers, and their length, give it a
much larger appearance than is real. The length
of this bird is five inches and a half; the breadth

CHEEPED

COMMON CREEPER. 18?

seven and a half: the bill is hooked, like a sickle :
the irides hazel : the legs slender : the toes and
claws very long, to enable it to creep up and down
the bodies of trees in search of insects, which are
its food. It breeds in hollow trees, and lays some-
times twenty eggs. The head and upper part of
the neck are brown, streaked with black*: the
rump is tawny : the coverts of the wings are varie-
gated with brown and black : the quill-feathers
dusky, tipped with white, and barred with tawny
marks : the breast and belly are of a silvery white:
the tail is very long, and consists of twelve stiff
feathers, notwithstanding Mr. Willughby and other
ornithologists give it but ten : they are of a tawny
hue, and the interior ends slope off to a point."

In the particular of the eggs Mr. Pennant seems
to have somewhat too implicitly followed the ac-
counts of Belon and the rest of the older ornitho-
logists ; and, as the Count de Buffon observes, it
is not improbable that the Creeper has sometimes
been confounded with those prolific birds the Tit-
mice. The general number of eggs laid by the
Creeper is five or seven : they are ash-coloured,
with deeper spots and streaks.

The Creeper is generally seen engaged in climb-
ing up and down the bodies and limbs of trees in
quest of insects. It makes its nest either in a hole,
or behind the bark of some decayed tree, com-
posing it, according to the observations of Colonel

* Or rather, according to Willughby, fox-coloured with white
streaks.

188 GREEN CREEPER.

Montagu, of dry grass and the inner bark of wood,
Joosely put together, and lined with small feathers;
and during the time of incubation the female is
fed by the male whenever she quits her nest for
food. The note of the Creeper is monotonous and
weak, being repeated several times, in a deliberate
manner, and is rarely heard in winter: at this
season the bird is constantly active in quest of
food; chiefly consisting of the larvae of insects found
under moss, and in the crevices of the bark of
trees.

VAR.?

GREATER CREEPER.

This is said to resemble the Common Creeper
in all respects except in being something larger,
and is found in some parts of Germany.

GREEN CREEPER.

Certhia viridis. C. virescens, subtus Jlavo varia, lateribus colli
vitta cceruka, gula macula rvfa. Lath. ind. orn. Scop. ann. 1.
No. 60.

Greenish Creeper, varied with yellow beneath, with a blue stripe
on each side the neck, and a rufous spot on the throat.

Green Creeper. Lath. syn.

THIS is described by Scopoli, who does not ven-
ture to pronounce it specifically different from the

{ EE I' r-; K ,

WALL CREEPER. 189

Common Creeper, which it nearly resembles in
size, but is of a greenish colour above, and pale
yellow beneath with a mixture of green: ou each
side the neck is a blue streak, descending from the
base of the bill, and on the throat a rufous spot :
the quill-feathers are brown with green edges, and
the tail greenish brown. k Tills remarkable variety,
if such it be, and not rather a distinct species, is a
native of the Dutchy of Camiola in Austria.

WALL CREEPER.

Certhia muraria. C. cinerea, alls caudaque nigris, tectricibus roseis,
rcmigibus roseo margmatis.

Cinereous Creeper, with black wings and tail ; the coverts rose-
coloured ; the quills edged with rose-colour.

Certhia muraria. C. cinera, macula alarvmfulva. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Picus mu rar ins. Gesn. Aldr. Will. fyc.

Grimpereau de imuaille. Buf. vis. PI. Enl. 3/2. Viett. Certh.
pL 73.

Wall Creeper. Lath. syn. Edw. pi. 36*1.

THIS very elegant species, which is principally
found in the warmer parts of Europe, is consider-
ably larger than the Common Creeper, measuring
about six inches arid three quarters in total length:
its colour is deep blueish grey, somewhat darker
beneath: the wing-coverts and middle quill-feathers
black, the smallest or those nearest the body edged
with white : the tail short and black, with the two
exterior feathers on each side tipped with white ;

190 WALL CREEPER.

the bill rather long in proportion to the bird, slen-
der, slightly curved, and of a black colour, as are
likewise the legs. The male is distinguished from
the female by a broad longitudinal black stripe on
the throat.

The Wall Creeper is considered as one of the
rarer European birds, and its principal residence
seems to be in Italy and Spain, where it is ob-
served to frequent ruins, creeping about the walls
of old buildings, &c. in quest of insects, and parti-
cularly spiders. It is of a solitary disposition, as-
sociating only with its mate, and has a loud, but
not unpleasing note. According to Aldrovandus
it is not uncommon in the territory of Bologna in
Italy, flying in the manner of a Hoopoe ; almost
always shaking its wings like that bird ; never
resting long in a place, and building in the holes
of walls.

The best figures of this species are those of Bris-
son and the Planches Enluminees.

CE v, K i

191

SPLENDID CREEPER.

Certhia splendida. C. aureo-viridi-chalybea, alls caudaque nigris,

fascia pectorali rubra, pen/us uropygiijibroso-elongatis.
Steel-blue and gold-green Creeper, with black wings and tail, red

pectoral bar, and fibrose-elongated uropygial plumes.
Certhia lotenia. ? C. cacruka, fascia pectorali rubro-aurca, loris

atris. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Le Soui-manga a plumes soyeuses. Viell. Certk. t. 82.
L'Eclatant. Viell. Ctrtk. t. 2.
African Creeper. Far. C. Lath, suppl.

THE length of this highly beautiful species is
rather more than five inches : the bill and legs are
black: the head and throat deep violet-blue, with
a gloss of gold on the crown : upper part of the
neck, back, wing-coverts, and tail-coverts of a
deep but very brilliant golden green j the feathers
of a fibrous nature, and the tail-coverts in particular
stretching to a greater extent over the tail than in
most other species : across the middle of the breast
runs a bright-red bar, beyond which the abdomen
and thighs are of the same deep violet-blue colour
as the breast : the wings and tail are black. Native
of Africa.

This species is considerably allied to the Certhia
Afra of Linnaeus, of which it is even considered as
a variety by Dr. Latham.

192

ATRICAN CREEPER.

Certhia Afra. C. aureo-viridis, remigibus caudaque fuscis, fascia
pectorali rubra, abdomine albo, uropygio carulco.

Gold-green Creeper, with brown wings and tail, red pectoral
bar, white belly, and blue rump.

Certhia Afra. C. viridis, abdomine albo, pectore rubro, uropygio
caeruleo. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Red-breasted Green Creeper. Ediu.pl. 347.

Soui-manga vert a gorge rouge. Buff. ois.

African Creeper. Lath. syn.

THIS species has long ago been described and
figured by Edwards under the name of the Red-
breasted Green Creeper, and measures about four
inches and three-quarters in length. " The bill,
says Edwards, is pretty long, and bowed down-
ward : it is of a dusky colour, as are the legs and
feet: the head, neck, back, and covert-feathers of
the wings are of a shining- green, reflecting glosses
like burnished gold and copper-colour: the coverts
on the upper side of the tail are of a fine blue : the
greater wing-feathers and the tail, which hath
twelve feathers, are of a dark brown colour, the
edges of the feathers being a little lighter: the in-
sides of the wings and under side of the tail of a
lighter brown than they are above : the middle of
the breast is covered with fine red feathers: the
belly, thighs, and coverts beneath the tail are of a
light brown or ash-colour, almost white beneath
the tail." This bird is a native of the Cape of
Good Hope, where it is found in woody situations,

SUPERB CREEPER. 193

and is not less admired for its song than its plu-
mage, being considered by some as even superior
to the nightingale.

SUPERB CREEPER.

Certhia superba. C. aureo-viridis, alls caudaque fuscis, gula
violacea aureo-fasciata, pectore abdominequefusco-phoeniceis.

Gold-green Creeper, with hrowii wings and tail, violet throat
with golden band, and dusky-crimson breast and abdomen.

Le Sougnimbindou. VklL et Aud. Certh. pi. 22.

THIS most elegant bird is described in the mag-
nificent work of Mons. Viellot. Its length is six
inches: the crown of the head, upper part of the
neck, smaller wing-coverts, back, and rump are
bright green-gold : the throat violet blue, glossed
with gold: across the upper part of the breast
runs a bar of bright gilded yellow^ beneath which
the whole under parts are deep brownish crimson:
the wings and tail blackish brown; the bill black,
and the legs brown. This species was discovered
in Malimba in Africa by Mons. Perrein, and is
one of the rarest as well as most beautiful of the
present genus.

v. vnr. p. i. 13

194

ANGALAD1AN CREEPER.

Certhia Angaladiana. C.viridi-aurea, abdomine remigibus can*

daque nigris, fascia pectorali violacea.
Gold-green Creeper, with black abdomen, quill-feathers and tail,

and violet pectoral baud.

Certhia Lotenia ? ? Lin. Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.
L'Angala-dian. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 575. f. 2. 3. Aud. et Vidl.

Certh.pl. 3.4.
Loten's Creeper. Lath. 6yn.

VERY much allied in point of size and habit to
the Splendid Creeper, but differs in its colours,
having the head, neck, breast, back, rump, and
wing-coverts gold-green, the wings and tail black,
and the abdomen deep or velvet-black, while across
the breast, separating it from the black abdomen,
runs a glossy steel-blue band : the bill and legs are
black. The female is said to differ in being brown
above, with the throat dull gold-green, and the
abdomen ash-colour. In the System a Naturas
Linnaeus describes the Certhia Lotenia as having
a bright red bar across the breast. It is not
therefore very improbable that the Splendid
Creeper of the present work may be the Linnsean
Certhia Lotenia, since it is distinguished by the
characteristic which forms a conspicuous feature in
the Linnsean character of that bird, viz. the bright
red bar across the breast; while on the other hand
it by no means agrees with the supposed Linnsean
Certhia Lotenia of other writers.

, Mfet Strrft .

AMETHYST-THROATEtf CREEPER.

Certhia Ametbystina. C. subviolaceo-nigra, vcrtice viridi-aureo,

gula ttropygioquc arncthystinis.
Subviolaceous'black Creeper, with gold-green crown, and ame*

thyst throat and rump.
JLe Soui-mauga a front dore. Vitll. Certh, pi. J. 0.

SIZE and habit of Lolenian Creeper: colour
velvet-black, with a slight gloss of violet : forehead
gold-green: throat bright violet or amethyst-co-
lour, with a changeable cast of blue: rump of
similar colour: tips of the shoulders steel-blue:
bill and legs black. Native of the Cape of Good
Hope. In its young state this species is said to
be brown above, and pale ash-coloured beneath,
spotted with brown ; the forehead and throat as in
the advanced bird, but less bright.

196

COLLARED CREEPER,

Certhia chalybea. C. viridi-aurea, remigibus caudaque fuscis

pectore rubro, fascia antica chalybea.
Green-gold Creeper, with brown wings and tail, and red breast

bounded above by a steel-blue bar.
Certhia chalybea. C. viridis nitens, pectore rubro, fascia antica

chatybea. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Le Soui-manga a collier. Buff. ois. PL Enl. 246. f. 3.
Collared Creeper. Lath. syn.
Le Soui-manga a collier. Vidl. Certh. pi. 13. pi. 10. pi. IS?

pi. 80.
Certhia Capensis. Lin. Syst. Nat. an avis junior ?

LENGTH about four inches and a half: head,
neck, breast, smaller wing-coverts, and back, gold-
green, accompanied by a gloss of copper : across
the lower part of the breast, immediately beneath
the gold-green colour, a moderately broad, double
bar, the uppermost of which is bright violet or
steel-blue, and the lower bright red : abdomen and
thighs grey-brown : wings and tail dusky brown ;
bill and legs black : beneath each wing a tuft of
yellow plumes. Native of the Cape of Good
Hope, feeding on small insects and the honey of
flowers, and said to have a very fine note. The
violet or upper bar of the breast is not always dis-
tinct: the female is grey-brown, paler beneath, as
is also the young, which latter seems to be the
Certhia Capensis of Linnaeus.

Mons. Viellot, in his splendid work on this
genus, figures a specimen a trifle larger in size,

tfoui mcuwa ff ml tier

\ • r K PJ^E CKEEFBB .

fmnt Edn -fird? pi ?tf5*

v CMearslf\ . fleet Sti-i

ORANGE-BANDED CREEPER. 197

under the name of Soui-Manga a ceinture bleue.
It seems however to be no other than a variety of
the Collared Creeper, with the red bar wider than
usual.

VAR. ?

ORANGE-BANDED CREEPER.
Le Soui-manga a ceinture orang^e. Vicll. Certh. pi. 34.

LENGTH about three inches and three quarters :
colour of the head, neck, breast, smaller wing-
coverts, and back deep gold-green with violet gloss
on the face: a glossy band of deep steel-blue
passes across the breast, beneath which is a reddish
orange-coloured bar: remainder of the under parts
black, but deep green for some little distance be-
low the orange bar: wings and tail deep brown:
beneath the wings a yellow tuft : bill and legs
black. Native region unknown: described and
figured in the work of Mons. Viellot from a spe-
cimen in the Paris Museum.

198

VAR. ?
BIFASCIATED CREEPER.

Certhia bifasciata. C. mridi-aurea, remigibus, abdominc caudaque

fuscO'nigricantibw, fascia pectorali rubra antice chalybea.
Green-gold Creeper, with blackrfrrown quill-feathers, belly and

tail, and red pectoral bar bounded above by a steel-blue

one.
Le Soui-manga vert et brun. VielL Certh. pi. 24.

LENGTH about four inches and three quarters:
general appearance greatly resembling that of the
Collared Creeper, of which it might even, accord-
ing to Mons. Viellot, pass for a variety, but dif-
fers in the deeper cast of its plumage, the colour
of the abdomen, and in the total want of the tuft
of yellow plumes under the wings : the head, neck,
throat, upper part of the breast, and beginning of
the back are deep green-gold, which colour on the
breast sinks into violet-blue, and is terminated by
a deep-red band : the wings, tail, and belly are
deep brown : bill and legs black. Native of the
country of Malimba in Africa, where it is very
common.

199

HOODED CREEPER.

Certhia cucullata. C. olivaceo-ccerulesccns, subtus sublutea, rcmi-

gibus rectricibus cuculloque frontali adpectus utrinque desccndente

nigris.
Olivaceo-caerulescent Creeper, subluteous beneath, with Wack

quill and tail-feathers, and black frontkt descending on each

side the breast.
Certhia tenuirostris. C. dorso clnerco, abdominc rufo, capillitio

iunula gulae remigibus rectricibusque nigris. Lath, ind orn.

wippl.

Slender-billed Creeper. Lath. syn. suppt. 2.
Le Cap-noir. Viell. pi. 60.

THIS elegant species was described and figured
by myself for the work of Mons. Viellot. Its
length is about six inches and a half, and its colour
on the back and wing-coverts fine blue-grey, in-
clining to olive on the upper part near the neck :
the crown of the head is black, the colour de-
scending on each side the neck in form of a long
and moderately broad stripe : the throat and
upper part of the breast are yellowish white, with
a blackish crescent across the former, pointing
upwards : the lower part of the breast, abdomen,
and vent are orange-coloured : the quill and tail-
feathers black, but the latter whitish beneath : the
bill is longish, slender, and black, and the leg*
brown. Native of New Holland*

200

GREEN-GOLD CREEPER.

Certhia omnicolor. C. viridi-aurata, variis coloribus nitens. Lath.

ind. orn.

Green-gold Creeper, with various-coloured glosses.
Avis Ceylonica omnicolor. Seb. mus. 1. 1. 69. f. 5.
Certhia omnicolor. Lin. Gmel.
Green-gold Creeper. Lath. syn.

THIS dubious species is figured, and very slightly
described, in the work of Seba, who tells us that
it is green, with varying reflexions of all colours,
and accompanied by rich golden glosses. Ac-
cording to the Sloanian coloured copy of Seba, in
the British Museum, it measures about eight
inches in length, and is of a bright bluejsh-green
above, glossed with gold: the wings and under
parts darker, or dusky grass-green with similar
glosses: the bill pretty much curved, sharp-
pointed, and, together with the legs, greenish
brown. Seba adds, that its young sometimes
fall a prey to the great wood-spider, (Aranea
avicularia. Lin.)

201

COPPER CREEPER.

Certhia cuprea. C. aureo-cuprea, riolaceo viridique nitens, abdomine
atro, remigibus caudaquejusvis.

Golden-copper Creeper, with green and violet glosses, black ab-
domen, and brown wines and tail.

Certhia aenea. C. ex viridi oric/ialcea, alisfuliginosisj cauda atro-
nitcntc, remigibus rectricibusque nigris. Lath. ind. orn. Sparrm.
Mus. Carls, fasc. 4. t. 78.

Le Soui-manga tricolor. Viell. Certh. pi. 23.

Cupreous Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

LENGTH about five inches: head, neck, begin-
ning of the breast, back, rump, and tail-coverts red-
dish copper-colour, with gilded violet and green
reflexions, according to the direction of thejight:
under parts of the bird, from the breast, deep black:
wings and tail brown: bill and legs dusky. Native
of Malimba and other parts of Africa.

PURPLED CREEPER.

Certhia purpurata. C. purpureo-violacea viridi nitens, fascia pec-
turali punicea, remigibus caudaque nigricantibus t rostro majusculo.

Purple-violet Creeper, with dark-red, pectoral bar, blackish quill*
feathers and tail, and largish bill.

Purple Indian Creepers. Edw. pi. 265.

Soui-manga pourpre. Buff. ois. VielL Certh. pi. 11.

THIS, which has sometimes been confounded
with the Collared Creeper, is most evidently a very

SENEGAL CREEPER.

distinct species. It is about four inches and a
half Jong, with a very crooked bill, somewhat
stouter than in most of the small Creepers, and is
of a deep violet-purple colour, slightly glossed on
some parts with green: the wings dusky brown,
and the tail black ; across the breast is a double
bar, the uppermost of which is violet, glossed with
green; the lowermost deep red; and on each side
the body, beneath the shoulders, hangs a tuft of
yellow plumes, a circumstance common to many
birds of this genus : the bill and legs are black.
Native of India. The specimen figured by Ed-
wards appears to have wanted the red bar across
the breast. Edwards also figures another specimen,
which differs in no other respect than in being a
very trifle smaller, and in having the bill some-
what less stout: this he supposes the female; but
it is more probably a young male. This species
may be readily distinguished from the Collared
Creeper by its purple colour, as well as by the
comparatively indistinct appearance of the red pec-
toral or abdominal bar, which in Edwards's spe-
cimen seems very obscure, and is not even mention-
ed in his description.

203

BLUE-HEADED CREEPER.

Certhia cyanocephala. C. olivacea, subtus griseaf capite collopec-

toreque violaceo-cceruleis nitentibus.

Olive Creeper, with glossy violet-blue head, neck and breast.
Le Soui-manga a tete bleue. Viell. Certh. pi. 7.

LENGTH about five inches : head, neck, and
throat fine violet-blue, with changeable reflexions:
remainder of the bird, on the upper parts, olive;
on the under deep ash-colour: bill and legs black:
beneath the wings a yellow tuft. Native of Ma-
limba in the kingdom of Congo in Africa.

CEYLONESE CREEPER,

Gerthia Zeylooica. C.fusca, subtus jtat:a, gtila pcctorequc azureis.
Brown Creeper, yellow beneath, with azure throat and breast.
Certhia Zeylonica. C. pileo viridi, dursoferrugineo, abdominejlaio,

gula uropygioque azureis. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Ceylonese Creeper. Lath. syn.
Le Soui-manga a gorge bleue. VidL Certh. pi. 2p, 30.

FEMINA?

Certhia Philippina. C. (rtctricibus duabiis intermediis longissimisj
corpore subgriseo virescente, subtus alba-JlaTesccnte. Lath. ind»
orn. Lin. Gmel.

Philippine Creeper. Lath. syn.

LENGTH about four inches: colour on the upper
parts brown : throat and breast fine violet-blue :

£04 BROWN AND WHITE CREEPER.

belly and vent yellow : bill black ; legs brown. In
the specimen described by Linnaeus the crown of
the head was green. Native of the Philippine isles.
The female is olive-brown above, and dull yellow
beneath, without any appearance of blue on the
throat, and is according to Monsieur Viellot, the
Certhia Philippma of the Gmelinian edition of the
Systema Naturas of Linnaeus, and the Philippine
Creeper of Latham ; and though described as
having the two middle tail-feathers elongated,
Mr. V. appears to think that a mistake must have
been made in that particular.

BROWN AND WHITE CREEPER.

Certhia dubia. Certhia fusca, pileo humwisque viridibus, abdominc
albo.

Brown Creeper, with green crown and shoulders, and white ab-
domen.

Ceylonese Creeper, var. A. Lath. syn.

Le Soui-manga brun et blanc. VidL Certh.pl. 81.

LENGTH rather more than four inches: crown of
the head, to some little distance below the eyes,
and beginning of the throat, green, as are also the
smaller wing-coverts: neck, back, and wings brown :
rump purplish: tail black: under parts, from the
neck, white: under part of the tail pale ash-colour:
bill dusky, with the base of the lower mandible
whitish: legs dusky. This bird is ranked by Dr.
Latham as a variety of the Ceylonese Creeper, to

SENEGAL CREEPER. 205

which Monsieur Viellot cannot consider it as at all
allied; but regards it as the young of some widely
different species. The specimen is in the British
Museum.

SENEGAL CREEPER.

Certhia Senegalensis. C. nigro-violacea, alls caudaque fuscis, ver-
lice gulaque viridi-aureisy pectore cocdneo viridi-aureo undulato.

Violet-black Creeper, with brown wings and tail, gold-green
crown and throat, and scarlet breast with gold-green un-
dulations.

Certhia Senegalensis. C. nigricans, gutture viridi-nitente, pectore
purpures. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Senegal Creeper. Mus. Lev. No. 3. Lath. syn.

Le Soui-manga violet a poitrine rouge. Vicll. Certh. pi. 8.

THIS species I have myself long ago described
in the work entitled Museum Leverianum. It is
highly distinguished by the splendour and variety
of its colours, and measures nearly five inches in
length. The back. of the neck, upper part of the
sides, and lower part of the abdomen are of a deep
velvet-black: the wings and tail brown, with a
slight ferruginous cast : the upper part of the head
bright gold-green : the throat the same, but on the
part immediately beneath the lower mandible
somewhat more obscure than on the sides: at
each corner of the beak is an oblong black spot:
the breast and upper part of the belly of the most
vivid crimson, transversly undulated with numerous
blueish-green streaks : this appearance is owing to

206 RED-BREASTED CREEPER.

the feathers being widely tipped with crimson,
while the middle is blueish green-gold, and the
base nearly black : the beak is moderately curved,
and of a black colour, as are also the legs. Na-
tive of Senegal.

The bird figured at plate 9/ of the superb work
of Monsieur Viellot, under the title of Soui-manga
raye, seems to be the female of this species, and
differs from the male in being of a ferruginous
brown colour, with the breast and belly varied by
transverse yellowish white undulations, each feather
being tipped with that colour.

RED-BREASTED CREEPER.

Certliia sperata. G. subferruginca, vertice humerisque viridi-aureis,

gula uropygioque riolaceis, pectore abdomineque rubris.
Subferruginous Creeper, with gold-green crown and shoulders,

violet throat and rump, and red breast and belly.
Certhia sperata. C. purpurea, subtus coccinea, capite gula uropy-

gioque violaceis. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Le Soui-manga marron-pourpre a poitrine rouge. Ruff. ois.

Pl.Enl.246.f. 1.2.
Red-breasted Creeper. Lath. syn.
Le Soui-manga a gorge violette. Viell. Certh. pi. 32.
Le Soui-manga a ceinture marron. Viell. Certh. pi. l6.
Certhia aurantia. ? Lath. ind. orn.
Orange-breasted Creeper. ? Lath. syn.

LENGTH about four inches : crown of the head
and smaller wing-coverts green-gold : throat gild-
ed violet ; neck, and upper part of the back ferru-

LITTLE BROWN AND WHITE CREEPER.

ginous: throat and rump glossy violet : breast and
belly red, paler as it descends; wings brown; tail
blackish brown: bill and legs black. This species
appears to vary considerably in the cast of its co-
lours, the breast in some specimens being purplish
red, and the belly yellow. The female is said to
be olive-green above, and olive yellow beneath, and
has the two exterior tail-feathers on each side tip-
ped with grey. Native of the Philippine isles.
The Orange-breasted Creeper of Dr. Latham can
surely be no other than a variety of this species.

VAR.?

.LITTLE BROWN AND WHITE CREEPER*

Certhia pusilla. C. cupreo-fasca subtus alba, cauda nigricante,
superdliis apicibusque rectricum exteriorum albis.

Copper-brown Creeper, white beneath, with blackish tail; tire
eyebrows and tips of the outer tail-feathers white.

Certhia pusilla. C. grisea subtus alba, superdliis candidis, rcctri-
tibusfuscis apice albis. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Ped-breasted Creeper. Var. A, Lath, syn*

LENGTH three inches and a half: colour above
copper-brown, beneath white: above each eye a
white streak, and from the bill to each eye a dark
one: the exterior tail-feather on each side slightly
tipped with white: bill and legs brown. Native of
the East Indies? This by Dr. Latham is consider-
ed as a variety of the Red-Breasted Creeper.

208

VIOLET-THROATED CREEPER.

Certhia affinis. C. purpureo-castanea, fronte hwneris uropygioquc
viridi-aureis, gula violacea, pectore abdomineque rubris.

Purple-chesnut Creeper, with green-gold forehead, shoulders and
rump, violet throat, and red breast and belly.

Le Soui-manga a gorge violette. ViclL Cert/i. PL 32.

LENGTH near four inches: forehead, smaller wing-
coverts, and rump green- gold : throat bright violet:
breast and belly bright red : thighs and vent yellow:
back part of head and upper part of back purplish
chesnut : wings and tail olive-brown. Native of
the Philippine isles. In reality, this species seems
to be no other than the Certhia sperata.

VIOLET CREEPER.

Certhia Madagascariensis. C. aureo-olivacea, remigibus caudaque

fastis, pectore cceruleo ferrugineo fuscoque fasciato, abdomine

jiavescente.
Gold-olive Creeper, with brown wings and tail, breast barred with

blue ferruginous and brown, and yellowish belly.
Certhia Madagascariensis. C. otivaceo-viridis nit ens, pectore fusco
c&ruleo castaneoque fasdato, abdomine Jlavescente, hwneris macula

fulva. Lath. ind. orn.

Certhia Madagascariensis violacea. Briss. orn.
Le So ui manga. Buff", ois.
Violet Creeper. Lath. syn.
Le Soui-manga. Viell. Certh.pl. 18.

LENGTH about four inches: head, neck, begin-
ning of the back, smaller wing-coverts, and upper

VIOLET CREEPER. 209

part of the breast green-gold, with a changeable
gloss of violet, especially on the breast : across the
lower part of the breast a reddish-chesnut bar,
and immediately beneath that a brown one : belly
pale yellow: wings and tail brown: beneath the
wings a yellow tuft. Native of Madagascar. The
female is said to be somewhat smaller than the
male, of an olive-brown above, and olive-yellow
beneath. Monsieur Montbeillard, in Buffon's Or-
nithology, mentions a variety of this species, in
which the throat, neck, and breast are steel-blue,
with green reflexions, and in which the bands are
four in number, viz. the lowest violet-black, the
next marroon, the third brown, and the fourth
yellow. In the Gmelinian edition of the Systema
Naturae it is considered as a distinct species, under
the name of Certhia Manillensis. It may be added,
that the Violet Creeper seems so nearly allied to the
Certhia chalybea or Collared Creeper, as to leave a
doubt whether it may not belong to the same
species.

V. VIII. P. Jr 14

210

BEAUTIFUL CREEPER,

Certhia pulcbella. C. viridi-aurea, pectorc aurantio-rubro, remi~

gibus caudaquefuscis, rectric.ibus duabus mediis dongatis.
Green-gold Creeper, with orange-red breast, and brown wings

and tail, with the two middle tail-feathers elongated.
Certhia pulchella. C. rectricibus duabus intermediis longissimis,

corpore viridi-nitente, pectore rubro. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Le Soui-manga vert dore changeant a longue queue. Buff. ois.

Pl.Enl.67V.f. 1.

Le petit Soui-manga a longue queue. ViclL Certh. pi. 40.
Beautifiil Creeper. Lath. syn.

AN elegant species: length about seven inches
and a quarter: colour green-gold, glossed with
copper; but the breast orange-red: the wings
brown, and the tail, which is strongly cuneiform,
blackish brown, edged with gold-green; the two
middle feathers greatly surpassing the length of
the rest. Native of Senegal.

V':iO]L.ET-ELEA33E13

211

VIOLET-HEADED CREEPER.

Certbia violacca. C. aureo-viridi-violacea, pectorc abdomineque

uurantiisj rcmigibus caudaque fuscis, rectricibus duabus mediis

tlongatis.
Violet Creeper with green-gold gloss, orange breast and belly,

brown quill and tail-feathers, the two middle of the latter

elongated.
Certhia violaeea. C. rectricibus duabus l&ngissimis, corporc vio-

laceo-nitente, pcctore abdomincque lutds. Lin. Syst. Nat. Lath.

ind. orn.
Certhia crocata. C. olivaceo-fusca, capite aurco-viridi, gula vio-

lacco-chalybca, pectore abdomineque creeds, rectricibus duabus

intermediis elongatis. Fivar. Nat. vol. 6.
Le Soui-manga a longue queue et a chaperon violet. "Buff. ois.

PI Eid. 670. f. 2.

Le Soui-manga a capuchon violet. Fife//. Certh. pi. 3Q.
Violet-headed Creeper. Lath. syn.

IN all respects, except in size, which is some-
what smaller, this species is extremely allied to the
immediately preceding. Its length is rather more
than six inches: the head, neck, upper part of the
back, scapulars, and smaller wing-coverts are
bright violet, appearing glossed with gold-green
in particular lights; except in front of the neck,
which appears of a deep glossy blue : lower part
of the back, rump, wings, upper tail-coverts, and
tail olive-brown: breast, belly, and under tail-
coverts bright orange, paler near the vent: tail
even, but the two middle feathers far longer than
the rest. Native of the Cape of Good Hope, re-
siding in woods, and said to build a nest of peculiar

SHINING CREEPER.

elegance. In a specimen of this bird in the Leve-
rian Museum, and figured in the sixth volume of
the Naturalist's Miscellany, the head was deep
but bright gold-green, without any violet-colour,
but across the upper part of the breast was a deep
steel-blue or violet bar. I have in that work de-
scribed it under the title of Certhia crocata or
Saffron Creeper. I must add that though this species
is generally described as somewhat smaller than
the preceding, yet Monsr. Viellot's figure repre-
sents it as larger. In reality it may be doubted
whether the Certhia pulchella and violacea be
truly distinct.

SHINING CREEPER.

Certhia iamosa. C. cupreo-viridis, loris nigris, alis caudaque

nigricantibuS) rectricibus duabus mediis longissimis.
Copper-green Creeper, with black lores, blackish wings and tail,

with the two middle tail-feathers greatly elongated.
Certhia famosa. C. rectricibus duabus intermediis longissimis,

corpore viridi-nitente, axillis luteis, loris nigris. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Certhia Formosa. Vivar. Nat. vol. 1.
Le grand Soui-manga vert a longue queue. Buff", ois. PI. Enf

83 ./. 1 . Vidl. Certh. pi. 37.
Famous Creeper. Lath. syn.
Cinereous Creeper. Lath. syn. perhaps a var. of female.

THIS exceeds most of the African Creepers yet
known in point of size, measuring from nine to ten
inches in total length : its colour on all parts, ex-
cept the wings and tail, is a deep gold-green, with
a strong gloss of reddish copper-colour on the back

YELLOW-BELLIED CREEPER. 213

and coverts : the wings and tail are violet-black ;
but the two middle-feathers of the latter are strongly
edged with green, and greatly exceed the length
of the rest : under the wings is a tuft of yellow fea-
thers: the bill and legs are black, and on each side
the head, from the base of the bill to the eye, is a
black streak. The female is smaller than the male,
and is olive-brown above, and yellow-grey beneath,
with all the tail-feathers of equal length. Native of
the Cape of Good Hope. It is suspected that the
usually received Linnaean name of this species has
originated from a typographical error in the Sys-
tema Naturae, and that instead offamosa it should
have beenformosa.

YELLOW-BELLIED CREEPER.

Certhia lepida. C. violaceo-nitem, subtvs fava, sincipite viridi,
lateribus colli striga longitudinali virescente alteraque violacea,
gula rubro-fusca. Lath. ind. or».

Glossy-violet Creeper, yellow beneath, with green forehead,
with a longitudinal greenish band accompanied by a violaceous
one on each side the neck, and ferruginous throat.

Certhia lepida. Mus. Carls, fasc. 2. t. 35.

Le Grimpereau de Malacca. Son. ind. 2. pi. } l6.f. 1.

Yellow-bellied Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.

SOMEWHAT larger than a Canary-Bird : bill
black: irides red: thighs yellow: legs brown.
Described from Sonnerat.

214

ASH-BELLIED CREEPER.

Certhia verticalis. C. viridi-olivacea, subtus cinerasccns, vertice
viridi, remigibus caudaquefuscis. Lath. ind. orn.

Oiive-green Creeper, pale cinereous beneath, with green crown,
and brown wing and tail-feathers.

Ash-bellied Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.

LENGTH five inches and a half: bill black : quili
and tail-feathers brown, edged with green : legs
black. Native of Africa. Described from a spe-
cimen in the British Museum.

SNUFF-COLOURED CREEPER.

Certhia tabacina. C. tabacina, subtus viridis, cauda viridi-nigri-

cante, rectricibus duabus longissimis.
Snuff-coloured Creeper, green beneath, with blackish-green tail

with the two middle feathers much elongated.
Certhia tabacina. C. rectricibis duabus intermediis longissimis,

corpora supra capite colloque tabacino, subtus niridi, rectricibus

viridi-mgrica?itibus. Lath. ind. orn.
Snuff-coloured Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.

LENGTH eight inches and a half : bill an inch
and quarter, not much bent, and of a blackish
brown colour : under wing-coverts yellow : two
middle tail-feathers double the length of the rest.
This species seems considerably allied to the Cer-
thia famosa.

INDIGO CREEPER.

Certhia Parietum. C. cyanea subtus ritfa, supcrciliis gulaqvt
albtSy sub oculis ad nucham tinea nigra. Lath. ind. orn.

Blue Creeper, rufous beneath, with white brows ami throat, and
black stripe beneath the eyes to the nape.

Indigo Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.

Le Rossignol de Muraille des Indes. Sonn. ind. 2. p. 208-

SIZE of a Fig- Eater : bill black : upper parts
pale indigo-blue; under parts rufous. Described
from Sonnerat. Native of India*

BLACK-TAILED CREEPER.

Certhia melanura. C. capite dorsoque violaceis, pectore abdomi-
neque viresccntibus; alisfuscist cauda nigra subbifida, tibtis digi-
tisque atris. Lath. ind. orn.

Creeper with violet head and back, greenish breast and belly
brown wings, and black slightly forked tail.

Black-tailed Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.

Certhia melanura. Sparm. Mus. Carls, t. 5.

DESCRIBED from Sparmann's Museum Carlsoni-
anum. Length seven inche's : bill and legs black :
wing-coverts brown, edged with olive. Native of
the Cape of Good Jlope.

216

BARRED-TAIL CREEPER.

Certhia taeniata. C. grisea, subtus rufescens, cauda cuneata fasti*

apicali nigra.
Grey Creeper, rufescent beneath, with cuneated tail marked by

a black bar at the tip.

Certhia grisea. C. cinereo-grisea, subtus rufescens, cauda cunei-
formi, rectricibus duabus intermediis fuscis, lateralibus griseis,

omnibus ad apicem fascia nigra. Lath. ind. orn.
Grimpereau gris de la Chine. Sonn. ind. 2. pi. llj.f. 3.
Barred-tail Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.

DESCRIBED by Sonnerat. Size of a Titmouse:
bill yellow: colour cinereous grey, beneath pale
rufous : tail cuneated and composed of ten feathers,
all of which, except the two middle ones, are
marked at the tip by a black bar. Native of
China.

CRIMSON-BELLIED CREEPER.

Certhia coccinigastra. C. viridi-aurea, pectore purpurco~amc-

thystino coccineo vario, abdomine nigro, fasciculo subaxillarijla'oo.

Lath. ind. orn. suppl. 2.
Green-gold Creeper, with purple-amethystine breast varied with

red, black abdomen, and yellow subaxillary tuft.
Crimson-bellied Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.
Certhia polita ? C. nigricans, pectore capite corporeque supra vires-

centi par -unique purpur co-met allina, macula subaxillarijtava. Lath.

ind. orn. Sparm. Mas. Carls. 3. t. 5Q?

LENGTH five inches and a half: head, neck and
breast bright amethystine purple : on the breast a
mixed or broken red bar: upper parts bright

ClTAH H: A;X CHE

/Shi,,/n,,:t./.cHitr/i. /'///-// '\-iu-ii l'\-(;.l(i-<irx/cy.J-li;-i .\tr,rt , \- Iti, ,'iht, /'ft'i'i'i,!, rs.

CYANEAN CREEPER. 217

green-gold : wing and tail-feathers greenish black,
but the exterior feathers on each side fringed
externally with green-gold: beneath each wing a
yellow tuft, as in many others of the genus. Na-
tive of Africa. The Certhia polita of the Museum
Carlsonianurn is probably the same, differing
slightly in the cast of its colours.

GARTERED CREEPER.

Certhia armillata. C. mridis, alis complicatis supra nigris, subtus
luteis, humeris femorum armillis, maculi&que aliquot uropygii
sapphirinis. Lath. ind. orn. Sparm. Mus. Carls. 2. t* 36.

Green Creeper, with the wings, when closed, black above and
yellow beneath ; the shoulders, garters of the thighs, and a few
spots on the rump sapphire-blue.

LENGTH five inches : native of Surinam.

CYANEAN CREEPER.

Certhia cyanea. C. cyanea, vertice beryllino, alis caudaque nigris,

tectrictbus inferioribus flams.
Deep-blue Creeper, with beryl-coloured crown, black wings and

tail, and yellow under-coverts.
Certhia cyanea. C. cttrulea, fascia ocutari humeris alis caudaque

nigris, pcdibus rubris. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Le Guit-guit noir et bleu. Buff. ois. PL Enl. 83. /. 2.
Black and blue Creeper. Edw. pi. 1 14. Lath. syn.
Le Guit-guit. V idl. Certh. pL 41. 42. 43.
Yellow-cheeked Creeper. Penn. gen. Lath. syn. Perhaps the

young.

THIS elegant little bird measures about four
inches and a quarter in length, and is described by

218 CYANEAN CREEPER.

Edwards. " The bill is pointed, black, pretty
long, slender, sharp, and arched both upper and
under side, which is a little shorter than the
upper : the tongue is divided into threads at the
end: the crown of the head is of a pale green
colour: round the base of the upper part of
the bill are black feathers, which pass in black
lines on the sides of the head, in which black
spaces the eyes are placed : the sides of the
head, hinder part of the neck, lower part of
the back, rump, covert-feathers of the tail, a bar
across the upper part of the wing, and the whole
under side of the bird, are of a very fine ultra-
marine blue colour: it hath a broad black line
across the lower part of the neck behind, or the
upper part of the back: the tail is black, as are
the outer sides of the wings, except a blue bar
that crosses each wing obliquely: the insides of
the wings are of a beautiful yellow colour, except
round the ridge and tips of the quills, which are
dusky: the legs and feet are orange-coloured."
Native of South America, and particularly of
Brasil and Cayenne. The female is said to differ
in having the insides of the wings yellowish grey ;
and the young or unadvanced males are at first
greenish above, except on the wings and tail, and
beneath of a paler or yellower cast : they after-
wards become varied or patched with black, blue,
and green, with a mixture of rufous on some
parts.

219

CJERULEAN CREEPER.

Certhia caeruka. C. saturate cxruka, fascia oculari gula rerni*
gibus caudaque nigris. - • • <v

Deep-blue Creeper, with black eye-stripe, throat, wing-feathers
and tail.

Certhia caerulea,/<wa'a oculari gula remigibus rcctricibusque nigris.
Lia. Syst. Nat.

Blue Creeper. Edw.pl. 21.

Variete de Guit-guit noir et bleu. Buff. ois.

Le Guit-guit noir et blf u. Viell. Certh. pt. 44. 45. 46.

Blue Creeper. Lath. syn.

THIS is so nearly allied to the preceding, that
Monsr. Montbeillard, in Buffon's Ornithology,
has considered it as a variety of that bird. It
differs however not only in being of somewhat
smaller size, but in the disposition and cast of its
colours, and is undoubtedly a very distinct species.
Its length is near four inches, and its colour a fine
bright violet-blue, the head somewhat lighter than
the other parts, but without the least appearance
of the beautiful pea-green stripe so conspicuous
on that of the preceding species : from the bill to
the eye, on each side the head, is a velvet-black
stripe, and a moderately broad streak of the same
colour passes along the throat : the wings and tail
are black ; the latter rather short in proportion to
the bird : the under coverts of the wings are pale
yellow, and the insides of the quill-feathers of the
same colour : the bill is black, and the legs red or
orange-coloured, but sometimes black. The female,

220 CERULEAN CREEPER.

according to Monsr. Viellot, is olive-brown above,
with a white streak over each eye, and yellowish
beneath, slightly tinged or undulated with rufous.
The young bird is green above, and beneath lon-
gitudinally streaked or mottled with green, yel-
lowish brown, and dull white.

If the account given by Seba may be relied on,
the nest of this species is constructed with great
art and elegance ; being formed like a retort, with
a neck twelve inches in length: it is composed of
grass-stalks, &c. and lined with fine down, and is
suspended to the extremity of a twig, at the end of
a branch, with the opening downwards; the proper
nest or cavity being at the upper part, by which
contrivance this little bird, like many others which
inhabit the hotter climates, is, in a great degree,
secure from the attacks of serpents, monkies, &c.
Monsr. Viellot is of opinion that the supposed
species described by Dr. Latham under the title
of Yellow-Cheeked Creeper is, in reality, no other
than the young of the present species.

GREY CREEPER.

Certhia currucaria. C. olivacca, subtut grisescens, rtctricibus
(tquaUbiis,ju^ulo vitta longitudinali violaceo. Lath. irtd. orn.

Olivaceous Creeper, greyish beneath, with even tail, and lon-
gitudinal violet throat-stripe.

Certhia currucaria. C. olivacea, subtus Jlavcsccns, rectricibus
(tqualibus. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Le Souimanga a cravatte violette. Viell. Certh. pi. 15.

Grey Creeper. Lath. syn.

Certhia jugularis. C. subgrisea, subtus lutea, gula violacea, ra>
tridbus duabus cxtimis apicejlavis. Lin. Sysl. Nat.

Le petit Grimpereau des Philippines. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 576.
/.3.

Le Soui-manga a cravate bleu. Viell. Certh. pi. 31.

Grey Creeper. Var. A. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Brisson: length about five inches:
colour grey-brown; yellowish- white beneath: from
the lower mandible down the breast runs a deep
and glossy violet-coloured stripe, and the smaller
wing-coverts are of similar colour: the tail is
blackish, with a blue gloss on the sides of the fea-
thers. Native of the Philippine isles. In a spe-
cimen figured in the work of Monsr. Viellot the
violet stripe is continued down the whole abdomen,
and it is also observed, that under each wing, as
in many of this genus, is a tuft of yellow plumes.
Monsr. Viellot, with great probability, considers
this bird rather as the young of some other species
than as constituting a distinct species itself. He also
figures what seems to be a mere variety of the pre-
ceding, though he himself is of a different opinion.

CARMELITE CREEPER.

It is a trifle smaller, and, exclusive of the pectoral
violet stripe and wing-coverts, has a tincture of
the same colour on the top of the head and the
rump.

RED-BROWN CREEPER.

Certhia rubro-fusca. C. cupreo-ferrvginea, tectricibus violacris,

remigibus caudaquefuscis.
Copper-ferruginous Creeper, with violet wing-coverts, and brown

quill-feathers and tail.
Le Soui-manga rouge-dore. Viell. Cert/t. pi. 2?.

LENGTH about four inches: habit rather slender:
colour of the head, neck, breast, and back dull
gilded red: smaller wing-coverts bright violet: ab-
domen black : wings and tail deep brown ; the
latter slightly forked: bill and legs black. De-
scribed by Viellot from a specimen in the Paris
Museum. Native region unknown.

CARMELITE CREEPER.

C. fuliginoga. C.fusco-fuliginosa, fronte gula tectricibusque
laceis.

Fuliginous-brown Creeper, with violet forehead, throat and co-
verts.

Le Soui-manga Carmelite. Viell. Certh. pi. 20.

LENGTH about four inches and a half: forehead,
throat, and rump fine violet-purple : between the
bill and eyes a black streak : whole remainder of

SPOTTED-BREASTED CREEPER. 223

the bird fine velvet-brown or carmelite-colour. The
female wants the violet-colour on the forehead.
Native of Malimba.

SPOTTED-BREASTED CREEPER^

Certhia maculata. C.fusca, subtus jlavescens gula violacca, pectorc

fusco-maculato.
Brown Creeper, beneath yellowish with violet throat, and breast

spotted with brown.
Le Soui-manga varie. VielL Ccrtk. pi. 21.

LENGTH about four inches and three quarters :
colour on the upper parts brown, mixed or shaded
with grey and rufous: throat bright violet bor-
dered with brown : remainder of the under parts
yellow, dashed down the breast with longitudinal
brown spots: bill and legs black. Native of
Malimba, frequenting large forests, and often ap-
proaching the habitations of the natives, being
allured by the flowers of the Cytisus Cajan, com-
monly called the Congo Pea, which is much cul-
tivated by the Negroes.

224

CINNAMON CREEPER.

Certhia cinnamonea. C. cirmamonea subtus alba, cauda subcuneata

rectricibus acuminatis.
Cinnamon Creeper white beneath, with subcuneated tail with

pointed feathers.

Certhia cinnamomea. C. cinnamomea subtus alba. Lath. ind. orn.
Cinnamon Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.
Le Cinnamon. Viell. Certh.pl. 62.

LENGTH about five inches : colour on the upper
parts bright cinnamon, without any variegation, ex-
cept that the tips of the quill-feathers are blackish :
lores or spaces between the bill and eye black:
whole under parts white : tail slightly cuneated,
and all the feathers sharp-pointed : bill black:
legs brown. Native country uncertain. The spe-
cimen from which the description is drawn up is
preserved in the British Museum, and has been
well figured in the work of Monsr. Viellot.

LUXATED CREEPER.

C. lunata. C. supra ferruginea subtus alba, capite nigro macula

oculari rubra lunulaque occipitali alba.
Ferruginous Creeper white beneath, with black head marked by

a red eye-spot and a white occipital crescent.
Le Fuscalbin. Viell. Certk. pi. 6l.

DESCRIBED and figured by myself for the work
of Monsr. Viellot. Length rather more than five

NEW HOLLAND CREEPER. 225

inches: back, wings, and tail cinnamon • bro wn :
whole under parts of the bird, from the bill, white:
upper part of the head and back of the neck black,
marked on the hindhead by a white crescent, the
tips of which almost reach the eyes, being sepa.
rated only by a bright-red spot behind each eye :
bill black; legs brown. Native of New Holland.

i ; i/3'iUTV'i bfIB

jttjs'ii! sdi gfinfid

NEW HOLLAND CREEPER.

Certhia Novae Hollandiae. C. nigra subtus albo-striata, superciliis
maculaque aurium albis, remigibus rectricibusquefla'co marginatis.
Lath. ind. orn.

Black Creeper, striped beneath with white ; with wliite brows
and ear-spot, and yellow-edged quill and tail-feathers.

New Holland Creeper. White's Journ. p. 186. pi. l6 and 65.

L'Heoro-taire noir. ? Viell. Certh .pi. 71. female.

L'Heoro-taire tachete. Viell. Certh. pi. 5?. male.

DESCRIBED in White's Journal of a Voyage to
New South Wales. Length about seven inches :
general colour dusky, spotted in various parts with
white : neck, breast, belly, and sides more or less
marked with longitudinal streaks of white; or, in
other words, these parts are whitish, streaked with
longitudinal blackish snots: over each eye a white
streak, and on each side the neck and the begin-
ning of the back are also some streaks of the same
colour : remainder of the upper parts, and tail deep
brown, but the quill- feathers edged with bright
yellow, forming a large patch of that colour on
each wing: tail-feathers, except the two middle

v. YIII. P. i. 15

AUSTRALASIAN CREEPER.

ones, edged with yellow, and slightly tipped with*
white. In Monsr. Viellot's figure of this species
the whole upper parts are deep brown. ; the wings
and tail marked as before described, and the whole
under parts white, spotted longitudinally with
brown : over each eye a white streak : bill black ;
legs brown. The supposed female is described
and figured in Mr. White's Voyage, and differs
from the male in being somewhat less vivid; in
having the breast and belly black, with white
streaks, and in wanting the white superciliary
streaks : the bill and legs rather longer and stouter
than in the male. Native of New Holland.

AUSTRALASIAN CREEPER.

Certhia Australasiana. C. nigricans subtus supertiliir lunulaque
vtrinque suprahumeraU albis, remigibus caudaque jlavo margi~
natis.

Blackish Creeper, with the brows, under parts, and crescent OB
each side above the shoulders white, and the quill and tail-
feathers edged with yellow.

L'Heoro-taire noir et blanc. Viell. Certh. pi. 55.

MUCH allied to the immediately preceding, but
somewhat smaller, measuring near six inches in
length. Colour above deep-brown ; beneath white,
except on the lower part of the abdomen, which is
dusky : throat and breast marked by slight longi-
tudinal specks or shaft-streaks: over each eye a
whitish streak: wings and tail marked as in the
former species i bill black; legs brown. Perhaps
a young of the former bird*

BS7

GREAT HOOK-BILLED CREEPER.

Certhia Pacifica. C. nigrat alula uropygio crisso fcmoribusqut

Jlavis, rostro longissimo.
Black Creeper, with yellow alulet, rump, veijt, and thighs, and

v*ry long bill.
Certhia pacifica. C. rostro longissimo ineurcato, corpore atrot

kumcris uropygio crisso femoribusquejlavis. Lath. ind. orn.
Le Hoho. Viell. Certh. pi. 63.
Great Hook-billed Creeper. Lath. syn.

A LARGti species: length about eight inchest
colour deep black, with the rump, lower part
of the belly, and thighs bright yellow : alulet or
spurious wing yellowish white: quill-feathers edged
with grey: under coverts mixed yellow and white :
bill brownish black, very stout, long, and greatly
curved: legs black. Native of Owhyhee and
other South-Sea islands.

HOOK-BILLED GREEN CREEPER.

'
Certhia obscura. C. olivaceo-viridis subtus $ubflcrocscensf restr*

longissimo, lorisfuscis.
Olive-green Creeper, subflavescent beneath, with very long bill

and dusky lores.
Certhia obscura. C. fusco-mrens rostro longissimo incwroato^

mandibula inferiore breoiore, lorisfuscis. Lath. ind. orn»
Lf Akaie-aroa. Viell. Certh. pi. 53.
Hook-billed green Creeper. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Latham. " Length seven
inches : bill an inch and three quarters long, and

528 HOOK-BILLED GREEN CREEPER.

bent quite in the shape of a semicircle: the under
mandible shortest by a quarter of an inch: colour
of both brownish black : the nostrils covered by a
membrane: between the bill and eye is a streak of
brown : the plumage in general is olive-green,
palest beneath, and somewhat inclined to yellow :
quills and tail dusky; the last even at the end,, and
edged with yellow green: legs dusky brown; the
feathers just above the knee, or garter, white : the
hind toe pretty long. Inhabits the Sandwich
Islands in general, and is one of the birds whose
plumage the natives make use of in constructing
their feathered garments; which having these
olive-green feathers intermixed with the beautiful
scarlet and yellow ones belonging to the next
species, and yellow-tufted Bee-Eater, make some
of the most beautiful coverings of those islanders."
The mention of the Yellow-Tufted Bee-Eater in
this description induces me to remark that, per-
haps that bird, as well as some others, might with
equal propriety rank under the present genus as in
that of Merops; and the circumstance of the
yellow tuft under each wing should seem to imply
a strong alliance to the genus Certhia, in which,
that appendage is so frequently observed.

-
-

a
-

HOOK-BILLED RED CREEPER.

Certhia vestiaria. C. coccinea, alls caudaque nigris alula alba,

rostro pallido.
Scarlet Creeper, with black wings and tail, white alulct, and pale

bill.
Certhia vestiaria. C. rostro longtore iwcwrro, corpore coccineo,

alls caudaque nigris, tcctricibus alarum macula alba. Lath. ind.

orn.

Certhia coccinea. C. coccinea, alls caudaque nigris. Lin. Gmel.
Hook-billed red Creeper. Lath. syn.
L'Heoro-taire. Viell. Certh. pi. 52.

THE Hook-billed Red Creeper is a native of the
Sandwich Islands, and is much valued by the
natives on account of its plumage, which affords a
principal article in the red feathered mantles worn
by the chiefs and persons of distinction. Its size
is equal to that of a Sparrow, and its general
length about six inches; the whole bird is bright,
but not very deep scarlet, the wings and tail ex-
cepted, which are black: the smaller wing-coverts
are however scarlet, and the greater are tipped
with white : the tail-feathers are slightly pointed
at the extremities : the bill is moderately stout,
rather long in proportion to the bird, very con-
siderably curved, and of a pale yellow colour, as
are likewise the legs.

230

SICKLE-BILLED CREEPER.

Certhia falcata. C. rostro longissimo incurvato, corpore viridi,
subtus caudaque violaceis, tectricibus alarum majoribus remigibus
abdomineque pallide fuscis. Lath.ind. orn.

Green Creeper, with very long incurved bill, violaceous breast
and tail, and pale-brown wings.

Sickle-billed Creeper. Lath. syn.

THUS described by Dr. Latham, from a spe-
cimen in the British Museum. " Length five
inches and a half: bill an inch and three quarters
in length, curved like a sickle, and of a dusky
colour: the upper parts of the head, neck, and
body are green : on the head a gloss of violet :
beneath, as far as the breast, violet : tail of this
last colour: the great coverts and quills are pale
brown: belly and vent pale brown : legs the same:
claws black." Native region unknown.

CRIMSON CREEPER.

Certhia sanguinea. C. phoenicea, remig&us caudaque nigris, crit&a

albo, rostra rcctiusculo.
T)eep-crimson Creeper, with black wing and tail-feathers, white

vent, and strait isli bill.
<?erthia sanguinea, C. saturate coccinea, abdomine obscuro, crisso

albo, remigibus sccundariis castanco marginatis, primoribus res-

tridbusque nigris. Lath. ind. era,
Crimson Creeper. Lath. syn.
L'Heoro-taire cramoisi. Viell. Certh,pl. 66.

THE length of this species is about five inches
and a half; and its habit somewhat allied to that
x)f a Motacilla, the bill having Tbut a very slight
flexure: the colour of the bird is deep crimson,
with the wings and tail black: the smaller wing-
coverts are however crimson, the larger edged with
dull red, and the quill-feathers with chesnut: the
tail is rather short, and composed of slightly
pointed feathers: the vent is whitish; the bill
black, and the legs brown. Monsr. Viellot has
figured this species in his elegant work on the
genus Certhia: the specimen from which his
figure was taken appears to have had the whole of
the abdomen of the same deep crimson with the
other parts; in the Leverian specimen it was of a
dusky or brownish cast. Native of the Sandwicb
Isles.

232

SANGUINEOUS CREEPER.

Certhia sanguinolenta. C. coccineo-sanguinea, dorso maculis dtf-
formibus nigris, subtus cinerta, gulajuguloque albis. Lath. ind.

orn. suppl.
Blood-red Creeper, marked above by irregular black spots,

beneath cinereous with white chin and throat.
Sanguineous Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Latham from a drawing:
colour above bright red, somewhat irregularly
varied with differently sized black spots: shoul-
ders, quill-feathers, and tail black, the quiil-feathers
edged with white: under parts whitish brown:
bill black, and rather short for a bird of this genus:
legs brown. Native of New Holland.

OLIVE-GREEN CREEPER.

Certhia virens. C. olivacco-viridis, subtus Jlavescens, loris sub"
nigrisj remi gibus caudaque Jlavo margmatis apicejuscis.

Olive-green Creeper, yellowish beneath, with blackish lores, and
yeUbW-cdgetl quill and tail-feathers with black tips.

Certhia vireiis. C. olivaceo-viridis, loris nigricantibus, remigibus
caudaque Jlavo margmatis. Lath. ind. orn.

Olive-green Creeper. Lath. syn.

Le Vert-olive. VidL Certh. pi. 6?.

AN elegant species : length about five inches
and a half: colour, on the upper parts, fine olive-
green, except the tips of the wings and tail, which
incline to brown ; the latter slightly forked at the

WATTLED CREEPER. 233

tip: cheeks and under parts yellow, slightlyvshaded
with olive-green : throat and vent olive-green :
quill and tail-feathers edged with pale yellow : lores,
or spaces between the bill and eyes blackish : bill
and legs yellowish brown. Native of the Sand-
wic-h islands: supposed by some to be the female
of the Crimson Creeper; but Monsr. Viellot as-
sures us that this is a mistaken notion ; the female
of the present species being olive-grey above, and
grey beneath: the bill and legs of the same colour :
tail short in proportion to the bird.

WATTLED CREEPER.

Certhia carunculata. C. olivacea, subtus marginibusque remigum
rectricumqucjla-cescentibus, rostro basi paleanbus dwbus rubris.

Olive Creeper, yellowish beneath ; the edges of the quill and tail-
feathers yellowish, and two red wattles at the base of the
bill.

Certhia carunculata. C. olivaceo-fusca, subtus jtavesccnte-cinerca,
gulafuha, ad basin maxilltf inferioris caruncula carnosajla'ca.
Lath. ind. orn.

Wattled Creeper. Lath. syn.

Le Foulehaio. Viell. Certh. pi. 69. 70.

LENGTH between seven and eight inches: habit
rather stout : colour olive-brown above, the wings
and tail deeper, the feathers edged with olive-
yellow: under parts deep yellow, with a cast of
olive-brown on the throat and breast : bill brown,
rather stout, and slightly bent : on each side the
base of the lower mandible 'a somewhat length-
ened, orange-red, cylimlric caruncle or wattle,

PIED CREEPER.

immediately above which, on each side the head,
is a slight tuft of yellow plumes : legs rather slen-
der, and flesh-coloured, or pale brown. The
female differs in being of a pale orange-yellow,
slightly tinged with brown, on the wings and tail,
and is furnished with wattles like the male : the
tongue is longer than the beak, and divided into
four filaments at the tip. Native of the island of
Tongataboo, where it is celebrated for the sweet-
ness of its notes, and may be considered, in the
words of Monsr. Viellot, as the Coryphasus of the
deserts, enlivening the solitary woods with its
melody, from the dawn of morning to the close of
day.

PIED CREEPER^

Certhia varia. C. albo nigroque varia, fascfa supra infraque-oculari,

tectricumque duplici alba.
Black and white Creeper, with a white baud above and below the

eyes, and a double one on the wing-coverts.
Black and white Creeper. Edw. pi. 300. /. 2.
Motacilla varia.? M. albo nigroque maculata, fasciis alarum

duabus albis, cauda bifid a. Lin. Syst. Nat.
White-polled Warbler. Perm. Arct. Zool. Lath. syp.
Le Grimpereau varie. Viell. Ccrth. pi. 74.

LENGTH about four inches and a half: colour
black and white. The male is described by Ed-
wards in the following manner. " The bill, legs,
and feet are black : from the corner of the mouth
beneath the eye passes a broad black plat of
feathers, which is surrounded by a white line

. "/ / _ i /,' A V/// .v//-| . /••/ -t i Sin, /. A' •////•, •//.// /'

PIED CREEPER. 235

passing beneath it and above it over the eye, above
which is a black line : the crown of the head is white ;
the throat black : the neck, back, and rump are
white, with large black spots down the middle of the
feathers: the wing is black, having the tips of the
two principal rows of covert-feathers white, which
form bars across the wings: the quills next the
back are edged with white : the inner covert-
feathers of the wings are white; the quills ash-
coloured, with the edges of their inner webs white:
the under side, from the breast to the coverts be-
neath the tail, is white, spotted on the breast and
sides of the belly with black : the tail is black, the
edges of the feathers grey: its underside * is ash-
coloured, and the inner webs of the outer feathers
have white spots."

The female, which is figured in the work of
Monsr. Viellot, differs in being somewhat smaller,
and in having the chin, lower part of the neck, and
cheeks white, the breast obscurely dashed with
small dusky spots, the back black, and the belly
dusky, or deep ash-colour. The young are said
to resemble the female.

This species is a native of North America, ar-
riving in Pensylvania and the neighbouring states
in spring, and quitting them in autumn, in order
to pass the winter in Jamaica, St. Domingo, ami
others of the Antilles. It resides chiefly on tall
trees, is of a solitary disposition, and has no other
song than a weak cry, which it utters but rarely :
its nest seems to be unknown.

236

TUFTED-EARED CREEPER.

Certhia auriculata . C. fusco-olivacea, marginibus pennarumjkvce*-
centibus, subtusjlava, pennis auricularibus elongatis apice flams.

Olive-brown Creeper with the margins of the feathers yellow ;
beneath yellow, with lengthened ear-feathers tipped with
yellow.

Le Heoro-taire a oreilles jaunes, Viell. Certh* pi. 85.

THIS is a large and handsome species, nearly
equalling a Thrush in size, measuring about seven
inches and a half in length : crown of the head
greenish yellow: throat bright yellow: from the
corners of the mouth a black streak, passing
through the eyes, widening beyond them, and
terminating, at some distance behind the ears, in
a lengthened bright yellow plume or tip : back of
the head and neck, with the smaller wing-coverts
and 'back, blackish-olive; larger wing-coverts and
quill-feathers the same with yellowish edges : tail
the same, slightly cuneated at the end, and slightly
tipped with white : under parts of the throat olive-
grey : bill black, shaped like that of a Thrush, and
^emarginated at the tip: .tongue divided and ciliated
at the tip. Native of New Holland, frequenting
the region of Botany Bay.

237

WHITE-COLLARED CHEEPER.

Certhia semitorquata. C. ferrvginea, alls caudaque fuscis, gents

lunulaque pectorali albis.
Ferruginous Creeper, with brown wings and tail, and white chcekfr

and pectoral crescent.
Le Heoro-taire a collier blanc. Viell. Ctrth.pl. 56.

LENGTH five inches and a half: colour deep
cinnamon or rufous brown, darkest on the back:
crown of the head, wings, and tail dusky, the two
exterior feathers white from the middle to the end:
cheeks white : throat crossed by a white crescent
pointing upwards : bill and legs black. Native of
the Southern isles.

MOCKING CREEPER.

Certhia Sannio. C. olivacea, alls caudaque sulfur cat a fuscis.
Olive Creeper with the wings and slightly-forked tail brown.
Certhia Sannio. C. mridi-olmacea, subtus jlavescem, genis macula

alba, cauda subforcipata. Lath. ind. orn.
Mocking Creeper. Lath. syn.
Le Neghobarra. Viell. Certh. pi. fo.

A LARGE species: length about eight inches
and a half: colour olive; the wings and tail pur-
plish brown, the latter slightly forked : bill black,
rather small for the size of the bird : legs lead-
colour. Native of New Holland : said to have a
fine note, and to imitate those of most other birds

238 BROWN CREEPER.

in the manner of the American Mocking-Thrush :-.
feeds on insects and the sweet juices of flowers :
often seen with the forehead of a reddish or pur-
plish hue, which is said to be occasioned by ha-
bitually thrusting the bill into the tubes of flowers
which have a red or purplish farina : the tongue in
this species, as in many others, is penicilliform, or
brush-shaped at the tip. The native name of the
bird is said to be Neghobarra.

BROWN CREEPER.

Certhia fusca. C. fusca marginibus pennarum subferrugineis, sub-

tus albofuscoque transveisim undulata.
Brown Creeper, with the edges of the feathers subferruginous;

beneath undulated with brown and white.
Certhia fusca. C. fusca, collo lateribus albido vario, jugulo pc6~

toreque albo-fasciatis. Lath. ind. orn.
Brown Creeper. Lath. syn.
L'Heoro-Taire brun. Vidl. Certh. pi. 6,5.

HABIT considerably similar to that of the Com-
mon European Creeper, but the size considerably
larger, measuring about seven inches in length :
colour deepish brown above, the coverts and quill-
feathers edged with pale ferruginous : sides of the
head slightly streaked or mottled with white:
under parts white, transversely barred or streaked
with brown : vent pale brown : bill rather slender,
and dull yellow with blackish tip : legs brown :
native of some of the South-Sea islands.

239

BLACK-CHINNED CREEPER.

Certhia Cocinsinica. C. viridis, subtus ccerulesccnst gula mart*

"nigraflaco cinctatfoemin(K ccerulea.
Green Creeper, blueish beneath, with the throat of the male

black edged with yellow, of the female blue.
Turdus Cochinsinensis. T. viridis , loris gulaque nigris, sub gula

lunula latajlava, ad basin rostri utrinquc macula ccendea. Lath.

ind. orn.

Le Verdin de la Cochinchine. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 643.
Black-chinned Thrush. Lath. syn.
Le Verdin, Viell. Certh. pi. 77- 78.
Turdus Malabaricus ? Malabar Thrush ? Lath.

LENGTH near six inches : colour a fine green,
inclining to blue on the under parts: throat black,
bordered with a yellowish cast, and from the cor-
ners of the bill on each side springs a lilac-co-
loured streak along the upper part of the black
throat : the insides of the quill and tail-feathers*
are dusky : the smaller coverts blue : the bill and
legs black : the tongue the length of the bill, and
probably, in the living bird, extensile; ciliated at
the tip, as in most of the Creepers, to which genus
it more properly belongs than to that of Thrush,
in which it is placed by modern ornithologists^
Native of India. The female, according to Viellot,
differs in being of a somewhat paler and bluer cast
than the male, and in having the throat entirely
blue, but edged with a tinge of yellow, as in the
irtale.

240

fcLACK-CAPPED CREEPER.

Certhia Spiza. C. viridis, corporc subtus, alls, caudaque cyaneo

tinctis, vertice genisque nigris.
Green Creeper, withthe under parts, wings and tail tinged with

blue, and black crown and cheeks.
Green black- capped Flycatcher. Edw. pi. 25.
Blue-headed green Flycatcher. Edw. pi. 25.
Certhia Spiza. C. viridis, capite remigibusque nigricantibus. Lin.

Syst. Nat.

Avis Americana altera. Seb. 2. t. 3.f. 4.
Guit-guit vert et bleu a tete noire. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 578.

/. 1. 2. ef 6S2./. 1.2.
Black-headed Creeper. Lath. syn.
Le Guit-guit vert. Viell. Certh. pi. 47. 48. 49.

TOTAL length somewhat more than five inches :
crown of the head deep black, descending in a
pointed direction to some distance below the eyes :
remainder of the bird, except on the wings and
tail, which are deep brown, fine green, lighter or
of a bright apple-green on the neck and back, and
of a deep blueish green on the other parts: bill
moderately strong, and of a yellow colour : legs
lead-colour : the edges of the feathers, both on the
wings and tail, are green, giving a cast of that
colour when the wings are closed.

Monsr. Viellot observes that the bird in the
state above-described, which is by far the most
general one, ought to be considered as the species,
and that those in which the whole head is black
should be considered as constituting a variety;
instead of which, the generality of authors have

BLUE-HEADED CREEPER. 241

described the black-headed kind, which seems to
be unknown except from its figure in Seba, as the
genuine species. It differs in having, as the name
imports, the whole head of a black colour, the
plumage of a fine deep green, with the breast,
belly, and tail-coverts blue.

The female of the Black-Capped Creeper is the
bird described by Edwards under the name of the
All-Green Creeper: it is of a fair green colour,
paler beneath, with the wings and tail brownish.

The young or unadvanced stage of the male
bird differs in having the green slightly spotted or
patched here and there with blueish plumes,
while the forehead alone is black, and the wings
and tail dusky with green edges, as in the full
state of the plumage.

The Black-Capped Creeper is a South-Ame-
rican species, and is principally found in Brasil.

VAR. ?
BLUE-HEADED CREEPER.

This bird is described by Edwards, and differs
from the rest in having the whole upper part of the
head blue, the throat white, and the smaller wing-
coverts blue. It is a native of Surinam and
Brasil.

V. VIII. F.I, 16

242

GREY-HEADED CREEPER.

Certhia Seniculus. C. olivacea subtus Jlava, vertice griseo, genis

nigris.
Olive Creeper, yellow beneath, with grey crown, and black

cheeks.
Le Guit-guit a tete grise. Viell. Certh. pi. 50.

SIZE of the Black-Capped Creeper, or rather a
trifle larger : colour olive above, bright yellow
beneath: crown of the head grey: beginning of the
forehead, and cheeks black, imbedding the eyes :
bill brown : legs dull yellow. . Native of Cayenne.

GRACULTNE CREEPER.

Certhia graculina. C. olivacea subtus alba, Venice nigro fascia

transversa alba, orbitis nudisjlavis.
Olive Creeper, white beneath, with black crown marked by a

transverse white bar, and naked blue orbits.
Le Heoro-taire gracule. Viell. Certh. pi. 87.

A LARGE species, measuring twelve or thirteen
inches in length : colour above rufous brown, ex-
cept on the crown of the head, which is black: but
from the corners of the mouth on each side pro-
ceeds a naked yellow skin, surrounding the eyes,
and from the upper part of this passes a narrow
white bar across the top of the head, forming a
crescent with the points towards the bill : the
whole under parts are white : the bill yellow at

GORUCK CREEPER. 243

the base, and black at the tip: the legs grey.
Native of New Holland, where it is said to feed on
bees and other -insects; to have a sharp and often
repeated cry, and to hop on the ground in the
manner of a Magpie. In another individual the
throat and breast were lead-coloured, and the skin
surrounding the eyes blue: perhaps a sexual dif-
ference.

GORUCK CREEPER.

Certhia Goruck. C. olivacea pennis albo marginatis, alis ferru*

gineis, cauda apice alba.
Olive Creeper, with white-edged feathers, ferruginous wings,

and tail tipped with white.
Le Go-ruck. Viell. Certh. pi. 88.

SIZE of aThrush: length twelve or thirteen inches :
habit rather slender: colour dark olive, the fea-
thers edged with white : wings rufous-brown, the
secondary feathers having a violaceous cast: tail
dark or blackish green, slightly tipped with white :
bill black : tongue pencilled -y legs greenish : from
the bill across the eyes a reddish naked stripe.
Native of New Holland, where it is said to be very
common towards the sea coast, and to be of a
restless and bold disposition, feeding on insects,
honey, &c. often pursuing and putting to flight
whole droves of Blue-Bellied Parrakeets.

244

BLUEISH-BREASTED CREEPER.

Certhia diluta. C. subfusca subtus alba, capitejlavescente, pectorc

caudaque subtus ccerulescentibus.
Brownish Creeper, white beneath, with yellowish head, blueish

breast, and tail blueish beneath. •
L'Heoro-taire bleu. Viell. Certh. pi. 83.
Certhia cserulea. Caerulean Creeper? Lath, suppl. 2.

SIZE of a Nightingale: length about five inches:
colour on the crown of the head and whole upper
parts pale brown : under parts white, but the
cheeks tinged with yellow ; the breast with pale
blue, and the under surface of the tail blue : bill
black : tongue divided and pencilled at the tip :
legs yellowish brown. Native of New Holland :
described and figured by Mons. Viellot, from a
drawing communicated by Mr. Francillon.

SPOT-EARED CREEPER.

Certhia Xanthotis. C. griseo-fusca subtus alba, remigum margine

maeulaque auricularijiams.
Grey-brown Creeper, with the edges of the quill-feathers and

spot at the ears yellow.
L'Heoro-taire gris. Viell. Certh.pl. 84.
Certhia chrysotis. Yellow-eared Creeper. Lath, suppl. 2.

SIZE a trifle larger than that of the Blueish-
Breasted Creeper : colour of the upper parts grey-
brown; of the under white: behind each ear a

MELLIVOROUS CREEPER. 245

somewhat semilunar yellow spot, with a small
black speck between it and the eyes : quill and
tail-feathers edged with bright yellow : bill black,
and moderately stout: tongue strongly pencilled
at the tip: legs dusky. Native of New Holland.
The female differs in wanting the black speck on
each side the head; in having the breast of a dull
grey, and the wing and tail-feathers edged with
olive-green ; the latter tipped with whitish grey.
Described by Monsr. Viellot from a drawing com-
municated by Mr. Francillon.

MELL1VOKOUS CREEPER.

Certhia mellivora. C. olivaceo-ferruginea subtus albat genis fas-
ciaqtte utrinque colli descendente nigris, remigibus marginejlaves-
centibus.

Olivaceo-ferruginous Creeper, white beneath, with black cheeks
and descending stripe on each side the neck, and yellowish-
edged quill-feathers.

L'Heoro-taire mellivore. Viell. Certh. pi. 86.

Black-Eyed Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

LENGTH about seven inches: crown of the head
and whole upper parts rufous brown, the wings
and tail darker, and the quill-feathers slightly
edged with yellow : whole under parts white : on
each side the head an oval black patch, including
the eyes; and on each side the neck a descending
black stripe, curving a little forwards across the
lower part of the neck, but not meeting in front :
bill black and slender : tongue pencilled at the tip :

246 STRAIT-BILLED CREEPER.

legs yellowish. Native of New Holland : com-
municated to Monsr. Viellot by Mr. Francillon.

STRAIT-BILLED CREEPER.

Certhia rectirostris. C. aureo-viridis, subtus flavescens, remigibits

caudanuefuscis, pectore rubente ?
Gold-green Creeper, yellowish beneath, with brown quill-feathers

and tail, and reddish ? breast.
Le Soui -manga a bee droit. Viell. Certh. pi. ?5.

LENGTH about three inches and a half: habit
similar to that of the Collared Creeper, but the
bill nearly strait, or but very slightly bent: colour
on the upper parts bronzed green, except the quill
and tail-feathers, which are brown : throat olive-
yellow : breast dusky : belly ash-colour : beneath
the wings a yellow tuft: bill and legs black. Na-
tive region unknown. There seems to be a mis-
take either in the colouring or description of
Monsr. Viellot's figure of this bird, since, in his
character prefixed to the plate, he tells us the
breast is of a pale carmine-colour; but no such
appearance takes place in the figure, where that
part is represented of a dusky brown.

247

LEONA CREEPER.

» •
Certhia venusta. C. aureo-viridis, alls fusds, fronts mento pcc-

toreque violaceis, gutture vropygioque cceruleis, abdominejlaves-

cente.
Green-gold Creeper, with brown wings, violet forehead, chin, and

breast, and yellowish abdomen.
Certhia venusta. C. viridi-aurea,fronte mento fasciaque pectorali

violaceis, alisfuscis, abdomine jlavo. Viv. Nat. vol. 10.
Le Soui-manga de Sierra Leoua, ou le Quinticolor. Viell. Certh.

pi. 79-
Band-breasted Creeper. Viell. Ctrth. pi. 79.

THIS species was, I believe, first described by
myself in the Naturalist's Miscellany. It is re-
ceived into the work of Monsr. Viellot; but in
the description annexed to the engraving in that
elegant publication a mistake seems to have been
made in the colour of the belly, which, instead of
pale yellow, is there stated to be rufous. The
length of the bird is about three inches and three
quarters, and its colours as stated in the specific
character: the bill and legs are black.

248

BLACK AND YELLOW CREEPER.

Certhia flaveola. C. nigricans, subtus lutea gutture cano, super-
ciliis macula alari apicibusque rectricwn extimarum albis.

Blackish Creeper, yellow beneath, with grey throat, with the
brows, wing-spot, and tips of the exterior tail-feathers white.

Certhia flaveola. C. nigra, subtus lutea, superciliis exalbidis, rec-
tricibus extimis apice albis. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Black and yellow Creeper. Edw. pi. 122. Lath. syn.

Yellow-bellied Creeper. Edw. pi. 362. Lath. syn.

Certhia Bahamensis. Briss. av.

Le Sucrier. Euf. ois. Viell. Certh. pi 5 1 .

THE male of this species, which is about the
size of a Wren, has the head, upper part of the
neck, back, wings, and tail blackish brown : the
throat pale ash-colour, and the remainder of the
under parts bright yellow, paler towards the vent:
over each eye is a lengthened white stripe; a white
spot appears at the edge of the wings, and two
exterior tail-feathers are tipped with white : the
bill and legs are black. In the female the upper
parts are cinereous brown, and the under parts
pale yellow. Native of the Antilles, and of some
parts of South-America, feeding on insects and
the juice of flowers, and building in shady situa-
tions near water, forming its nest on the ex-
tremities of the branches of climbers attached to
tall trees; interlacing them in such a manner as to
suspend securely the nest, which is egg-shaped,
formed of grasses and mosses, and lined with
downy substances: the entrance is at the bottom,

RED-RUMPED CHEEPER. 249

facing the water, and is divided internally into
two parts, one forming the entrance or passage,
and the other the receptacle for the young.

This species admits of some variety as to colour
in different regions, and is in some parts, as in
Jamaica for instance, of a black rather than a
brown colour.

RED-RUMPED CREEPER.

Certhia crythropygia. C.fusca, sullus albiJa, uropygio strigisque

maxillaribus rubris. Lath. ind. orn. suppl.
Brown Creeper, whitish beneath, with red rump and maxillary

streaks.
Red-rumped Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

DESCRIBED by Dr. Latham from a drawing:
size uncertain: bill and legs black: tongue bristly:
plumage on the upper part of the body pale
brown ^ beneath dusky white : rump crimson : on
each side of the jaws three or four crimson streaks:
outer part of the quills and tail dusky; some of the
outer feathers of the last pale or nearly white at
the end. Native of New Holland, and said to be
a very rare species.

250

RED-BACKED CREEPER.

Certhia erythronotos. C. coccinea, sultus alba, lateribus colli alls,

caudaque nigris.
Scarlet Creeper, white beneath, with the sides of the neck, wings,

and tail black.
Certhia erythronotos. C. coccinea, subtus rufo-alba, lateribus colli

fascia nigra, tectricibus alarum atroviridibus, remigibus caudaque

nigris. Lath. ind. orn.
Red -backed Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.
Certhia cruentata? C. mgro-c<zrulescens> subtus alba, vertice

cermce dorso uropygioque rubris. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Black, white and red Indian Creeper. Edw.pl. 81.
Red-Spotted Creeper. Lath, synops.

THE general length of this species seems to be
about three inches and a half: the upper part of
the head, from the beginning of the bill, is bright
scarlet or crimson, and this colour is continued
down the whole length of the back and tail-coverts,
thus forming a very broad uninterrupted crimson
stripe along the whole uoper part of the bird : the
sides of the neck, from the bill to the shoulders, are
black : the whole wings and tail are also of the
same colour : the under parts, from bill to vent,
white, but tinged with brown on the abdomen:
the bill and legs black. Native of India, China,
&c.

,r 3t

-femde

MALL CTKESTJED CBEEFEB »

male

251

VAR.?
RED-SPOTTED CREEPER.

It is hardly possible to suppose that this bird
can be any thing more than a mere variety of the
immediately preceding; from which it differs in
the disposition of the red colour, which, instead
of forming an uninterrupted longitudinal band,
is distributed into four broad, distant patches
or spots, viz. one on the crown of the head, an-
other on the back of the neck, a third on the mid-
dle of the back, and the fourth on the tail-coverts :
the black in this variety is glossed with blue, as in
the former bird, and the whole under parts are
white. The specimen described by Edwards was
received from Bengal.

CARDINAL CREEPER.

Certhia Cardinalis. C. coccinea, alis, caudaque nigns.

Scarlet Creeper, with black wings and tail.

Certhia Cardinalis. C. nigra, capite collo pectore mttaque dorsi

longitudiuali rubris. Lat/i.'ind. orn.
Certhia Cardinalis. C. nigra, capite, collo, pectore, et linea per

medium dorsi longitudinem rubris, cauda cequali. Lin. Syst.

Nat. Gmel. Viellot. Certh. t. 54. 58.

FEM.

Scarlet Creeper. Lath, synops.

Certhia rubra. C. rubra, alls caudaque nigris, crisso albo. Lin.

Syst. Nat. Gmel.
Certhia Cardinalis. C. ruberrima, alls caudaque nigris, abdomine

albido. Vivar. Nat. vol. 3. t. 102.
Carmine-red Creeper with black wings and tail, and whitish

belly. Nat. Misc. vol. 3. pi. 102. VidL Certh. pi. 36.

So extremely similar to the immediately pre-
ceding birds as to make it doubtful whether it can
really be specifically different, though some spe-
cimens, and especially that first described by Dr.
Latham, are rather larger : colour bright scarlet,
except on the wings and tail, which are black ;
and in some the abdomen is of a dusky black: the
lores or spaces between the bill and eyes are also
black; and the bill and legs are of similar colour.
Native of the smaller South-Sea islands, and par-
ticularly of the island Tanna, where it is said to
feed in the manner of a Humming-Bird, by suck-
ing the nectar of flowers.

SMALL CRESTED CREEPER. 253

The Scarlet-Creeper of D . Latham seems to be
the female of this species, and differs in having the
abdomen whitish. It is figured in the third volume
of the Naturalist's Miscellany, as well as in the
splendid publication of Monsr. Viellot.

SMALL CRESTED CREEPER.

Certhia guttata. C. grisea, nigro maculata, dorso rubro, verticc

subcristato caudaque nigris.
Grey Creeper, spotted with black, with red back, slightly crested

black crown, and black tail.

A New Holland Creeper. Naturalist's Pocket-Book 1790.pl. 12.
L'Heoro-taire mouchete. ViclL Certh. pi. 5Q.
Certhia dibapha. ? C. coccineo-rubra, abdomine albo, maculis dorsi

pectoris per oculos alls caudaque nigris. Lath. ind. orn. suppl.
Cochineal Creeper. ? Lath. Suppl. 2.

SIZE similar to that of the Red-Backed and
Cardinal Creepers : crown of the head black, and
crested, the feathers being somewhat lengthened :
upper part of the back crimson; lower part, wing-
coverts, and rump whitish grey, marked with
several oblong brown or blackish spots : on the
middle of the back, on the red part, a somewhat
crescent-shaped transverse black spot : quill-fea-
thers black, with grey or whitish edges : tail black :
whole under parts white: bill and legs black. This
is a beautiful little bird, but since it appears to
have been hitherto only known from drawings, I
have some doubt of its constituting a species truly
distinct from the small red kinds before described,

254 ORANGE-BACKED CREEPER.

of which it is not very improbable that it may be
a young or unadvanced bird, in its first year's
plumage: yet the crested appearance of the head
and some other particulars are against this sup-
position. Native of New Holland.

VAR. ?
COCHINEAL CREEPER.

Size of the preceding: general colour crimson,
but the under parts from the breast white : on the
red part of the breast six black spots : on the be-
ginning of the back a large black spot ; a second
below it, and some smaller ones on the rump :
from the bill, through the eyes, a black streak:
wjngs and tail black, the latter very short: bill
black; legs brown. Native of New Holland.

ORANGE-BACKED CREEPER.

Certhia cautillans. C. ccerulescente-grisea, dorso supremo macula

corporeque subtusjla-co. Lath. ind. orn.
Blue-grey Creeper, with the breast, belly, and a spot on the upper

part of the back orange-yellow.
Orange-backed Creeper. Lath, suppl.
Le Grimpereau siffleur de la Chine. Sonn. Ind. 2. p. 210.

pi. 117-

SIZE of the Red-backed Creeper: described by
Dr. Latham from Sonnerat. Native of China.

SHEE

255

GREEN-FACED CREEPER.

Certhia gutturalis. C. fusca, humeris violaceis, front e rindi, gut-

ture purpureo.
Brown Creeper, with violet shoulders, green front, and -purple

throat.
Certhia gutturalis. C. nigricans, gutture viridi-mtente, pectore

purpureo. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Grimpereau noirastre du Bresil. Bfiss. orn. 3. p. 659. pi. 23. f. 3.
Grinipereau brim du Bresil. PI. Enl. 57 8. f. 3.
Green-faced Creeper. Lath. Syn.

SIZE nearly that of a Linnet : front, to some
distance round the bill, green-gold: fore part of
the neck bright purple : smaller wing-coverts
violet: general colour of the bird dark brown.
Native, according to Brisson, of Brasil. This
species seems allied to the A met hyst- Throated
Creeper, described by Viellot, and figured at pi. 5
of his work on this genus. Viellot however de-
scribes his bird as a native of the Cape of Good
Hope.

256

CAYENNE CREEPER.

Certhia Cayana. C. viridis, subfus albida coeruleo-punctata gut-

(ureferrugineo, stria utrinque ccerulea.
Green Creeper, whitish beneath and speckled with blue, with

ferruginous throat marked by a blue stripe on each side.
Certhia Cayana. C. viridis nitida, subtus albo striata, rectricibus

viridibus, lateralibus interim nigricantibus, Lin. Syst. Nat.
Cayenne Creeper. Lath. syn.
Le Guit-guit vert tachete. Buff", ois.
Grimpereau verd tachete de Cayenne. PL Enl. 682. /. 2.

SIZE of the Common Creeper, but measuring
scarcely more than four inches in length: colour
above fine palish green, beneath white speckled
with blue: throat rufous, with a narrow longi-
tudinal blue stripe on each side: wing and tail-
feathers dusky with greenish edges. The female
wants the rufous throat, and is of paler colour
than the male. Native of Cayenne.

257

BLACK AND VIOLET CREEPER.

Certhia Brasiliana. C. nigra, vertice viridi-aureo, juguto tectri-
cibus alarum minoribus uropygioque violaceis, pectore castaneo.
Lath. ind. orn.

Black Creeper, with gold-green crown, violet throat, shoulders,
and rump, and chcsnut breast.

Black and violet Creeper. Lath. syn.

Le Guit-guit noir et violet. Buff. ois.

A SMALL species, measuring about three inches
and a half in length : sides of the head, hind part
of the neck, back, and scapulars fine velvet-black:
throat, rump, and shoulders bright violet : breast
purplish chesnut : belly, wings, and tail black, the
last edged with violet. Native of Brasil.

BLUE-THROATED CREEPER.

Certhia cyanogastra. C. viridis, subtus cceruka, lateribus colli
vitta Iu?tgitudinali jlavescente, remigibus rectricibusquc nigris.
Lath. ind. orn.

Green Creeper, blue beneath, with a longitudinal yellow stripe
on each side the neck, and black wing and tail-feathers.

Blue-throated Creeper. Lath. syn.

SIZE of a Wren: bill nearly an inch long,
curved, and black: colours as mentioned in the
specific character. Described by Dr. Latham
from a specimen in the collection of the Duchess
of Portland. Native of Cayenne.

v. vin. P.I. 17

258

SUGAR CREEPER.

Certhia saccharina. C. violaceo-ccerulea, remigibus caudaque wi-

gricantibus.

Violaceous-blue Creeper, with blackish wings and tail.
Certhia Asiatics. C. saturate coerulea, alls fuscis, rostro pedi-

busque atris. Lath. ind. orn.
Certhia Mahrattensis. C. violaceo-purpurea, remigibus rectrici-

busque exterioribus nigricantibus, Jasdculo subaxillari flaw.

Lath. ind. orn. suppl.
Marhatta Creeper. Lath. Syn. suppl. 2.
Sugar Creeper. Lath. Syn. suppl. 2.

LENGTH about four inches: on each side the
breast, under each wing, a tuft of yellow plumes.
Native of India, inhabiting the Marhatta country.

BLUE-FACED CREEPER.

Certhia frontalis. C. obscura, capistro gula uropygioquc ccerukis.

Dusky Creeper, with blue face, throat, and rump.

Certhia frontalis. C. obscura, vertice dor&oque fusccscentibus,

gula uropygioque cxruleis. Lath. ind. orn. suppl.
Blue-faced Creeper. Lath, suppl. 2. addit.

LENGTH five inches: plumage dusky, nearly
black on the under parts: face all round the bill,
chin, and rump fine blue. Native of Africa.

259

BLACK-FRONTED CREEPER.

Certhia nigrifrons. C. viridis, subtusjtava,fronte genisque nigris.

Lath. ind. orn. suppl.

Green Creeper, yellow beneath, with black front and cheeks.
Black-fronted Creeper. Lath. &yn. suppl. 2.

COLOURS as in the specific character : tail cunei-
form. Native region unknown. Described by
Dr. Latham from a specimen in the Leverian Mu-
seum : size not particularized.

BOURBON CREEPER.

Certhia Borbonica. C. viridi-fusca, subtus grisea, lateribus rufisf

uropygiujlavo. Lath. ind. orn.
Greenish-brown Creeper, grey beneath, with rufous sides, and

yellow rump.

Yellow-rumped Creeper. ^ Lath. syn.
Le Soui-manga de 1'isle de Bourbon. Buff.ois. Pl.Enl.6&l.

/•*•

LENGTH about five inches: quills and tail black-
ish : supposed by Buffon to be either a female or
a young bird, and that it is most allied to his
Soui-manga marron pourpre et violet. , Native of
the Isle of Bourbon.

260

GREYISH CREEPER,

Certhia incana. C. subfusca, collo remigib usque canescentibus.

Lath. Ind. orn.
Brownish Creeper, with greyish neck and wings.

SIZE small. Native of New Caledonia.

DIRIGANG CREEPER.

Certhia leucophzea. C. olivaceo-fusca subtus albida, vertice nigro

transversim lineato, pone oculos macula flava. Lath. ind. orn.

suppl.
Olivaceous-brown Creeper, whitish beneath, with the crown

marked by transverse black lines, and a yellow spot behind the

eyes.
Dirigang Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

SIZE somewhat larger than that of the Common
Creeper : plumage greenish brown above, pale or
whitish beneath: on the forehead and crown a few
short transverse black lines : beneath each eye a
yellow spot, and behind it a reddish one: native of
New Holland, where it is called by tire name of
Dirigang.

261

CHIRPING CREEPER.

Certhia pipilans. C. fusco-mresccns subtus fiavicans, femoribus
albo fuscoque fasciatis, remigibus rectricibusquc fuscis. Lath,
ind. orn. suppt.

Greenish-brown Creeper, yellowish beneath, with brown wings
and tail, and thighs barred with brown and white.

Chirping Creeper. Lath, suppl. 2.

SIZE of a Nightingale: bill slender and black:
irides blue: legs brown. Native of New Holland.

HOARY CREEPER.

Certhia canescens. C. griseo-cinerea subtvs rufo-alba, pcctort
roseo-purpurascente, remigibus rectricibusque obscuris. Lath*
ind. orn. suppl.

Slate-coloured Creeper, rufous-white beneath, with rose-purplish
breast, and dusky wings and tail.

Hoary Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

LENGTH eight inches : bill stout and black :
quills and tail dusky, with a few white markings on
the wing-coverts. Native of New Holland.

262

BLACK-HEADED CREEPER.

Certhia atricapilla. C.fusco-viridis subtus albida, vcrticc gfnisqve

nigris. Lath. ind. orn. suppl.
Greenish-brown Creeper, whitish beneath, with black crown and

cheeks.
Black-headed Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2. .

LENGTH six inches: bill dusky: wings and tail
brownish with paler edges. Native of New Hol-
land.

FLY-CATCHING CREEPER.

Certhia pyrrhoptera. C. cinerea subtus alba, macula auriumfuka
subtus nigrat remigibus media rectricibusque cxterioribus Jlavis.
Lath. ind. orn. suppl.

Cinereous Creeper, white beneath, with a fulvous ear-spot black
beneath, wings yellow on the middle, and tail on the outside.

Yellow-winged Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2,

LENGTH seven inches : wings in some specimens
yellow in the middle, in others pale ferruginous ;
perhaps owing to the difference of sex : native of
New Holland, where it is constantly observed in
the act of catching flies. It is for this reason that
I have altered Dr. Latham's trivial name of yellow-
winged, applied to this species, and which must
have been given through oversight; a species of
similar name occurring in the first supplement to
the General Synopsis.

263

AGILE CREEPER.

Certhia agilis. C.fusca suit us alba, vcrticc nucha colloque supra

nigris. Lath. ind. orn. suppl.
Brown Creeper, white beneath, with the crown, nape, and upper

part of neck black.
Agile Creeper. Lath. syn. svppl. 2.

LENGTH six inches : an active species, feeding
chiefly on insects and the juices of flowers. Native
of New Holland.

PEREGRINE CREEPER.

Certhia peregrina. C. olivacea subtus Jlava, fascia alarum Ufida
pallida, cauda subfoifoata, rectricibus duabus exterioribus apice
intus a/bis. Lath. ind. orn.

Olive Creeper, yellow beneath, with a pale bifid bar on the wings,
and slightly forked tail with the tips of the two exterior fea-
thers white on the inside*

A MIDDLE-SIZED species, described by Dr.
Latham from a specimen in the Leverian Museum:
wings and tail inclining to dusky : female similar
to the male, but of paler plumage. Native region
uncertain.

264

IGNOBLE CREEPER.

Certhia ignobilis. C. supra fuliginoso-nigra, subtus cinerca line-
olis ellipticis albidis. Lath. ind. orn. Sparm. Mus. Carls. 3.
t. 56.

Creeper of a fuliginous-black colour above, and cinereous beneath
with small whitish elliptic lines.

Ignoble Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

SIZE of a starling. Native country unknown :
described from Sparmann's Museum Carlsoni-
anum.

UNDULATED CREEPER.

Certhia undulata. C. supra cinereo-fuliginosa, subtus alba nigro
trunsversim undulata. Lath. ind. orn. Sparm. Mus. Carls. 2.
#.34.

Cinereo-fuliginous Creeper, white beneath with transverse black
undulations.

Undulated Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

LENGTH about seven inches: native country
unknown. Described from the Museum Carlso-
nianum.

265

GULAR CREEPER.

Certhia gularis. C. supra cinereo-olivacea, subtus htea, gula
jugulo pectorisque parte superiore sericeo-cucruleis. Lath. ind.
orn. Sparm. Mus. Carls. 4. t. 79.

Olivaceo-cinereous Creeper, luteous beneath, with glossy-blue
throat.

Blue-throated Creeper. Lath. syn. svppl. 2.

FROM the Museum Carlsonianum : bill black ;
lower edges and tips of the outside wing-feathers
whitish : tail black. Native of Martinico.

WREN CREEPER.

Certhia trochilea. C. supra fusco-olivacca, subtus ex Jlavescenfc
sordide albida, cauda nigra, alis fuliginosis. Lath. ind. orn.
Sparm. Mus. Carls. 4. t. 80.

Olivaceous-brown Creeper, beneath dull yellowish white, with
black tail, and fuliginous wings.

Wren Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

SIZE of the Motacilla Trochilus or Willow
Wren. Native of America.

THE following species of this very extensive
genus seem to be but obscurely known, and are, in
general, described either from drawings, or from
the slight accounts and figures which occur in the
work of Seba, &c. and which, perhaps, may not,
in all instances, have been given with sufficient

266 SEBAN CREEPER.

accuracy. Much allowance must therefore be

made for specific characters drawn from such
sources.

SEBAN CREEPER.

Certhia Sebana. C. castaneo-purpurea, vertice rubro, gutture

viridi, remigihus cnudaque subcyaneis.
Chesnut-purple Creeper, with red crown, green throat, and

dusky-blueish wings and tail.
Certhia coccinea. C. rubra, pileo dilutiore, gula juguloque viri-

dibus, remigibus apice ccerulescentibus. Lath. ind. orn.
Avicula Mexicana, seii Hoitzillin. Seb. 1. p. 70. t. 42. f. 6.
Trochilus coccineus. Lin. Syst. Nat. ed. 6.
Red Creeper. Lath. syn.
Var.??? Avicula de Tatac ex Nova Hispania. Seb. 2. p. 74.

t. 70. f. 8.

LENGTH about four inches and a half: said to
be a native of Mexico.

The bird figured at No. 8 of pi. 70 in the second
volume of Seba is by Brisson and others considered
as a variety of the preceding, to which however it
does not appear to be greatly allied. Its colour
is reddish-chesnut, with the crown of the head
black, and the shoulders yellow.

26?

PORPHYR1AN CREEPER.

Certhia porphyriaca. C. violacea, lunula subcollari humerisque

Jla-vis.
Violet Creeper, with yellow shoulders and collar beneath the

neck.

Certhia purpurea. C. corpore toto purpureo. Lath. ind. orn.
Avis Virginiana phoenicea, de Atototl dicta. Seb. 1. t. Jl.f, 7.
Purple Creeper. Lath. syn.

LENGTH about four inches and a half: colour
deep purple or violet, with a yellow crescent under
the neck, and yellow shoulders ; the latter pro-
bably no other than the yellow subaxillary plumes
ill represented. Said by Seba to be a native of
Virginia and to sing very sweetly.

MACASSAR CREEPER.

Certhia Macassar iensis. C. viridi-mtrta, lateribus corporis ob-

scurisj remigibus nigricantibus.
Green-gold Creeper, with the sides of the body dusky, and the

quill-feathers blackish.
Certhia Macassarieusis. C. viridi-aurata, subtus nigricante-ftisca.

Lath. ind. orn.

Macassar Creeper. Lath. syn.
Avis Tsioei indica orientalis. Seb. ] . p. 100. t. 63. f. 3.

FROM Seba's figure this should seem to be one
of the larger species. In its general appearance
and colours it much resembles the Certhia Jamosa

268 INDIAN CREEPER.

with the absence of the two long middle tail-fea-
thers. It seems to be erroneously mentioned by
Brisson and others as of the size of a Wren. It is
said by Seba to be a native of the East Indies.

INDIAN CREEPER.

Certhia Indica. C. cyanea, gula alba.

Blue Creeper, with white throat.

Certhia Indica. C. cxruleo-mtenS) collo inferiore albescente. Lath.

ind. orn.

Avis Colubri orientalis. Seb. 2. 1. 19. /. 2.
Indian Creeper. Lath. syn.

THIS, according to the figure in Seba's work,
has more the air of a Humming-Bird than a Creep-
er. Its total length, from the tip of the bill to
the end of the tail, is about four inches and a half,
of which the bill, which is blackish and but very
slightly curved, measures a full inch : the colour of
the whole bird is splendid deep blue, with white
throat, and the tongue is said to be bifid, like that
of a serpent.

269

AMBOYNA CREEPER.

Certhia Amboinensis. C. viridi-nitens, dorso griseo, alls nigri-

cantibust capite colloque Jltwis viridi-variis , pec tore rvbro.
Gold-green Creeper, with grey back, blackish wings, yellow head

and neck varied with green, and red breast.
Certhia Amboinensis. C. cinerco-grisea, subtus- viridis, capite

colloque Jlavis viridi marginatis, pectore rubro, alls nigris. Lath.

ind. orn.

Tsioei, vel Kakopit. Seb. 2. p. 62. t. 62. f. 2.
Amboina Creeper. Lath. syn.

A VERY small species, measuring scarcely three
inches in length. Said to inhabit Amboina.

FULVOUS CREEPER.

Certhia fulva. C.fuha, remigibus rectricibusque atris subtus fus-
ccscentibus. Lath. ind. orn. Maert. phys. arb. } . p. 76.

Fulvous Creeper, with black wing and tail-feathers brownish
beneath.

Fulvous Creeper. Lath. syn. svppl. 2.

SAID to be about the size of a Finch : length
rather more than five inches: native of South
America.

270

LONG-BILLED CREEPER.

Certhia longirostra. C. oUvaceo-nigricans, vertice nuchaque pal'
tide viridibns, jugulo pecloreque albis, abdo?ninejlavescente. Lath,
ind. orn.

Blackish-olive Creeper, with pale green crown and nape, white
throat and breast, and yellowish abdomen.

Long-billed Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.

TOTAL length five inches : bill an inch and half
long : tongue long and extensile. Native of Ben-
gal. Described by Dr. Latham from a drawing
in the possession of Lady Impey.

YELLOW-WINGED CREEPER.

C. chrysoptera. C. nigricante aureoque varia, tectricibus alarum

fluvis, remigibus caudaque nigris. Lath. ind. orn.
Variegated black and gold Creeper, with yellow wing-coverts,

and black quill and tail-feathers.
Yellow-winged Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.

SIZE small: bill and legs black: tongue extensile,
like that of a Humming-bird. Native of Bengal.
From Lady Impey's collection of drawings.

271

TUFTED CREEPER.

Certhia cirrhata. C. olivacca, abdomine caudaque nigris.

Olive Creeper, with black belly and tail.

Certhia cirrhata. C. olivacea, abdomine caudaque nigris, lateribus

pcctoris cirrhoflaro. Lath. ind. orn.
Tufted Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.

LENGTH four inches: bill black, and consider-
ably curved: head, neck, and back deep olive
with dusky undulations, owing to the edges of the
feathers, which are deeper than the middles : belly
and tail black : on each side the breast a tuft of
yellow plumes. Native of Bengal. From Lady
Impey's collection of drawings.

RED-BILLED CREEPER.

Certhia erythrorynchos. C. olivacea, corpore subtus albo, alis cau-
daque nigricantibus, rostro rubro. Lath. ind. orn.

Olive Creeper, with the body white beneath, the wings and tail
blackish, and the bill red.

Red-billed Creeper. Lath. syn. suppl.

SIZE small: length scarcely more than three
inches: breast and belly white: bill red tipped
with black : legs dusky. Native of India. From
Lady Impey's drawings.

TROCHILUS. HUMMING-BIRD.

Generic Character.

Rostrum capite longius,
subulate - filif orme, apice
subincrassato tubuloso :
mandibula superior vagi-
nans inferiorem.

Lingua filiformis, filis duo-
bus coalitis tubulosa.

Pedes graciles, breviusculi,

ambulatorii.
Cauda pennis decem.

Bill longer than the head,
cylindric, slender, with
slightly-thickened tip ; the
upper mandible sheathing
the lower.

Tongue filiform, extensile,
consisting of two con-
joined slips forming a
tube.

Legs slender, rather short :
feet formed for walking.

Tail consisting of ten fea-
thers.

JL HE brilliant and lively race of Humming-
Birds, so remarkable at once for their beautiful
colours and diminutive size, are the peculiar na-
tives of the American continent and adjoining
islands, and, with few exceptions, are principally
confined to the hotter regions. Their vivacity,
swiftness, and singular appearance unite in ren-

HUMMING-BIRD. 273

dering them the admiration of mankind; while
their colours are so radiant that it is not by com-
paring them with the analogous hues of other birds
that we are enabled to explain with propriety
their peculiar splendor, but by the more exalted
brilliancy of polished metals and precious stones;
the ruby, the garnet, the sapphire, the emerald,
the topaz, and polished gold being considered as
the most proper objects of elucidation.

It is not however to be imagined that all the
species of Humming-Birds are thus decorated :
some being even obscure in their colours, and,
instead of the prevailing splendor of the major
part of the genus, exhibiting only a faint appear-
ance of a golden-green tinge, diffused over the
brown or purplish colour of the back and wings.
The genus is of great extent, and, in order that
the species may with greater readiness be inves-
tigated, it has been found necessary to divide them
into two sections, viz. the curve-billed, and the
strait-billed. The exact limits of the two divisions
are however difficult to determine.

The mode of life in the Humming-Birds appears
to be uniform. They live by absorbing the sweet
juices of flowers, which they extract with their
tubular tongue, and though small insects are said
to have been, sometimes observed in their sto*
machs, yet this seems rather accidental than regu-
lar or natural.

A magnificent work has lately appeared on this
genus by Messieurs Viellot and Audebert, in
which a laudable attempt has been made to ex-

v, vui. r, j.

274 TOPAZ-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

hibit the splendor of the natural colours by means
of powder or shell-gold impressed on the plates.
It must be confessed that it has not succeeded in
all instances so completely as might be wished.
The work however is extremely valuable, not only
as containing good figures of the major part of
established species, but also of numerous varieties,
and is preceded by an elaborate and ingenious
disquisition relative to the structure of the feathers
and many other particulars.

With curbed Bills.

TOPAZ-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Pella. T. rubro-purpureus, capitk nigro, gula topazina,

rectricibus duabus mediis longmimis.
Purple-red Humming-Bird, with black head, topazine throat,

and two very long middle tail-feathers.'
Trochilus Pella. T. curmrostris ruber, rectricibm intermediis Ion-

gissimis, corpore rubro, capitc fmco, gula aurata, uropygioque

viridi. Lin. Syst. Nat.
Long-tailed red Humming-Bird. Edw.pl. 32.
Le Colibri topaze. Buff. ois. Viell. pi. 2. 3. PL Enl. 599.
Topaz Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS is beyond comparison the most brilliant of
all the curve-billed Humming-Birds, its magnitude
as well as colours giving it a decided superiority
to the rest. It is at least equal to a Wren in the
size of its body, but if measured from the tip of
the bill to the end of the two middle or long tail-
feathers, its extent is from eight to ten inches.

'.,:.-" ' , , .\,.vi :.\'C ;. ; •; •

rar.tlry.Fltrt Strrrt.

TOPAZ-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

The bill is moderately long, curved, and black :
the upper part of the head and neck are also of a
glossy black, sinking pretty suddenly, but not quite
abruptly, into a fine deep orange-purple colour,
which is diffused over the back and smaller wing-
coverts: the throat, to a considerable distance
down the neck, is of the most splendid topaz yel-
low, with the lustre of polished gold when exposed
to the light, and changing, when viewed in par-
ticular directions, to deep emerald green : this
large bed of topaz-colour is separated from the
breast and sides of the neck by a narrow bar or
line of black, beneath which the whole breast
and sides are of a deep, but shining purple rose-
colour, growing somewhat less intense as it passes
down the abdomen: the wings are of a purplish
brown; the rump of a bright grass-green, and the
tail orange-purple, except the two middle feathers,
which are purple brown, and exceed the rest by
about four inches: they are of a narrow shape, and
are slightly pointed at the tips : the thighs are very
thickly coated with white feathers, and the legs are
black. A slight variation in the plumage of this
bird is observable in different individuals, in some
of which the middle part of the tail is grass-green,
and the side feathers orange or chesnut with green
tips.

The female is very far inferior in point of bril-
liancy to the male, being of a dark coppery-green
colour, with a slightly-gilded rufous or copper-red
stripe down the throat; dusky wings; white thighs,
very thickly feathered; and ferruginous tail, with

276 PARADISE HUMMING-BIRD.

the two middle feathers dusky blueish-black, and
not exceeding the rest in length.

The Topaz-Throated Humming-Bird is a native
of several parts of South America, but is said to be
principally found in Surinam and Guiana, where it
is observed to frequent in preference the banks of
rivers and brooks, and this chiefly in the interior of
the country. Monsr. Sonnini informs us that he

has frequently seen these beautiful birds in con-
siderable numbers in the above situations, com-
monly perched on the lower branches of such trees
as grew on the banks of the stream, or such as
from decay had fallen into the water. During
their flight they skim the surface of the water in
the manner of Swallows.

PARADISE HUMMING-BIRD.
Trocliilus paradiseus. T. cristatus ruber, alls cceruleis, rectritibus

Crested red Humming-Bird, with blue wings, and two of the

tail-feathers very long.
Trocliilus paradiseus. T. curvirostris ruber, alis cceruleis, capite

cristato, rectricibus intcrmediis longissimis. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Lath. ind. orn.
Mellivora avis cristata, cum duabus pennis longis in cauda. Seb.

mm. 1. p. 97. t. 6l.f.4.
Paradise Humming-bird. Lath. ind. orn.

OUR whole knowledge of this species depends on
the description and figure given in the first volume
of Seba's Thesaurus, where it is described as of a
fine red colour, with blue wings, and a very large

PARADISE HUMMING-BIRD. 277

crest on the head, the feathers of which are con-
tinued downwards on each side, so as in some
degree to encircle the neck: these feathers are of
different lengths, and appear to be very numerous,
so as to form a full crest, somewhat resembling
that of a Hoopoe : two of the tail-feathers are of
great length, equalling that of the whole bird: the
bill is represented of a brown colour, and con-
siderably curved, and the legs pale brown. In the
description the tongue is expressly said to be bifid,
as in other Humming-Birds, and it is added that
this species is a native of New Spain. The bird
does not appear to be known to modern ornitho-
logists, and is given by Linnaeus from Brisson,
whose only authority is Seba. In the Linnsean
specific character the two long tail-feathers are
stated to be the two middle ones; but as the whole
depends on Seba's figure, this is a particular which
must rest uncertain, since no other feathers but
these are expressed in the engraving, and the ac-
companying description does not state whether
they are the two middle or exterior feathers. The
total length of the figure is about eight inches and
a half.

278

BLUE-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus cyanurus. T. viridis subtus cinereus, gula pectore nc-

tricibusque duabus mediis longissimis cceruleis.
Green Humming-bird, cinereous beneath, with the throat, breast,

and two very long middle tail-feathers blue.
Avis ex Nova Hispania Yayanquitototl dicta. Seb. 1 . p. 84.

MI*/.;,

Blue-tailed Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS also is given on the authority of Seba,
who informs us that the upper parts of the body
and wings are of an elegant green colour, deepest
on the back and smaller tail-feathers : the face and
throat are blue, and the two middle tail-feathers,
which far exceed the rest in length, are blue also :
the abdomen grey, and the bill and legs yellowish :
the bill is considerably curved, and the length of
the whole bird is, according to the figure, about
eight inches and a quarter. Native of New Spain.

TG BlHB

279

FORK-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus forficatus. T. viridi-aureus, vertice cceruleo, caudafor-

ficata aureo-cceruka, rectridbus duabus extcrioribus tongissimis.
Gold-green Humining-Bird, with blue crown and gold-blue

forked tail, with the two outer feathers very long.
Trochilus forficatus. T. curcirostris viridis, rectridbus lateralibits

longissimis, pileo rcctricibusque cccruleis. Lin. Syst. Nat. Lath.

ind. orn.

Long-tailed green Humming-Bird. Edw. pi. 33.
L'Oiseau-mouche a longue queue, &c. Buff. ois.
L'Oiseau-mouche a tete bleu. Viell. pi. 60.
Fork-tailed Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS elegant species, which appears to be ex-
tremely rare, seems to have been first described by
Edwards from a specimen received from Jamaica*
" The bill, says Edwards, is slender, strait *, pretty
long, and of a black colour: the crown of the
head is blue, or else the bird is mostly green : the
quills are of a dirty purplish colour, except three
green ones next the body: the coverts of the
wings are green : the lower belly and coverts under
the tail are white : the thighs dusky : the tail-
feathers are of the most shining beauty that can
be imagined, appearing sometimes of a shining
blue colour, and upon a little turn will change
greenish ; then again into a colour mixed with a
bright golden splendor : these feathers, forming a

* It is in reality but slightly curved, yet sufficiently so, even
according to Edwards's own figure, to justify its being placed in
the present section.

280 SCISSARS-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

very long and broad tail in proportion to the body,
are very firm and stiff, and not easily put in dis-
order : the feathers all over the body have some-
thing of a shining golden lustre, but nothing in
comparison with the beauty of the tail : the legs,
feet, and claws are black."

As the figure of Edwards is copied in the pre-
sent publication, it is unnecessary to add the de-
scription of the proportional gradation in point of
length in the tail-feathers. The British Museum
is possessed of a somewhat incomplete specimen
of this bird, in which however the remarkable lustre
of the tail-feathers still continues in undiminished
splendor. This specimen, in a somewhat different
attitude, is represented in the elegant work of
Messieurs Audebert and Viellot,

SCISSARS-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Furcifer. T. viridi-aureus alisfustis> gula alba, pectore

caudaque forficata viridi-catruleis nitentibus.
Green-gold Humming-Bird, with brown wings, white throat, and

glossy blue-green breast and forked tail.
JJeofleur a queue en ciseaux. Azara. Par,

LENGTH fiv7e inches and a third: bill black and
slightly curved: throat milk-white, each feather
marked by a small black spot : rest of the neck
and the breast of an enamel blue with glossy re-
flexions : tail changeable blue-green : crown of
the head brown ; cheeks, upper part of neck, rump,

BLACK-CAPPED HUMMING-BIRD. 281

belly, and wing-coverts green-gold : wings vio-
laceous brown. Native of Paraguay.

BLACK-CAPPED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Polytmus. T. viridis nitcns, vcrtice caudaque nigris,
alis fusco-vwlaceiSf rectricibus duabus exttrioribus longissimis.

Glossy-green Humming-Bird, with black crown and tail, violet-
brown wings, and two very long outer tail-feathers.

Trochilus Polytmus. T. cnrvirostris vircscens, rectricibus latcra-
libus longissimis, pileo rectricibusquefuscis. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Long-tailed black-cap Humming-Bird. Edw. pi. 34.

L'Oiseau-mouche a longue queue noire. Buff", ois.

Le Colibri a tete noire. Viell. pi. 67.

Black-capped Humming-Bird. Lath. syn»

A VERY elegant species, and of considerable
size, measuring about nine inches and a half in
total length, the two exterior tail-feathers extend-
ing far beyond the rest. " The bill, says Ed-
wards, is thicker at the basis than in most of this
kind; pretty long, ending in a point, a little
bowed downwards, of a yellow colour, with a black
point : the crown of the head and beginning of
the neck behind are of a black colour, with some-
thing of a blueish gloss : the throat, breast, and
belly are covered with green feathers inclining to
blue, of a firm substance, lying close and regular
like the scales of fishes, and of so fine a surface
that they reflect the light as doth burnished gold :
the feathers on the back are of a looser make, of a
yellower green, not having the bright lustre of the
breast : the wings are of a brownish purple, having,

282 GREAT HUMMING-BIRD.

in some lights, a brighter, blueish purple cast: the
ridge of the wing, from the shoulder a good way
down, is white : the tail is black or dusky, the
feathers increasing in length from the middlemost
to the outermost save one, which is about five
times longer than any of the rest : the two long
feathers are of a loose, soft texture, easily ruffled,
and flowing with the least breath of air; and what
is remarkable in the tail is, that these two fine
feathers are the outermost but one on each side,
having a lesser stiff feather under them, as well as
above, the better to support them, which is sin-
gular : the legs, feet, and claws are black."

This species is a native of South America, and
is also found in Jamaica. The female is said to
be greenish above, and white below ; the sides of
the neck varied with white and green, and the
tail destitute of the two long plumes so conspicuous
in that of the male;

GREAT HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus maximus. T. viridi-aureus, gula nivea, crisso ferru-
gineo, vertice remigibus caudaque ccerulescentibus. Lath. ind.
orn. suppl.

Green-gold Humming-Bird, with white throat, ferruginous vent,
and blue crown, quill and tail-feathers.

Trochilus maximus. Mus. Lesk» No. J6. t. 2.

Ekelberg's Humming-Bird. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

DESCRIBED in the Museum Leskianum : length
eight inches : the crown of the head, quill-feathers,

GREAT CAPE HUMMING-BIRD. 283

and tail blueish ; the hind part of the head, back,
breast, wing-coverts, and rump green gold: the
throat white: the vent rufous; the tail blackish,
and of a pointed shape, and the plumage of the
whole bird glossy. Native region unknown.

GREAT CAPE HUMMING-BI UD.

Troclrilus Capensis, T. curcirostris viridis, rectricibus intcrmedils
loiigis, tectricibus alarum cceruleis. Lath. ind. orn.

Green Humming-Bird, with long middle tail-feathers, and blue
wing-coverts.

Trochilus Capensis. Lin. mantiss. 1771. p. 525.

Ekclberg's Humming-Bird. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

DESCRIBED by a Mr. Ekelberg, on whose au-
thority it was admitted by Linnaeus into his Man-
tissa of the Systema Nature. Its size is said to be
that of a Swallow, and its colour gold-green, with
black quill-feathers and tail, of which the two mid-
dle feathers are thrice the length of the rest, which
are edged towards the base with a gloss of green,
and the vent-feathers are black with lucid blue
spots. Native, according to Mr. Ekelberg, of the
Cape of Good Hope, and perhaps may in reality
rather belong to the genus Certhia than to that of
Trochilus, which seems, in general, confined to the
regions of America and the West Indies. I am
even induced to suspect that the above supposed
Humming-Bird of Mr. Ekelberg may be nothing
more than the Certhia famosa of Linnaeus.

284

-SUPERCILIOUS HUMMING-BIRD.

Trocliilus superciliosus. T. aureo-fuscm subtus canus, rostr*

longo, superciliis rcctricibusque mediis elongatis a Ibis.
Gilded-brown Humming-Bird, grey beneath, with long bill,

white brows, and elongated middle tail-feathers white at the

tips.
Trocliilus superciliosus. T. curcirostris fuscus nitcns, rectrkibus

intermediis longis, abdomine subincarnato, superciliis albis. Lin.

Syst. Nat.

Le Brin-blanc. Buff. ois. Fifll.pl. 17. 18. 19.
Colibri a longue queue de Cayenne. Briss. orn. PI. Enl. 600«

/.3.
Supercilious Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS species is readily distinguished from all
others yet known by the great length of its bill,
and its strongly cuneated tail. The total length
of the bird is about seven inches: the bill near an
inch and three quarters: colour of the crown of the
head, and upper parts of the bird gilded olive; the
wings brown, and the tail gilded greenish-brown,
the side feathers tipped with pale rufous, and the
two middle feathers, which are an inch longer
than the rest, and of a sharpened form, white at
the extended tips : the under parts of the bird are
pale grey-brown, with a dusky stripe down the
throat and on each side the head, from the bill to
the eye, over which is a whitish streak. The
female differs in being of a pale rufous-grey be-
neath; in having a shorter bill in proportion, with
the lower mandible whitish, and the tail of the

ADMIRABLE HUMMING-BIRD. 285

usual shape, or but very slightly cuneiform, and
tipped with white. The young males are said to
resemble the grown birds, except in having the
lower mandible whitish, and the two middle tail-
feathers shorter in proportion. In this state the
young bird lias been described by Linnaeus and
others, according to Monsr. Viellot, under the
title of Trochilus Thaurnantias. This however may
be considered as very doubtful, the Trochilus Thau-
mantlas being remarkable for the splendor of its
plumage.

ADMIRABLE HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Thaumantias. T. viridi-aurew rcmigibus nigricantibus,

rectricibus albojimbriutis, extima exterius alba.
Gold-green Humming-Bird, with blackish quill-feathers, and

tail-feathers edged with white, the exterior one entirely white

on the outside.
Trochilus Thaumantias. T. curvirostris viridis nitens, rectricibus

cequalibus albofonbriatis, extima exterius alba. Lin. Syst. Nat..
Guanumbi sexta species. Marcgr. Bras. p. 197.
Polytmus. Le Colibri. Briss. av.
Le petit Colibri. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. GOO.f. 1.
Admirable Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

FIRST described by Marcgrave, whose account
is thus translated by Willughby. " The .whole
head, neck, back, and belly, and the beginning of
the wings are covered with feathers of an excel-
lent shining colour, consisting as it were of a mix-
ture of much gold, half fire-colour, and a little
green: in brief, shining like the sun: in the belly

286 ADMIRABLE HUMMING-BIRD.

are a few white feathers mixt : the legs are black :
the wings blackish: in the tail almost an inch and
half long, handsome and broad, consisting of some
feathers of the same rare colour with the rest
of the body, some of a mixt colour of green and
golden, and white about the edges, some half
white, half green, shining with golden, that is, on
one side the shaft white, on the other green."

This species seems to admit of much variation
as to the splendor of its colours : Dr. Latham de-
scribes his specimen in the following manner.
" This, I should think, is one of the smallest of the
crooked-billed Humming-Birds, being only two
inches ten lines in length : the bill is eleven lines
long, and the tail thirteen : the upper mandible
black, the lower white : the colour of the plumage
is wholly of a greenish violet, except the wings,
which are brown, and on the lower part of the
belly is a spot of white : the two middle tail-fea-
thers are of a bright green-gold, with a copper
gloss, and the others the same, but edged with
white, and the outer one is entirely white on the
outer web: legs and claws black."

This species is a native of Brasil and several
other regions of South America.

28?

BRIGHT-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

T. chrysobronchos. T. aurco-viridis, gula pectortque nitidissimis,

alis subfemtgineiSf rectricibus albo marginatis.
Gold-green Himiming-Bird, with very bright throat and breast,

subferruginous wings, and white-edged tail.
Le Vert-dore a queue blanche et vert. Viell. pi. 41.

THIS Monsr. Viellot considers as a species be-
fore undescribed: its total length is about five
inches, and its habit, according to Viellot's figure,
somewhat resembles that of the T. superciliosus,
though the bill is far shorter in proportion, and less
curved : the tail also is slightly rounded, the two
middle feathers hardly exceeding the rest in length :
the edge of the shoulders are white, and a small
white streak appears over the eye: the upper
mandible is black; the lower white with black
tip : the legs yellowish. Native of Guiana.

288

RED-BREASTED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus jugularis. T. Hindi- aureus fusco-cyaneo tine t us, guht
pecforeque sanguine is, abdomine nigricante, cauda cequali.

Gold-green Humoring-Bird, with a tinge of dusky blue, with
blood-red throat and breast, blackish abdomen, and even tail.

Trochilus jugularis. T. curvirostris ccerulescens, rectricibus cequa-
libus, collo subtus sanguineo. Lin. Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.

Red-breasted Humming-Bird. Edw.pl. iQQ.f. 1. Lath. syn.

1'rochilus granatinus. Lath. ind. orn. Garnet- throated Hum-
ming-Bird. Lath. syn.

Le Colibri a gorge carniin. Buff. ois.

Le Grenat. Bujf. ois. Viell. colibr. pi. 4.

Trochilus auratus. Lin. Gmel.

Certhia prasinoptera ? Sparm. Mus. Carls. Lath. ind. orn.

THIS species, which seems to vary a little in in-
tensity of colour as well as in size in different in-
dividuals, measures about four inches and a half in
length, and is of a deep green-gold colour on the
upper parts, and dusky or black beneath, except
on the throat, which, to a considerable distance
on each side and down the neck, is of a deep red
or garnet-colour: the quill-feathers of the wings
are dusky : the bill and legs black. " The bill,
says Edwards, is more bowed down than is com-
mon in this genus : the sides of the head, and the
throat, as far as the breast, are of a fine red or
carmine-colour ; the top of the head, upper side of
the neck, the belly, thighs, and tail are of a dusky
brown or black, mixed with a little fringing of
blue on the edges of the feathers ; the rump and

jffu.Jug.lLondaH,euJblu'fud by &£earsL\ .FUtt Street. Jfctiu ati'.frl'ropr.ietorjs.

HED-BREASTED HUMMING-BIRD. 289

Covert-feathers of the tail, both above and beneath,
are of a fine blue colour: the wings are of a fine
dark green, with a gloss like polished gold when
exposed to the sun : the insides of the wings are
also green, but not so bright as the outer : the
legs are short in proportion, as in all this kind :
both legs and feet are dusky or blackish."
. There can be little doubt that the Garnet-
Throated Humming-Bird of Dr. Latham is the same
species. The specimen measured four inches and
a quarter : the head, neck, back, and tail were of
a very dark green, appearing blackish in some
lights and glossy green in others : the wing-coverts
and upper tail-coverts the same : the quills dusky;
the belly, thighs, and vent black, with a very faint
greenish gloss : the throat, from the chin to the
breast, of a fine deep garnet colour, appearing
very glossy in some directions. Dr. Latham adds
that the supposed female is similar to the male,
but has the throat green-gold instead of garnet,
colour.

VAR. ?
Le Grenat. Buff, et Viell.

This, which Monsr. Viellot considers as the
same species with the preceding, is described by
Buffon under the name of Le Grenat. It measures,
according to this author, five inches in total length,
the bill measuring ten or twelves lines : the cheeks,
just beneath the eye, the sides and lower part of

v. vin. p. i. J9

<290 VIOLET HUMMING-BIRD.

the neck, and the throat as far as the breast, are of
a fine bright garnet-colour : the upper part of the
head, the back, as well as the under parts of the
body are of a velvety black : the wings and tail of
the same colour, but gilded with a green gloss.

It is probable that a mistake is made by Buffon
in the above description ; and that instead of five
the length should have been stated at four inches.
Monsr. Viellot's specimen measured four inches'
French, and agrees in all respects with the de-
scription of Edwards, except that the throat is less
bright, being of a purple red, with a slight gilded
gloss, and that the beak seems somewhat less
curved. Native of South America*

VIOLET .HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus violaceus. T. atropurpureo-violaceus, antice nitens, alts

caudaque viridi-aureis rectridbus afro suffusis.
Dark purple- violet Humming-Bird, glossy on the foreparts, witft

green-gold wings and tail, the latter tinged with black.
Trochilus violaceus. T. curvirostrzs atro-violaceus, gutturc pec~

toreque violaceo-nitentibus, alis caudaque viridi-aureis, rectridbus

afro wntaminatis. Lath. ind. orn.
Polytmus Cayanensis violaceus. Briss. av.
Le Colibri violet. Buff. ois. PL Enl. 600. /. 2.
Violet Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Brisson: length four inches and
a quarter : bill long in proportion to the bird, and
black : the whole bird, except the wings and tail>

&R-TA1 LIED ;Mr AIM! v(: BJ2UD .

arstev Fleet Strieet,& the-othe* Proprietors

UAH-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Mrhich are gold-green, is violet-purple, very glossy
on the throat and breast, but verging to velvet-
black on the other parts : the gold-green colour
of the tail, in some particular lights, appear^
black. Native of Cayenne.

BAR-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus sparganurus. T. aureo-viridis, gttla smaragdina, cauda,
forficata nigra, rectricib us fascia aureo-phoenicea.

Gold-green Humming-Bird, with emerald throat, and black
forked tail with a gold-crimson bar across the feathers.

A MOST beautiful species: length nearly eight
inches: colour green-gold, but not very bright>
except on the throat, which is of a golden emerald-
colour : wings brownish or dusky : tail long, and
strongly forked, the two exterior feathers mea-
suring about four inches and a half in length, the
rest gradually shortening: colour velvet-black,
each feather crossed by a broad gold-crimson bar
somewhat beyond the middle * : ends of the fea-
thers rounded : bill and legs black. Described
from an elegant specimen in Mr. Bullock's Mu-
seum, and said to be a native of Peru.

* In the exterior feather on each side the crimson bar is con-
siderably wider than in the rest.

292

CRIMSON-HEADED BLUE HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus cyaneus. T. curvirostris coccineo-serkeus, dorso ccerulco,

alis nigris. Lath. ind. orn.
Velvet-crimson Humming-Bird, with blue back, and black

wings.
Avicula Mexicana cyaneo colore venustissima. Seb. I. p. 102*

t. 65. f. 3.

Trochilus venustissimus. Lin. GmeL
Le Colibri bleu. Eu/. ois.
Crimson-headed blue Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Du Tertre in his History of the
Antilles: size half that of a Wren: head, throat,
and under parts, as far as the middle of the belly,
velvet-crimson with varying glosses : back blue :
wings black. Seba figures a bird supposed to be
the same with this, but measuring, according to
the figure, about five inches in length: the crown
of the head, and under parts scarlet, the back
black, and the wings blue : the bill long, whitish,
and pretty much curved. According to Seba it is
a native of Mexico.

Monsr. Viellot, in the work entitled Nowoeau,
Dictionnaire d'Histoire Naturelle, seems inclined
to think the bird described by Du Tertre to be no
other than the Trochilus jugularis or Red-Breasted
Humming-Bird, but this supposition by no means
agrees with the colour of the head in that species.

293

WHITE-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus leucurus. T. cvpreo-viridis, remigibus fuscist collo
anfice lunula subrubra, cauda cequali alba.

Coppery-green Humming- Bird, with brown quill-feathers, a red-
dish crescent in front of the neck, and white even tail.

Trochilus leucurus. T. curvirostHs viridi-aureus, rcctricibus cequa-
libus albiSy collari rubro. Lin. Syst. Nat.

White-tailed Humming-Bird. Edw. pi. 256. Lath. syn.

Le Collier rouge. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 600. /. 4.

DESCRIBED by Edwards : length four inches and
a half : bill long, slender, bowed downwards, of a
black colour towards the point, and lighter at the
base: all the head, neck behind, back, smaller
wing-coverts, and breast of a greenish-brown co-
lour, changeable, according to the direction of the
light, into copper or gold-colour : across the breast
a horizontal light reddish bar: belly and under
tail-coverts dull whitish : wings dark purplish : the
two middle tail-feathers coppery green, the re-
maining eight white, the two exterior ones on
each side being clouded with dusky towards the
tip: legs and feet whitish. Native of Surinam.

294

MANGO HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Mango. T. cupreo-viridis , stria gulari aldomineqw
atris, (ilisfusco-violaceis, caudaferniginea nigro marginata.

Copper-green Huniming-Bird, with black descending throat-
stripe and abdomen, violet-brown wings, and ferruginous tail
edged with black.

Trochilus Mango. T. curvirostris viridis nittns, rectricibus sub'
cequalibusferrugineis, abdomiue atro. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Le Plastron noir. Buff. ois. Vidl. Colibr. pi. 7.

Le Colibri de Mexique. PI. Enl. 630. f. 2. 3.

Mango Humming-Bird . Lath. syn.

LENGTH about four inches and a quarter, or
rather more : head, neck, back, and lower belly
green-gold, darkest on the sides of the belly: down
the breast and belly, from the under mandible, a
broad velvet-black stripe, edged with steel-blue;
sides of the breast blue : wings deep violet-brown or
blackish : tail purplish-chesnut, edged and tipped
.with black, but the two middle feathers gilded
violet-black: vent deep grey. The female is said
to differ in having the two middle tail-feathers
gold-green, like the back. Native of South Ame-
rica, and particularly of Brasil, but is said to be
found also in St. Domingo, Jamaica, and other
West-Indian islands.

Dr. Latham mentions a variety of this species
in which the throat, on each side the black stripe,
was white. He also informs us that a pair of
young Humming-Birds, supposed to be of this
species, are reported, on unexceptionable testi-

MANGO HUMMING-BIRD. 295

mony, to have been brought jjive to England,
having been hatched during their voyage from
Jamaica, where the parent bird, while sitting on
her eggs, was discovered by a young gentleman
then on the point of leaving the island. He cut
off the twig on which the nest was placed, and
brought it on board the ship. The female soon
became sufficiently tame to suffer herself to be fed
with honey, and during the voyage hatched two
young ones, but did not long survive that event :
the young were however so successfully managed
as to be brought in good health to England, where
they were in the possession of Lady Hammond.
Dr. Latham adds that Sir Henry Englefield, BarU
and Colonel Sloane were both witnesses to these
little birds readily taking honey from the lips of
Lady Hammond with their bills. One of the birds
survived at least two months from the time of its
arrival; but the other did not live many days *.

* Azara, in his History of Paraguay, tells us that Don Pedro
Melo of Portugal, Governor of Paraguay, kept a Humming-
Bird, which was caught full-grown, for the space of four months.
It was permitted to fly about the house at full liberty, knew its
master perfectly well, whom it would salute, and fly round him
in order to ask its food. Don Melo at such times took a cup of
clear syrop, and, inclining it a little, the bird would plunge its
beak into it and feed. He also gave it flowers from tune to time,
and thus this charming animal lived apparently as well as in the
open plains, till at length, during the absence of its master, it
perished through the negligence of the domestics.

296

PURPLE-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus porphyrurus. T. fuscus, jugulo aterrimo holoscrica?
fascia utrinque collari caudaque purpurds. Vivar. Nat. 9.

t. 333.
Brown Humming-Bird, with velvet-black throat, and purple

neck-stripes and tail. Nat. Misc. vol. Q. pi. 333.
Mango Humming-Bird, var. A. Lath. syn.

THIS, which was, I believe, first described as a
distinct species by myself, under the name of
Trochilus porphyrurus, has sometimes been con-
sidered as a variety of the immediately preceding,
from which it totally differs in the cast of its
colours ; the crown of the head being deep green-
ish grey, the remainder of the upper parts brown,
and the tail fine purple, each feather blackish near
the end, but tipped with white : the two middle
feathers plain black: from the bill through the
eyes, along each side of the neck, passes a broad
brilliant purple band, while from the lower man-
dible down the throat and breast, as in the former
species, passes a deep or velvet-black stripe : the
belly is dusky, and on each side the lower part is a
patch or spot of white. Native of South America
and the West-Indian islands.

. K TAI i,i'. h Jl r M :M i>rn "Rriro.

/",. Xrnr.r/r\ ; H, /•/ . \''n ; /

297

ASH-BELLIED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trocliilus cinereus. T. viridi-aureus, subtus cinereus, alisfusco-
•ciolactis, cauda rotundata chalybea, rcctricibus apice albis.

(inrn-gold Humming-Bird, ash-coloured beneath, with violet-
brown wings, and rounded steel-blue tail with white tips.

Trocliilus cinereus. T. currirostris viridis nitens, subtus cinercus,
rectricibus lateralibus nigris, tribus extimis chalybtis, apicc albis.
Lath. hid. orn.

Ash-bellied Huraming-Bird. Lath. syn.

Le Colibri a ventre cendre. VielL Colibr. pi. 5.

LENGTH about six inches and a half: bill long,
and but slightly bent : crown of the head, back,
and smaller wing-coverts gold-green: throat, breast,
and belly fine ash-grey: wings purplish-brown:
tail longish, and slightly cuneated, the two middle
feathers green-gold, the others violet-black, deeply
tipped with white. Native of South America,

593

BLACK-BREASTED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus pectoralis. T. curvirostris viridis mtens, pectore hola*

smco-nigro, abdomine albo, cauda subpurpureo-chalybea.
Green-gold curve-billed Humming-Bird, with velvet-black breast,

white belly, and purplish steel-blue tail.
Trochilus pectoralis. Lath. ind. orn.
Trochilus gramineus. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmd.
Black- Breasted Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.
Le Hausse-col vert. BujjF. ois. Viell. pi. 9.
Trochilus Dominicus. ? T. curvirostris viridis nitens, subtus sub-

cinereus, rectricibus medio ferrugineis apice albis. U.n. Syst.

Nat.

St. Domingo Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.
Le Vert perle. Buff. ois.
Var. ? Le Plastron violet. Viell. pi. ;o.
Mango Humming-Bird. var. B. ? Lath. suppL

LENGTH, according to Monsr. Viellot's figure,
>about four inches : bill rather long in proportion,
to the bird : colour greenish-brown above ; velvet-
black beneath, except the throat to a considerable
distance on the sides and down the neck, which is
of a bright gold-green : the black colour of the
under parts is deepest on the breast : across the
vent is a whitish bar : the tail is violet, (in Monsr.
Viellot's figure violet-lilac,) slightly tipped with
black. In some individuals the belly is said to be
white.

This species appears to be considerably allied to
the Trochilus porphyrurus or Violet-Tailed Hum-
ming-Bird, from which however it differs in the
colour of the neck and throat.

BLACK-BIIEASTED HUMMING-BIRD. 299

Monsr. Viellot seems inclined to suppose the
Trochllus Dominicus or Domingo Humming-Bird
of Dr. Latham, (Vert pertt of Buffon,) to be the
young of this species. It is described as mea-
suring rather more than four inches, and as having
the upper parts of the head, neck, body, and tail
of a light gold-green, mixing at the sides of the
neck and breast with the pearl-grey colour of the
under parts : the wings are violet-brown, the tail
white, at the tip, and of a polished steel-colour
beneath.

The Black-Breasted Humming-Bird is a native
of the West-Indian islands, and has been observed
by Monsr. Viellot to frequent in preference such
flowering shrubs as are planted near houses;
perching mostly on some dry twig, and at such
times spreading its tail in a semicircle. When
flying it utters an almost continual sharp cry. It
rarely suffers any other bird to frequent the tree
in which it builds, and Monsr. Viellot has even
seen it drive away a Mocking-Bird, by flying
about its head and perpetually assaulting the eyes
with its long beak. The nest is somewhat more
than an inch in diameter, and covered externally
with lichens : the young are two in number, and
when in their first plumage have the under parts
brown, without any gloss.

The female Black-Breasted Humming-Bird is
said to be distinguished from the male by having
the green on the fore part of the neck divided by
two white streaks, and the breast of a paler black
than that of the male.

SCO

GREEN-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus gutturalis. T. viridi-aureus, gula smamgdina utrinyuc

albo-rufescente, pectore strigaque abdominali nigris.
Green-gold Humming-Bird, with emerald throat whitish-rufous

on each side, black breast, and black abdominal stripe.
Trochilus gularis*. T. curvirostris viridi-aureus, collo subtus

smaragdino lateribus rufo, abdomine albo, pectoris macula nigra.

Lath. ind. orn.

Trochilus maculatus. Lin. GmeL
Le Colibri a cravate verte. Buff. ois. Viell. pi. 10. PL Enl. 6?!.

/.l.
Green- throated Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

GREATLY allied to the Black-breasted Hum-
ming-Bird in habit, and even in distribution of
colours, and may, according to Audebert, be con-
sidered as a variety of that bird, which however
it considerably exceeds in magnitude; Monsr.
Audebert's figure representing it at least five
inches in length, while the preceding is not more
than about four inches and a quarter at fullest
extent. The upper parts, in the present species,
are dark green- gold, with a somewhat irregular
white band slightly tinged with rufous on each
side the whole length of the neck, proceeding
from the base of the lower mandible : the throat
is bright or emerald gold-green ; the wings violet-
black; the breast velvet-black, narrowing into a

* This title might cause confusion, Mr. Latham having another ^
species of the same name. I have therefore changed it to
turalis.

VIOLET-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD. 301

stripe beneath the belly, the sides of which are
whitish intermixed with green-gold : the tail
viewed from beneath is violet-lilac for two thirds of
its length, the remainder black. Monsr. Aude-
bert observes that he has seen many individuals of
this species, all agreeing in colour, except in the
white neck-stripes, which are either more or lesg
tinged with rufous.

VAU.?
VIOLET-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus nitklus. T. curvirostris viridi-auratus, subtus albus,
gula media fusco-viridi, cauda violacea, rectricibus tribus extcri*
oribus apice albis. Lath. ind. orn.

Violet-tailed Humming-Bird. Lath. ind. orn.

Le Colibri a queue violette. Andeb. pL 11. Buff. ois. PI.
Enl. 67 1./. 2.

Trochilus albus. Lin. Gmel.

THIS seems to be a mere variety of the preced-
ing, from which it differs in having a black stripe
down the throat instead of the brilliant green one
in the gutturalis: the tail is violet, the side-fea-
thers edged with dusky, and tipped with white.

302

RUFOUS-BELLIED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Brasiliensis. T. viridi-aureus, subtus rufescens, dlis can*
daquefusco-violaceis, rectricibus apice albis, tibiis albo-pennatis.

Gold-green Humming-Bird, rufescent beneath, with violet-brown
wings and tail, the latter tipped with white, and white-fea-
thered legs.

Trochilus Brasiliensis. T. viridi-aureus, subtus albo-rufescens,
cauda nigricante-viridi, apice albo9 tibiis pennatis. Lath. ind. orn.

Trochilus hirsutus. Lin. Gmel.

Le Colibri a ventre roussatre. Buff. ois.

Le Colibri a pieds vetus. VidL Colibr. pi. 20. et 68.

Rufous-bellied Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

AN elegant species, measuring about four inches
and a half in length : colour above green-gold,
beneath yellowish-rufous : crown of the head
brown: wings violet-brown, and tail purple-brown,
growing blackish towards the end, and tipped with
white ; the two middle feathers gilded-green : legs
and feet generally covered with white down, but
in some specimens bare : bill long, slightly curved,
with the upper mandible black, and the lower
whitish-yellow with dusky tip. Native of Brasil.

303

PUNCTULATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus punctulatus. T. aureo-viridis, alls nigricantibus, humcri*

dorsoque albo maculatis, caudafusca apice alba.
Gold-green Humming-Bird, with blackish wings; shoulders and

back spotted with white, and brown tail with white tip.
Trochilus punctulatus. Lath. ind. orn. Gmel. Syst. Nat.
Zitzil ou Colibri picquete. Buff. ois.
Hoizit-ziltototl. Fernand. Mex. p. 705.
Spotted Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Buffon from Hernandez. Length
five inches and a half: colour green-gold, with
blackish wings, and marked on the shoulders and
back with white specks: the -tail is brown with
white tip. Native of Mexico, where it is called
by the title of Hoitzitzil.

BANDED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus fasciatus. T. aureo-viridis rufo undulatus, capitc rufo*
nigricante, corpore utrinque fascia nigra albo marginata.

Green-gold Humming-Bird, with rufous undulations, blackish-
rufous head, and a black baud edged with white along each
side the body.

Bec-fleur a bande noir long du corps. Azara Par.

LENGTH four inches and a quarter: bill a little
curved, and rather large for a Humming-Bird :
feathers on the upper parts edged with rufous :
behind each eye a small white spot, and a velvet-
black stripe, bounded on each side by a white one,

304 SCALLOPED HUMMINGBIRD.

from the corners of the bill to the tail, which ia
reddish-violet, all the side-feathers being tipped with
white, and above the white tip a deep blue spot.
Native of Paraguay. Monsr. Azara observes that
some individuals are of somewhat smaller size,
and have no ferruginous edging or mixture on the
feathers.

SCALLOPED HUMMING-BIRD.

iVocliilus putictatus. T. aureo-viridis, subtus subfuscus albo w«-
duhitu.s, alls subviulaceis, cauda basi apiceque alba.

Gold-green Humming-bird, beneath brownish undulated with
white, with sub violaceous wings, and tail white at the base and
tip.

Le Colibris a ventre piquete. Viell. pL 8«

LENGTH four inches: colour of the upper parts
green-gold: of the under pale brown, finely scal-
loped with white, the feathers being edged with
that colour ; but beneath the throat they are grey,
bordered with brown : the quill-feathers are dark
violet-brown, the two middle tail-feathers green-
gold, and the side-feathers black with white tips
and base ; appearing, when the tail is closed, as if
white with a large black spot towards the end.

In its habit and proportions Monsr. Viellot ob-
serves that this bird seems most strongly allied to
the Mango Humming-Bird, of which it is not im-
possible that it may be the young, in its first year's
plumage.

305

GOLDtGREEX HUMMING- BIRD.

Trocliilus aurco-viridis. T. aurco-viridis, alis nigricantibus, cauda

chalybca apice alba,
Gold-green Humming-Bird, with blackish wings, and steel-blue

tail with white tip.
Trochilus viridis. Le Colibri vert. ViellotpL 15.

LENGTH about four inches: colour entirely
green-gold, except the quill-feathers, which are
blackish, and the tail, which is steel-blue, the
eight side-feathers slightly tipped with white. Na-
tive of the West-Indian islands. In point of size
and habit this bird resembles the Trochilus Mango.

FEMALE.?

Trochilus margaritaceus. T. curvirostris viridis nitcns, subtus

margaritaceo-canus, cauda basi chalybea, medio purpureo-fusca,

apice alba. Lath. ind. orn.
Bright-«j;reen Humming-Bird, pearl-grey beneath, with the tail

steel-blue at the base, purple-brown in the middle, and white

at the tip.

Le Plastron blanc. Buff. ois. PI. Enl 680. /. 1 . Viell. pi 16.
Grey-necked Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

LENGTH about four inches : colour above green-
gold : quill-feathers violet-brown : tail deep steel-
blue, growing purplish-brown towards the end,
where it becomes black with white tips, but the
two middle feathers are green-gold : whole under
parts pearl-grey, whitest on the throat.

v. viii. P. i. 20

306

AURULENT HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus aurulentus. T. obscure aurco-viridi*, gula humerisquc
lucidiurihus, pectore nigro, abdominefusco, cauda subviolacea.

Dark ^old-green Humming-Bird, with brighter throat and
shoulders, black breast, brown abdomen, and subviolaceous
tail.

Trochilus aurulentus. Le Hausse-col dore. Viell.pl. 12. 13.

GREATLY allied to the Black-breasted Hum-
ming-Bird, but the beak rather shorter in pro-
portion. Colour of the crown of the head and
back obscure gold-green : the rump and two mid-
dle tail-feathers green, the remaining ones violet,
tipped and edged with blue: the throat and smaller
wing-coverts bright gold-green, the sides of the
neck tinged with steel-blue: the breast black,
growing brown on the abdomen, the sides of which
have a slightly gilded cast: the wings violet-brown.
The female, according to Audebert, diffeis con-
siderably from the male, being of a bright gold-
green above, and deep ash-grey beneath: the quills
violet-brown, the two middle tail-feathers dull
brownish gold-green, the rest ferruginous at the
base, then violet-black, with white tips. This
species is a native of the island of Porto-Rico,
where it is not uncommon.

307

BLACK-BELLIED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus holoscriceus. T. subaureo-viridii, alisfuscis, cauda at-

dominequc nigris, fascia pectorali ccerulea.
Gilded-green Hummiug-Bird, with brown wings, black tail and

abdomen, and blue pectoral bar.
Trochilus holosericeus. T. curcirostris viridis, rectricibus cequa-

libus supra nigris, fascia pectorali ccerulea, abdomiue nigro. Lin.

Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.

Le Colibri vert et noir. Buff. ois. Viell.pL 6. tt var. 65.
Black-bellied Humming-Bird. Edw. pi. 36.
Far ? Trochilus maculatus? Miller's III Nat. Hist. pi. 47. f. 1.

LENGTH four inches or rather more : head, neck,
back, and smaller wing-coverts deep gold-green :
across the breast a broadish glossy-blue band :
quill-feathers deep brown ; rump glossy greenish
blue : belly and vent black, with a gloss of red-
dish copper-colour on the sides: tail violet-black,
the under surface and under coverts blue. In
some individuals a white or whitish band crosses
the lower part of the belly, while in others a white
or whitish spot alone is visible on each side that
part.

Native of Mexico and Guiana. The bird figured
at plate 65 of Viellot, under the name of Colibri
a vent re noiry seems clearly a variety of the pre-
sent species.

308

TRIMACULATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus trimaculatus. T. aureo-viridis subtus niger, maculis
tribus latcralibus albis, remigibusfuscis, cauda chalybea.

Gold-green Humming-Bird, black beneath, with three white
spots on each side, brown quill-feathers, and steel-blue tail.

Trochilus maculatus. Miller. Miscell. pi. 47./. 1.

THIS, according to Miller's figure, is one of the
larger Humming-Bird s, measuring about four
inches and a half, or rather more, in total length :
the colour is deep gold-green on the crown, back
of neck, back, smaller wing-coverts, and rump: the
larger wing-coverts and quill-feathers brown;
and the whole under parts, from bill to vent, deep
black, with three moderately large oval white
spots on each side, the lowest just behind, or rather
upon the thighs : tail rather short, rounded, and of
a deep blue-black colour: bill strong, black, and
nearly strait, or so slightly bent as to make it
doubtful whether it should be ranked among the
strait or curve-billed Humming-Birds: legs brown.
Native of South America. This description de-
pends entirely on Miller's figure, and may perhaps
t»e no other than a variety either of T. Manga,
holosericeus, or pectoralis.

309

SMALL FOEK-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilns furcatus. T. cceruleo-violaccus nitens, verticc gulaque

viridi-aureisj alls abdomine caudaque furcata nigris.
Glossy violet-blue Humming-Bird, with gold-green crown and

throat, and black wings, abdomen, and forked tail.
Trochilus furcatus. T. curvirostris cceruleo-violaceus, vertice collo

uropygioque viridi-aurris, remigibus rcctricibvsque nigris, cattda

bifurca. Lath. ind. orn.
Oiseau-mouche violet a queue fourchu. Buff*, ois, PL Enl. 5QQ.

/.2;

Furcated Humraing-Bird. Nat. Misc. vol. ll.pl. 397.
L'Oiseau-mouch violet a queue fourchu. Vidl. pi. 34.
Lesser fork-tailed Humming-Bird. Lath, syn.

THIS is a species of peculiarly neat appearance.
It measures about four inches in total length, and
has the tail deeply forked : the crown of the head
and upper part of the neck are of a dusky colour,
with a changeable green lustre : the chin and
throat of the richest and most brilliant gold-green :
the back and breast glossy violet-blue : the abdo-
men dusky black, with a whitish bar across the
vent: the wings and tail violet-black, and the
upper tail-coverts gold-green. It is a native of
several parts of South America and of some of the
larger West-Indian islands. The bill in this spe-
cies, as in some others, is so very slightly curved
that it may with nearly equal propriety be ranked
in either division of the genus, which has accord-
ingly been done by different authors; Gmelin, in
his edition of the Systems Naturae of Linneeus,

310 CAYENNE FORK-TAILED HUMMING-BIHD.

having placed it, after the example of Dr. Latham,
among the curve-billed species, while Monsr. Viel-
lot, on the contrary, ranks it in the strait-billed
division.

CAYENNE FORK-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus forcipatus. T. viridi-aureus, capite collogue violaccis,
abdomine macula alba, cauda chalybea bifurca. Lath. ind. orn.

Gold-green Humming-Bird, with violet head and neck, abdomen
marked by a white spot, and forked tail.

Trochilus macrourus. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmel.

I/Oiseau-mouche a longue queue couleur d'acier bruni. Buff,
ois.

Cayenne Fork-tailed rtumming-Bird. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Buffon. Length six inches: the
body, both above and below, is of a bright green-
gold colour, with a white spot on the lower part of
the belly : the head and neck are of a fine violet-
blue; the wings violet-black, and the tail blue-
black with the lustre of polished steel : it is also
very strongly forked, the feathers lengthening
gradually from the middle feathers to the end ones,
which are longer by two inches than those of the
middle. Native of Cayenne.

311

WHITE-LEGGED FORK-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus elegans. T. aureo-viridis, pectore nigro, alis violacco-

nigris, cauda f urea fa nigro-Tirtscente.
Gold-green Humming-Bird, with black breast, violet black

wings, and greenish-black forked tail.
Trochilus elegans. Le Hausse-col a queue fourchue. Vicll*

pi. 14.

LENGTH near five inches : colour green-gold,
with black breast, violet-black wings, and greenish-
black tail, which latter is deeply forked. Native
of St. Domingo, where it was observed by Viellot.
It chiefly frequents the borders of large woods,
perching on the tops of trees.

HARLEQUIN HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Histrio. T.fuscus, vertice gula pectore humerisque viridi-

aureis, abdomine rubro, gents cyaneis.
Brown Humming-Bird, with gold-green crown, throat, breast,

and shoulders, red belly, and blue cheeks.
Trochilus multicolor. T. curvirustrisfuscus, abdomine rubro, rer-

tice gula pectore dorsoque medio wridibus, ritta per oculos ad

nucham ccerulea, postice nigro marginafa. Lath. ind. orn.
Harlequin Humming-Bird. Lath. syn. Nat. Misc.3* pi. 81.

A HIGHLY elegant species, and remarkable for
the variety of its colours. Length about four
inches : bill long for the size of the bird, very
slightly bent, and of a pale or yellowish brown
colour : crown of the head, throat, neck, breast,

312 YELLOW-FRONTED HUMMING-BIRD.

upper part of the back, rump, and wing-coverts
fine gilded grass-green : cheeks, from the bill, and
whole upper part of the neck, fine ultramarine
blue ; separated from the green of the upper part
of the back by a narrow black bar, beyond which
is a bright but pale blue-green one : wings and
tail fair bright-brown : belly and vent-feathers
orange-scarlet, or red-lead colour : wings long in
proportion to the bird: tail 'rather long, and
slightly rounded at the tip. Native country un-
certain.

YELLOW-FRONTED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus flavifrons. Trochilus curvirostris viridis, sincipitejla'co,

remigibus rectricibusque nigris. Lath. ind. orn.
Green Humming-Bird, with yellow front, and black wings and

tail.

Yellow-fronted Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.
Yellow-fronted Honey-sucker. Penn. Gen. of Birds.

A SMALL species, slightly described by Mr.
Pennant in his work entitled Genera of Birds.
Forehead yellow: body and wing-coverts green:
quills and tail black. Native of South America.

313

PURPLE-CROWNED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus torquatus. T. curvirostris viridis, verticc purpureo,
collo inferiore annulo cceruleo, cauda bifurca purpurea. Lath,
ind. orn.

Green Humming-Bird, with purple crown, lower part of neck
surrounded by a blue collar, and purple forked tail.

Purple-crowned Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

Purple-crowned Honey-sucker. Penn. Gen. Birds.

DESCRIBED by Mr. Pennant. Crown purple:
throat green: round the whole lower part of the
neck a collar of rich deep blue : back green : wings
and tail deep purple, the latter forked. Size very
small. Native of South America.

ORANGE-HEADED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus aurantius. T. curvirostris fuscus, capitc aurantio,
gutture pectorequcjlavis, alls purpureis, cauda ferruginea. Lath,
ind. orn.

Brown Humming-Bird, with orange head, yellow throat and
breast, purple wings, and ferruginous tail.

Orange-headed Humming-Bird. Lath. ind. orn.

Orange-headed Honeysucker. Penn. Gen. Birds.

DESCRIBED from Pennant's Genera of Birds:
head orange : throat and breast yellow : back and
belly deep brown : wings purple : tail bright fer-
ruginous: size said to be very minute. Native
of South America.

314

GULAR HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus gularis. T. aureo-viridis subtus albus, alls caudaqite
nigricantibus, gula crissoque cyaneis. Cimel. Phys. t. 30. f. A.

Gold-green Humming-Bird, white beneath, with blackish wings
and tail, and deep-blue throat and vent.

Trochilus gularis. Lath. ind. orn.

DESCRIBED from a drawing by Mr. Miller, and
said to be a native of the East-Indies, which is
probably a mistake. Its length appears to be
about three inches, and its colours as expressed in
the specific character. Perhaps a native of South
America.

GILT-CRESTED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus cristatellus. T. curmrostris viridis, capitis crista viridi-
nitente aureat remigibus caudaque nigris. Lath. ind. orn.
suppL 2.

Green Humming-Bird, with shining gold-green crest, and black
wings and tail.

Gilt-crested Humming-Bird. Lath. syn. suppl. 2.

A SMALL and elegant species; length two inches
and a half: colour green, and on the top of the
head a bright gold-green crest : quill-feathers and
tail black. The female is greenish brown above,
and whitish beneath, with dusky spots on the breast.
This species seems much allied to the following.

315

LITTLE HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus exilis. T. cvrvirostris viridi-fuscus, rubro nitens, capite
crlsta viridi-nitente, apice aurato, remigibus caudaque nigris.
Lath. ind. orn. ,-.. m\.

Brownish -green Humming-Bird, with a gloss of red, glossy-green
crest with gilt tip, and black wings and tail.

Little Humming-Bird. Lath.syn.

Hunmiing-Bird of a black colour. Bancr. Guiana.

THE smallest of the curve-billed division: de-
scribed in Bancroft's History of Guiana: length
only an inch and half: colour greenish brown,
with a bright red or coppery gloss : head furnished
with a small tuft, green at the base, but of a bril-
liant gold-colour at the top : quills and tail of a
fine black. Native of Guiana.

Qu. whether both this and the immediately pre-
ceding, though ranked by Dr. Latham in the curve-
billed division of the genus, are any thing more
than varieties of the Trochilus cristatus ?. In such
very small species describers not professedly orni-
thological might easily overlook the exact form of
the bill, and other minute particulars, and the de-
scriptions given by Dr. Bancroft seem only in-
tended as general notices of the most remarkable
subjects which he had observed during his resi-
dence in Guiana.

316

With strait Bills.

KACKET-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus platurus. T. viridi-aureus, abdomine remigibus caudaque
fuscis, rectricibus duabus mediis nudis apice pcnnatis.

Gold-green Humm ing-Bird, with brown belly, quill-feathers, and
tail j the two middle tail-feathers naked with webbed tips.

L'Oiseau-mouche a raquettes. Ruff. ois. Viell. pi. 52.

Trochilus platurus. T. rectirostris viridi-aureus, gula smarag-
dina, rectricibus rachi cxpansa rufo-alba, intcrmediis duabus
setaceis elongatis, apice expansis. Lath. ind. orn.

Trochilus longicaudus. Lin. Gmel.

Racket-tailed Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THE total length of this singular species is about
three inches and three quarters, and its colour
deep green-gold, except on the throat, which is very
brilliant: the belly, wings, and tail are violet-blacky
and the latter is of a remarkable appearance, being
deeply forked, with the feathers all of a pointed
shape, and the two exterior ones extending very
considerably beyond the rest in the form of naked
shafts, plumed only at the tip, so as to represent
the shape of a racket or battledore.

In the description given of this species by the
Count de Buffon a mistake is made in stating the
two middle tail-feathers instead of the two exterior
ones to be the longest. It should be observed also
that these two feathers, till they arrive at a small
distance beyond the rest, are plumed on the sides,
after which the web gradually shortens, leaving

RACKET-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD. 31?

only a scarce perceptibly barbed shaft for about
the length of half an inch, terminated by the
racket-shaped web before-mentioned.

The Racket-tailed Humming-Bird is a rare
species, and is a native of South America, but the
particular regions in which it is found seem not to
be distinctly ascertained. Monsr. Viellot informs
us that several well-preserved individuals, ex-
amined by himself, all agreed in the structure of
the taiL When however we consider that the
same kind of appearance occasionally takes place
in the tail of the bird called the Momot, which
yet, in its truly perfect state, exhibits those
feathers completely webbed throughout their
whole length, we may perhaps be induced to
suspect that a similar particularity may occur in
the present species of Humming-Bird, and that
the exterior feathers of the tail may, at some par-
ticular periods of its growth, be regularly plumed
throughout.

318

BROAD-SHAFTED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus latipennis. T. viridi-aureus subtus cams, alls caudaque

fuscis, rewigum primorum scapis dilatato-incurvatis.
Gold-green Huraming-Bird, grey beneath, with brown wings

and tail, and the shafts of the greater quill-feathers dilated

and iucurvated. ^

Trochilus latipennis. T. rcctirostris viridis subtus griseus, rcmi-

gibus tribus seu f/uatuor primoribus scapo maxime dilatato incurvot

rectncibus lateralibus fusco-nitentibus apice albis. Lath. ind.

orn.
L'Oiseau-raouche a larges tuyaux. Buff", ois. PI. Enl. §*]'l.f. 2.

Viell.pl. 21.

Trochilus campy lopterus. Lin. Gmel. '
Broad-shafted Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS, which is one of the larger Humming-
Birds, is distinguished by a very remarkable cir-
cumstance ; viz, the structure of the chief quill-
feathers, which have their shafts considerably
widened in the middle, as well as curved or bent
outwards : the length of the bird is about five
inches, and its colour slightly-gilded green above,
and pale ash beneath: the wings violet-black, and
the tail of similar colour, tipped with white ; the
two middle feathers gold-green. Native of Cay-
enne, and considered as a very rare species.

319

VIOLET-EARED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus auritus. T. lindi-aureus subtus albus, annum pennls
subclongatis violaceis, rcmigibus nigris, rectricibus latcralibus
albis.

Gold-green Humm ing-Bird, white beneath, with slightly elon-
gated violaceous ear-feathers, black wings, and white lateral
tail-feathers.

Trochilus auritus. T. rectirostris viridi-auralus, svbtus albus,
tifnia infra oculos trigra, macula aurium fasciculari violacea, rec-
tricibus quatuor intermtdtis nigro-cceruleis, latcralibus albis.
Lath. ind. orn.

Oiseau-mouche a oreilles. Buff', ois. Viell. pL 25. 26.

Grand Oiseau-mouche de Cayenne. Briss. av.

Violet-eared llunnning-Bird. Lath. syn.

AN elegant species. Length about four inches
and a half: shape rather more slender than in
others of the genus : colour of the upper parts
bright gold-green ; of the under parts white: from
the bill, on each side the head, a black band, pass-
ing below and beyond the eyes : on each side the
neck an oval or slightly-lengthened patch of bright
steel-blue or violet feathers: wings and four middle
tail-feathers violet-black, the side-feathers milk-
white: legs feathered to the toes. The female
res* -rubles the male, but wants the blue ear-fea-
thers, and is of an ash-white beneath, with lon-
gitu iinal dusky spots. This species is a native of
Cayenne.

320

WHITE-COLLARED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus mellivorus. T. viridi-aureus, capite collo pectorcque

cceruleis, fascia nuchali abdomine caudaque albis.
Gold-green Humming-Bird, with blue head, neck, and breast,

and white nuchal bar abdomen and tail.
Trochilus mellivorus. T. redirostris, rectricibus nigris: laterali-

bus albis, capite cceruleo, dor so viridi, abdomine albo. Lin.

Syst. Nat.

L'Oiseau-mouche dit La Jacobine de Cayenne. PI. Enl. 640.
White- bellied Humming- Bird. Ed-a.pl.35. Lath.syn.
L'Oiseau-mouche a collier, dit La Jacobine. Buff. ois. Viell.

pi. 23.
Var? Trochilus fimbriatus. T. viridi-aureus, pennis gufajuguli-

qiie albo Jimbriatis, venire cinereo, rectricibus nigro-chalybeis,

luteralibus apice griseis. Lath. ind. om.
Spotted-necked Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THE length of this species, which, perhaps, was
first described and figured by Edwards, is some-
thing more than four inches : the head and under
parts of the neck are deep glossy blue: the upper
part of the neck green- gold, crossed by a mode-
rately broad milk-white bar, reaching rather more
than half way towards the fore-parts : the back,
wing-coverts, and rump are green gold : the quill-
feathers violet-black, and the tail white, slightly
tipped with black: the two middle tail-feathers,
which are shorter than the rest, are of the colour of
the back: the tail is also slightly divided or forked
at the end. Native of South-America, and par-
ticularly of Cayenne, where it is not uncommon.

WHITE-COLLARED HUMMING-BIRD. 321

VAR. ?
Lc Jucobiiie varie. Vitll. pi. 24.

This, which is supposed by Monsr. Viellot to
be either a young male before it has gained its
complete plumage, or else the female of the above
species, is blueish green-gold above, and white
beneath, variegated on the throat and breast with
grey and blue : the tail green-gold, growing blue
at the end, and tipped with white. Native of
Cayenne.

VAR. ?
L'Oiseau-mouche a gorge tachet6e. Viell. pi. 21.

This I place as a farther variety of the pre-
ceding species, which it resembles in habit and
general cast of colours. It is blackish green-gold
above, and white beneath, mottled or scalloped
with black or dark^brown on the throat, and with
dusky green-gold on the breast and upper part of
the abdomen : 'the wings are violet-black, and the
tail of the same colour, but the side-feathers edged
and tipped with white. Native of Cayenne, and
figured by Monsn Viellot from a specimen long
preserved in the French Museum, and which, as
he imagines, may have been the one described by

v. vin. p. i. 21

GREEN AND BLUE HUMMING-BIRD.

Buffon under the name of Olseau-mouche ci gorge
tachetee, and which, like many other specimens,
has suffered greatly by the fumigations of sulphur
which were formerly practised in that Museum as
a preservative from insects, but which, as Monsr.
Viellot very properly observes, have done more
injury to the plumage of the birds than they would
have suffered from the ravages of the insects
themselves.

GREEN AND BLUE HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Ourissia. T. aureo-viridis, dorso pectore abdomineque

cceruleis, remigibusfuscis, cauda subttqualifusco-aurea.
Gold-green Humming-Bird, with blue back, breast, and belly,

brown quill-feathers, and golden-brown tail.
Trochilus Ourissia. T. rectirostris viridi-aitratus, rectricibus

subcequalibus fuscv-aureis, remigibus nigris, abdomine caruho.

Lin. Syst. Nat.

Mellisuga Surinamensis pectore cseruleo. Briss. av. 3. p. 71 1 .
L'Emeraude-amethyste. Buff, ois,
Oiseau-mouche a poitrine bleue. PI. Enl. 227. f. 3.
Green and blue Humming-Bird. Ediv.pl. 35. f. 2. Lath. syn.

THE American word Ourissia, signifying a sun-
beam, is applied by some of the earlier writers to
certain species of Humming-Birds, on account of
the splendor of their colours. Linnaeus applies
the name to the Green and Blue Humming-Bird of
Edwards, a middle-sized species, measuring nearly
four inches in total length, and of a coppery green-
gold colour, the upper part of the back, the breast,
and belly fine deep blue, with a slight golden gloss:

SUPERB HUMMING

SUPERB HUMMING-BIRD. 323

the sides of the body, vent, and thighs dusky or
blackish brown ; and lastly, the wings and tail
brown, the latter very slightly inclining to a forked
shape, the two middle feathers being somewhat
shorter than the rest: the bill is rather long for the
size of the bird, and of a black colour, as are alsa
the legs,

It should be added that Edwards considered
this as the female of the white collared Humming-
Bird above described. It is a native of Surinam.

SUPERB HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus superbus. T. viridi-aurcus, vcrtice cceruleo, fascia per
genas duplici nigro-alba, gula pectoreque phoeniceis.

Gold-green Humming-Bird, with blue crown, double black-and-
white cheek-stripe, and crimson throat and breast.

Trochilus superbus. Stripe-cheeked Humming-Bird. Natural-
iaCs Miscellany, vol. 13. pi. 5 17.

THIS most beautiful species was first described in,
the thirteenth volume of the Naturalist's Miscellany,
and afterwards introduced into the splendid work
of Monsr. Viellot, It is unquestionably one of
the finest of this brilliant race. Its length is about
four inches and a quarter : the bill very long in
proportion to the bird, strait, and black: the crown
of the head bright sky-blue: from the bill to the
head, on each side, a moderately broad black
stripe, and beneath this a white stripe: throat and
upper part of the breast of a most brilliant scarlet,
the feathers full, or somewhat projecting: remain-

324 SAPPHIRE HUMMING-BIRD.

der of the body, both above and below, gold-green,
but much paler or greyer beneath : wings pur-
plish brown ; tail the same, but the outsides of the
feathers gold-green, appearing of that colour when
closed: each of the two outside feathers tipped
with white : legs black. Native, probably, of
South-America, but the particular region un-
certain.

The figures of this bird, both in Monsr. Viellot's
work and the Naturalist's Miscellany, were drawn
from a specimen in the collection of General
Davies, and which seems to have been the first
that ever made its appearance in this country. It
was brought from the West Indies.

SAPPHIRE HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus sapphirinus. T. lucido-sapphirinus, dorso subaurato,

alisfuscis, abdomine nigro, cauda chalybea.
Bright sapphire-coloured Humming-Bird, with slightly-gilded

back, brown wings, black abdomen, and steel-blue tail.
Trochilus sapphirinus. T. reciirostris mridi-auratus, subtus albus,

collo inferiore violaceo-sapphirino, gula caudaque rufis. Lath.

ind. orn.

Le Saphir. Buff. ois. Viell. pi. 35. 57.
Sapphire Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS species was first described by Buffon, who
informs us that it is rather above the middle size,
and has the fore-part of the neck and the breast of
a rich sapphire-blue, with violet glosses or re-
flexions: the throat red 5 the upper and under

SAPPHIRE AND EMERALD HUMMING-BIRD. 325

parts of the body dark gold-green ; the lower belly
white; the inferior tail-coverts rufous, and the su-
perior ones shining golden-brown : the bill white
with a black tip.

Monsr. Viellot informs us that though the above
description is generally supposed to belong to the
full-grown bird, yet in reality it will apply only
to the full-grown young, or bird in its first year's
plumage; and that this species, when in perfection,
has no tinge of rufous under the throat, but is of
a brilliant sapphire-blue, with the wings brown,
the belly black, and the tail blue-black. Native
of South- America.

SAPPHIRE AND EMERALD HUMMING«BIRD.

Trochilus smaragdo-sapphirinus. T. capite gulaqne lucido-sapphi-
rinis, corpore viridi-aureo, alisfuscis, cauda chalybea.

Humming-Bird with bright sapphire-blue head and throat, gold-
green body, brown wings, and steel-blue tail.

Trochilus bicolor. T. rectirostris saturate viridi'auratus, capite
collogue inferiors sapphirinis. Lath. ind. orn.

Le Saphir-eraeraude. Buff. ois. Vicll. pi. 36.

Sapphire and Emerald Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS also, which is a middle-sized species, is
described by Buffon, who very justly observes that
the two brilliant colours with which the bird is in-
vested merit the title of the gems by which they
are called. He might however have gone farther,
and have added that they are accompanied by a
vivid metallic splendor not exhibited by the gems

326 BLUE-GORGE HUMMING-BIRD.

themselves. The sapphire-colour covers the head
and throat, beyond which it blends, in the most
admirable manner, with the lucid golden emerald-
colour with which the breast, belly, and upper
part of the back are covered : the wings are brown ,
the tail glossy blueish-black ; and the belly white :
the upper mandible is black, the lower whitish.
In another specimen observed by Buffon the throat
alone was sapphire-coloured, the head and re-
mainder of the body emerald-green. A most
beautiful specimen in the Leverian Museum an-
swered to the first description, and exhibited the
two colours in their utmost brilliancy: its size
was rather inferior to a specimen figured in the
work of Monsr. Audebert, but the tail was slightly
forked, as in his representation. Native of South-
America and the West Indies. The specimen
mentioned by Buffon was received from Gua-
deloupe ; that of Viellot and Audebert from Mar-
tinique.

VAR. ?

BLUE-GORGE HUMMING-BIRD.
L'Oiseau-mouche a gosier bleu. Viell. pi. 40.

LENGTH near three inches and a half: colour
above coppery green : chin and throat fine sap-
phire-blue, appearing brown when viewed in some
lights, and purplish in others: breast and belly

BRILLIANT HUMMING-BIRD. 327

fine glossy green, with blue reflexions on the sides
of the neck : wings violet-black ; tail indigo-blue,
with a mixture or cast of green : lower part of the
belly white. The tail is rather rounded, in which
respect it seems to differ from the Sapphire and
Emerald Humming-Bird, of which it is probably
no other than a mere variety. It should be added
that the upper mandible is black, and the lower
white. Native of Guiana.

To the description of the two brilliant Hum-
ming-Birds above-detailed, viz. the sapphirinus and
smaragdo-sapphirinus, I shall venture to hint a
degree of doubt whether the* two kinds may not in
reality constitute one and the same species, and
whether the different distribution of colours and
comparative variation of splendor occasionally ob-
served, may not be rather owing to sexual dif-
ferences and the various stages of plumage than
to a real specific difference; the general appear-
ance being nearly similar in both.

BRILLIANT HUMMING-BIRD.

Trocliilus Tucidus. T. aureo-mridis nitidis&imus, gula ptctorf cau-

daque cyaneis, macula postoculari alba.
Bright gold-green H umining-Bird, with deep-blue throat, breast,

and tail, and a white spot behind each eye.
Le plus beau des bec-fleurs. Azara Par.

LENGTH three inches and a half: bill strait,
flesh-coloured, with a blackish tip. Both Monsr.
Azara and Sonnini suppose this to be the same

328 AMETHYSTINE HUMMING-BIRD.

with the Sapphire and Emerald Humming-Bird,
from which however it seems to differ in the deeper
blue colour of the breast and tail, as well as in
the white spot behind the eyes. Native of Pa-
raguay.

AMETHYSTINE HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus amethystinus. T. viridi-tntrcut, subtus griseo fuscoque
varius, gula colloque inferior e amethystinis, cauda forcipata.
Lath. ind. orn.

Gold-green Humming-Bird, varied beneath with grey and brown,
with amethystine throat, and forked tail.

Amethystine Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

L'Amethyste. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 672. /. 1.

SIZE of the Red-throated Humming-Bird: up-
per parts green-gold j under parts marbled with
greyish white and brown : throat and fore part of
the neck bright amethyst-colour, changing, ac-
cording to the direction of the light, into purplish
brown: wings rather short: tail forked. Native
of Cayenne.

Sr-

-B3

v /.,"////•// TfabfohidJrfGJ&arsUYJ'ltet'Strettrfcilu. ^Hn / /V-

329

RUBY-HEADED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus moschilus. T.fusco-purpureus, subtus nigricans, verticc

aurco-rubineo, gula topuzina, cauda apicc nigra.
Purple-browti Humming-Bird, blackish beneath, with ruby-gold

crown, topazine throat, and black-tipped tail.
Trochilus moschitus. rectirostris viridi-aureus, rectricibus cequa-

libus .ferrugincis ; cxtimis apice fuscis, remigibus nigris. Lin.

Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.
Avis Colibri Americana omnium minima Thauraantias dicta. Self.

l.p.6l. t.3?.f.4.
Le Rubis-topaze. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 227. /. 2. Viell. pi. ig.

30.

Ruby-necked Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.
Trochilus elatus. T. rectirostris virescente-aureus, rectricibut

aqualibus ferrugineis, apicc nigris, pileo rubro cristato. Lin.

Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.

Ruby-crested Humming-Bird. Edw. pi. 344. Lath. syn.
Oiseau-mouche a gorge topaze. PI. Enl. 640. f. 1.
Trochilus galeritus. ? Lath. ind. orn. Molin. Chil. p.21Q.
T. Guianensis. ? ? Lath. ind. orn.

T. Carbunculus. ? ? Lath. ind. orn. L'Escarboucle. Rvff. ois.
T. Bancroft i. ? ? Lath. ind. orn.

THIS is one of ttye most beautiful of the strait-
billed Humming-Birds. Its general length, from the
tip of the bill to that of the tail, is about four inches
and a half: the upper parts of the body are of a
very deep reddish brown ; the under parts black-
ish brown : the crown of the head lucid purple or
ruby-colour, accompanied by a golden gloss ; the
feathers scale-shaped, and so disposed as to give
the appearance of a crest, more or less conspicuous
in different individuals : the whole region of the

330 RUBY-CRESTED HUMMING-BIRD.

throat and forepart of the neck is of the most
brilliant golden topaz-colour, shining, like the crest,
with a metallic lustre, according to the direction
of the light: the wings are purplish chesnut-brown,
and the tail purple-ferruginous, slightly tipped with
black: on each side the lower part of the abdomen
is usually a white spot : the bill and legs are black.
The female is said to have only a slight cast of
topaz- colour on the throat, and to have the re-
mainder of the under parts of a greyish white
colour. The young males are brown above, with
a few red specks on the head, and a few gold-
coloured ones on the throat. Native of South-
America, and particularly of Brazil, Guiana, and
Surinam.

VAR.?
BUSY-CRESTED HUMMING-BIRD.

This is so nearly allied to the immediately pre-
ceding, as to leave it doubtful whether it should
be considered as truly distinct. It is thus de-
scribed by the accurate Edwards. " Its bill is
long, slender, a very little bowed downwards, and
of a dusky or black colour: the tongue. is divided
into small filaments, as in the whole genus : the
crest or crown is of an exceeding fine red or
flame-colour, having the lustre of a ruby: the
throat is like burnished gold, changing in some
positions to the light, to an emerald-green : these
shining colours in other positions are quite ob-

RUBY-CRESTED HUMMING-BIRD. 331

scure: the body and coverts of the wings are of an
obscure brownish olive-colour, the quills a little in-
clining to purple: in the tail I could count only
eight feathers, which are of a cinnamon-colour
with black tips : the lower belly and coverts be-
neath the tail are of the same colour above and
beneath : a white line passes across the middle of
the belly : the bright spot on the throat is divided
from the neck and breast by a dusky line: the legs
and feet are black.'* Native of Guiana and other
parts of South- America.

Monsr. Audebert, in his splendid work on this
genus, is of opinion that the above Humming-
Bird of Edwards is no other than a variety of the
Trochilus moschitus, differing in being a trifle
smaller, somewhat less intense in point of colour,
and in having the crest unusually conspicuous and
elevated, which appearance may have easily taken
place from a contraction of the back parts of the
skin and muscles of the head in a dried specimen.

The two following Humming-Birds; hitherto
considered as distinct species, are by Mr. Viellot
suspected to be no other than the young of the
Trochilus moschitus in different stages of their
plumage.

332

GREY-BELLIED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Pegasus. T. aureo-viridis subtus griseus, remigibusfuscis,

rectricibus atropurpureis basi virescentibus.
Gold-green Humming-Bird, grey beneath, with brown wings,

and blackish-purple tail with greenish base.
Trochilus Pegasus. T. rectirostris, rectricibus basi virescentibus,

corpore virescente-aureo subtus subgriseo, tibiis pennatis, Lin.

Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.

Mellisuga Cayanensis ventre griseo. Briss. av. 3. t. 36. f. 4.
Grey-bellied Humming-Bird. Lath.syn.
Trochilus leucogaster. ? Lath. ind. orn.
Gold-throated Humming-Bird. ? Lath. syn.

PERHAPS a young female of the Trochilus mos-
chitus. Length about three inches and two lines :
colour on the upper parts gold-green, with a
changeable coppery lustre, and on the under parts
grey-brown: wings violet-brown: tail-feathers parti-
coloured, the lower or base half being gold-green,
and the remaining half purplish black, the side-
feathers tipped with grey : legs feathered to the
toes.

333

BROWN-CROWNED HUMMING-BIKD.

Trochilus hypophaeus. T. rectirostris fusco-aurcus sttbtus albidus,
Tfrticefusco, media gulce striga longitudinali viridi-aurca. Lath,
ind. orn.

Gilded-brown Humming-Bird, whitish beneath, with brown
crown and gold-green stripe down the middle of the throat.

Trochilus striatus. Lin. GmcL

Brown-crowned Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS, according to Monsr. Viellot, in the work
entitled Dictionaire d'Histoire Naturelle, is no
other than an advancing young of the Trochilus
moschitus, at the period in which it begins to quit
its first colour.

CARBUNCLE HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Carbunculus. T. rectirostris sericeo-niger, vertice col'

loque superius obscure rubris, collo inferiors pectoreque flammco*

rubris, rectricibus rufo-aureis. Lath. ind. orn.
Trocliilus Carbunculus. T. niger, capite collo et pectore rubris,

alisjuscis, cauda riifo-aurea. Lin. Gmel.
Glossy-black Humming-Bird, with dark-red crown and nape,

fiery-red throat and breast, and gilded-rufous tail.
L'Escarboucle. Buff. ois.
Carbuncle Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS species, if such it really be, and not a
variety of Trochilus moschitus, is thus described by
BufTon. " It is somewhat above the middle size :

354- CARBUNCLE HUMMING-BIRD.

the bill, both above and below, furnished with
feathers to the middle : the top of the head, and
nedk, are of a deep, dull red : the throat, fore part
of the neck, and breast are of the colour of a deep
ruby or carbuncle : the rest of the body velvet-
black : the wings brown, and the tail of a deep
gilded rufous colour." It is said to have been sent
from Cayenne, where it is very rare.

Monsr. Audebert, or rather Monsr. Viellot, in
his work on the Humming-Birds, considers this as
a variety only of the Trochilus moschitus, differing
merely in being somewhat less brilliant in colour,
which circumstance, he supposes, may have arisen
from its having been fumigated with sulphur*.
In Monsr. Sonnini's edition of Buffon however we
are informed that though Monsr. Viellot, in the
work above-mentioned, considered this species as
a mere variety of the moschitus, yet he has since
retracted that opinion, in consequence of having
received some specimens from Cayenne which ex-
actly accorded with Buffon's description and spe-
cimen. He therefore allows it to be a distinct
species from J7. moschitus, though greatly allied to
that bird.

* This pernicious practice, according to Monsr. Levaillant and
other French naturalists, appears to have done considerable in-
jury to many specimens iu the Royal Museum, and is now happily
exploded.

33.5

TOPAZ-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus chrysurus. T. liridi-aurtus, gula cinnamomea, remigibus

fuscis, cauda topazinu.

Gold-green Humming-Bird, with cinnamon throat, brown quill-
leathers, and topazine tail.
Bec-fleur a queue couleur de topaze. Azara Par.

LENGTH four inches : Native of Paraguay.

RED-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Colubris. T. triuncialis aurco-viridit, subtus albus guia

aureo-rubra, alls caudaque purpureo-fuscis.
Gold-green Humming-Bird, about three inches in length, beneath

white with gold-red throat, and purple-brown wings and tail.
Trochilus Colubris. T. reclirostris viridi-aureus, rectricibus m-

gris ; lateralibus tribus ferrvgineis apice albis, gula Jiammea,

Lin. Syst. Naf. Lath. ind. orn.

l\ed-throated Humming-Bird. Edw. pi. 38. Latli. syn,
Humming-Bird. Catesb. Carol. 1. pi. 65.
Le Rubis. Buff. ois. Viell. pi. 31.32. 33 .

THIS most beautiful species usually measures
about three inches and a third from the tip of the
bill to that of the tail : the bill is black, and
three quarters of an inch long : the crown, upper
part of the neck, back, and coverts of the wings
are of a most resplendent and variable green and
gold colour : the chin arid throat of a rich shining
scarlet, changing, according to the direction of

536 RED-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

the light, either into polished gold-colour or deep
brownish black : the breast and belly are white ;
the wings and tail purplish brown, but the two
middle tail-feathers green.

The female differs in having the whole under
side white, without any redness on the throat : in
other respects it resembles the male, except that
all the tail-feathers, exclusive of the two middle
ones, are tipped with white.

The Red-Throated Humming-Bird is a native
of America, continuing in the southern parts of
that continent during the whole year, but ap-
pearing in North-America in summer only. It
breeds in Carolina, Florida, and even, according to
some, in Canada. It also appears to be a native
of Jamaica and some other West Indian islands.
It remains, says Monsr. Viellot, in several of the
high regions of North- America for five or six
months together; appearing at New- York in the
beginning, and even in Canada at the end of May.
In winter it migrates into the Floridas; and is
found also, though rarely, in the Antilles.

Mr. Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology, has, with
great elegance, collected, from the first authorities,
the general history of this beautiful bird.

" It flies, says he, with a swiftness which the
eye is incapable of following : the motion of the
wings is so rapid as to be imperceptible to the
nicest observer: lightening is scarcely more tran-
sient than its flight, nor the glare more bright than
its colours : it never feeds but upon the wing, sus-
pended over the flower it extracts nourishment

RED-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. ,'JJ7

from; for its only food is the honied juice lodged
iu the nectaries, which it sucks through the tubes
of its curious tongue : like the bee, having ex-
hausted the honey of one flower, it wanders to the
next, in search of new sweets. It admires most
those flowers which have the deepest tubes. Thus
the female Balsamine and the scarlet Monarda are
particular favorites. Whosoever sets those plants
before the window is sure to be visited by mul-
titudes of these diminutive birds. It is a most
entertaining sight to see them swarming round
the flowers, and trying every tube of verticillated
plants, by putting their bills into every one which
encircles the stalk. If they find that their brethren,
have been beforehand, and robbed the flower of
the honey, they will, in a rage, pluck it off, and
throw it on the ground. The most violent pas-
sions animate at times their little bodies. They
have often dreadful contests, when numbers hap-
pen to dispute possession of the same flower.
They will tilt against one another with such fury
as if they meant to transfix their antagonists with
their long bills. During the fight they frequently
pursue the conquered into the apartments of those
houses whose windows are left open, take a turn
round the room, as flies do in England, and then
suddenly regain the open air. They are fearless
of mankind, and in feeding will suffer people to
come within two yards of them; but on a nearer
approach, dart away with admirable swiftness.
Fernandez Oviedo, an author of repute, speaks,
from his own knowledge, of the spirited instinct,
V. vni. p. I. 22

338 RED-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

even of this diminutive bird, in defence of its
young. " When they see a man dime the tree
where they have their nests, they flee at his face,
and strike him in the eyes, commyng, goying, and
returning, with such szvyftness, that no man would
lyghtly beleeve it that hath not seen it." Their
nests are found with great difficulty, being built
in the branch of a tree, amidst the thick foliage.
It is of an elegance suitable to the architects;
formed on the outside with moss, and in the inside
lined with down or gossamer collected from the
great Mullein or Verbascum Thapsus ; but it is
also sometimes made of flax, hemp, hair, and
other soft materials. The female is said to be the
builder; the male supplying her with materials:
each assists in the labour of incubation, which
continues during twelve days: they lay only two
eggs, white, and as small as pease : the first is
very singular, and contrary to the general rule of
Nature, which makes, in all other instances, the
smallest and most defenceless birds the most pro-
lific. The reasons of the exception in this case
are double: the smallness of their bodies causes
them commonly to escape the eyes of birds of
prey, or if seen, their rapid flight eludes the pur-
suit; so that the species is preserved as fully as if
they had been the most numerous breeders."

This species is, according to the observations
of Monsr. Viellot, of a tender and delicate nature,
and cannot support the want of its accustomed
food for more than twelve or fourteen hours at
farthest. In autumn it frequently perishes, in

RED-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. 3S9

consequence of having been detained by its late
brood, at a time when the flowers begin to be de-
stroyed by frost, as well as of its being weakened
by cold weather, when it cannot execute the
movements of its wings with the necessary degree
of rapidity to keep it suspended while in the act of
sucking the juices of flowers. In such a state of the
weather it is observed to fly with less velocity; to
perch often; sometimes to rest on the ground, and at
length to die. The late broods are often exposed
to this fate, and are found dead during the au-
tumnal season.

Monsr. Viellot farther informs us, that having
observed these birds often to perch on the dry
twigs of trees, and wishing to contemplate them
in full sunshine, he inserted several small sticks
among the flowers which they frequented, and
had thus the pleasure of seeing them, while sitting,
dart their tongue into the nearest flowers, in,
order to absorb the honey from their bottoms.
He adds that this species builds its nest on trees
and shrubs, composing it of the brown down of
the Sumach, (a -very common tree,) and covers the
exterior of it with lichens. One which he pre-
served was on a red Cedar, (perhaps the red Ju-
niper.) The male brings the materials, which the
female arranges. Both sexes sit alternately, and
the brood consists of two eggs, of a size propor-
tioned to the bird.

It is probable that the bird described in Dr.
Latham's first Supplement under the name of the
Patch-Nccked Humming-Bird, and which is said

340 RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

to be deep brown above, and white beneath, with
a bright-red spot on each side the neck, accom-
panied by several small dusky ones, was no other
than a young male of this species. This suppo-
sition is confirmed by Monsr. Audebert's figure of
a young male, which perfectly agrees with the
above description. See pi. 33 of Audebert and
Viellot's work.

RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus rubineus. T. viridi-aureus, gula rubro-aurea, alisfusco-

purpurdSy cauda rufa.
Green-gold Humming-Bird, with gold-red throat, purplish-brown

wings, and rufous tail.
Trochilus rubineus. T. viridi-avreusf gula rubro-aurea, alls cau-

dapte r iifis. Lin. Gmel.
Trochilus rubineus. T. rectirostris viridi-aureus , gutture rubino

nitente, rectricibus rufis, exterius apiceque fusco-ttiridi-aureo

Jimbriatis. Lath. ind. orn.

Le Rubis-Emeraude. Byf. ois. PL Enl. I'/Q.f. 4.
Ruby-throated Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS species, which is described by Buffon, is
considerably larger than the Red-Throated Hum-
ming-Bird, measuring four inches and a third in
length, and is of a green-gold colour, with pur-
plish-brown wings, and rufous tail with a slight
gold-green cast on the edges of the feathers, the
two middle of which are shorter than the rest:
the throat is of a brilliant ruby-red, changing, in
certain positions, into a golden hue. It is a native
of South America, and particularly of Brasil, and

RUBY-THROATED'HUMMING-BIHD. 341

is considered as one of the rarer kinds of Hum-
ming-Bird.

VAR. ?

Rubis-Viellot. Sonnini Buff".

Le Grand Rubis. Viellot. pi. 27.

This is described by Monsr. Viellot, who, in the
opinion of Monsr. Sonnini, has improperly named
it Le Grand Rubis, since, according to his own
account, it measures less by about a line than the
Ruby-Throated Humming-Bird, to which it is con-
siderably allied. Its length is four inches and
three lines, and its colour on the upper parts dark
or blackish grey-brown, the wing-coverts and tail
gilded-rufous, the exterior quill-feathers edged with
bright rufous, and the exterior tail-feathers with
white: the forehead, and under parts, from the
throat, bright gold-green, growing dull-blue be-
neath the belly: the throat is of a bright golden
ruby-colour. This species is said to be a native of
Brasil and Guiana, and the specimen figured in
the work of Messieurs Audebert and Viellot is
preserved in the Parisian Museum.

Monsr. Viellot describes and figures, under the
name of Trochilus obscurus, what may, perhaps,
be either the female or young of the above : it is
somewhat smaller, and is of a slightly-gilded brown
above, and ash-coloured beneath; the tail pale fer-
ruginous, with a black bar near the end, and tip*
ped with white.

342

EMERALD-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus mellisugus. T. viridi-aureus, gula viridi-caruka nitcnte,
alts nigro-violaceis, tibiis pennatis.

Gold-green Huraming-Bird, with glossy blue-green throat, violet-
black wings, and feathered legs.

Trochilus mellisugus? T. rectirostris Hindi- aureus, rectricibus
cequalibus cceruleis, remigibus atro-ccerulesccntibm, tibiis pennatis.
Lin. Syst. Nat. Lath. ind. orn.

Trochilus viridissimus ? T. rectirostris viridis vimdissimm inau-
ratuSf abdomine albo, cauda chalybea. Lath, ind, orn.,

L'Oiseau-mouche a gorge verte. Viell. pi. 39.

L'Oiseau-mouche tout- vert. ? Viell. pi. 42.

L'Oiseau-mouche a poitrine verte. ? Viell. pi. 44.

All-green Humming-Bird.? Edwards pi. 360./. 1.

L'Orvert. ? Buff. ois. Vert-dore. Buff. ois. Pl.Enl.2/6.f.3.

Cayenne Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

L'Oiseau-mouche a gosier bleue ? Viell. pi. 40.

LENGTH about three inches: front and upper
parts of the body green-gold, changing into brown
according to the light: throat and sides of the
neck fine gold-green with blue and violet glosses :
breast and belly yellow gold-green : on each side
the belly a white spot : wings violet-black : tail
glossed with green : legs feathered to the feet.
The female resembles the male, but is less bright
in colour. This bird seems the same with the
All-Green Humming-Bird of Edwards, with which
it agrees in size. Edwards describes his spe-
cimen as having the head, neck, and whole
body of a fine green colour, blueish on the under
side, with a bright shining gloss; the upper side
and coverts of the wings more yellow* and with a

RUFF-NECKED II rMMlXCJ-BlUD. 343

copper-coloured gloss: the quills brownish purple,
and the tail dark blue. Viellot's specimen was
brought from Porto-Rico. Buffon describes his
Orvert as measuring only two inches in length,
and as having the belly white, and Mr. Latham
mentions a specimen of similar size and appear-
ance. It is therefore doubtful whether the Orvert
of BufFon be the same with this ; and a similar
doubt must remain with respect to the T. melllsugus
of Linnaeus. Monsr. Viellot however adds to the
description of his Oiseau-Mouche a gorge verte
that the young birds have the lower part of the
abdomen white. The Oiseau-Mouche tout-vert of
Monsr. Viellot seems to be no other than the
species above-described, differing only in being
more uniformly gold-green, or with less appear-
ance of the blue gloss.

RUFF-NECKED HUMMIXG-BIRD.

Trochilus collaris. T. rufus, sultus pallidior, vertice viridi-aureo,

gula aureo-rubra pennis utrinque elongatis.
Rufous Hu mm ing-Bird, paler beneath, with gold-green crown

and gold-red throat with the feathers elongated on each side.
Trochilus collaris. T. rectirostris rufo-tcstaceus, subtus rufescente-

albus, vertice viridi-aureo, gula flammeo-rubra, lateribus pennis

elongatis. Lath. ind. orn.
LeSasin. Viell.pl. 6l. 62.
Ruff-necked Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THE Ruff-necked Humming-Bird is of a rather
smaller size than the Red-Throated, to which it is
in some degree allied, and, like that species, is

344 RUFF-NECKED HUMMING-BIRD.

found even in the high northern latitudes of the
American continent. Its length is three inches
and a quarter : the head is of a rich variable green
and gold colour: the feathers on the neck are
somewhat lengthened, disposed on each side in
the form of a ruff, and are of a brilliant crimson
or ruby-colour with a copper gloss : the back and
tail-coverts are rufous or cinnamon-coloured : the
wing-coverts green, and the wings purplish brown:
the tail is cuneiform, bright ferruginous at the
base, and brown at the tip, and the feathers are
of a pointed shape : the whole under parts, from
the throat, are blossom-coloured, or white with a
cast of rufous.

The female differs in being of a green-gold
colour above, and white beneath: the throat
marked by several minute red spots, and the tail-
feathers, except the two middle ones, slightly tip-
ped with white.

This species inhabits, in great numbers, the
neighbourhood of Nootka Sound, where the na-
tives brought many of them to our navigators
alive, and fastened by a long hair tied round one
of their legs.

34.5

TUFTED-NECKED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus ornatus. T. subfuscus rvfo-cristatus, gnla smaragdina,

pennis colli clongatis ritjis apice viridi-anreis.
Brownisli Humming-Bird, with rufous crest, emerald throat, and

elongated rufous neck-feathers with gold-green tips.
Trochilus ornatus. T. rectirostris viridi-aureits, subtus fusco-au~

reus, crist a rvfa, abdominc wjimo vittaque transversa vropygii

albis, infra aures ulrinque pennis 6 sen ^ elongatis nifis apice

macula viridi. Lath. ind. orn.

Le Hupecol. Euf. ois. PI. Enl. 640. f. 3. Fie//, pi 4Q. 50.
Trochilus ornatus. Ruff-necked Humming-Bird. Museum Levs«

rianum. p. 128. et pi. oppos.
Tufted-necked Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS is considerably allied to the Ruff-Necked
Humming-Bird, but far surpasses that species in
the beauty and variety of its plumage. Its total
length is about three inches: the bill is reddish at
the base, but black at the tip, and is covered for
about one fourth of its length by minute gold-
green plumes : the forehead, hind-head, back, and
wing-coverts are of a bright gold-green colour:
the wings violet-brown : the throat, to a considera-
ble distance down the neck, of a most brilliant
golden green, forming a kind of shield, as in the
Topaz-Throated Humming-Bird, and appearing
brown when viewed irr particular lights: the re-
mainder of the under parts are rufous brown, the
rump and vent-feathers ash-coloured : on the top
of the head is a most elegant ascending crest,
composed of soft silky plumes of a very bright

346 WHITE- BILLED HUMMING-BIRD.

cinnamon or ferruginous colour, and on each side
the neck, pointing backwards, and extending to a
very considerable distance, is a tuft or series of
numerous, unequal, lengthened plumes, of a bright
rufous colour, rather paler towards the end, and
terminating in a dilated tip of a deep but lucid
gold-green colour. In the young bird these plumes
are shorter and broader than in the full-grown one,
and of a gilded copper-green cast. The female is
of similar colour to the male, but more of a rufous
cast beneath, and is destitute both of the crest
and side-plumes which form so conspicuous an or-
nament in the male. This species is a native of
Guiana.

WHITE-BILLED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus alhirostris. T. nigricans, gula aureo-viridi pennis

JimbriatiS) rostrofemoribus crissoque albis.
Blackish Humming-Bird, vvitli gold-green throat, each feather

edged with grey, and white bill, thighs, and vent.
L'Oiseau-mouche a bee blanc. Viell. pL 45.

THIS Monsr. Viellot describes as a new species*
Length three inches and a quarter : colour above
brown, the crown of the head glossed with dark
carmine-colour, and the back slightly gilded: bill
white, with a black tip: neck, throat, and breast
green-gold, each feather edged with pearl-grey:
abdomen brown, but with a mixture of gold in
particular lights: wings and tail violet brown, the
latter rufous at the tip : wings extending beyond

VIELLOT'S HUMMING-BIRD. 34?

the tail. Native of Cayenne. In his Appendix
Monsr. Vjellot appears to think this bird either a
young or a female of some other species hitherto
undetermined.

VIELLOT'S HUMMING-BIKD.

Trochilus Vielloti. T. olivaceo-nigricans aureo-nitcnst subtus al-

bicans, remigibusfusco-violaceis.
Blackish-olive Humming-Bird, with golden gloss, beneath whitish,

with violet-brown quill-feathers.
L'Oiseau-mouche a ventre gris. Viell. pi. 53.
L'Oiseau-mouche de St. Domingue. Briss. ois. 3. t. ?6.f. 8.
Trochilus niger ? ? T. rectirostris rcctricibus subccqualibus corpore

nigro subtus aurato, crisso albo, tibiisptnnatis. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Lath. ind. orn.
Black Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS, which is one of the smallest of the genus,
is described and figured by Monsr. Viellot, under
the name of L'Oiseau-Mouche a ventre gris, and is
a species perfectly distinct from some others with
which it has been confounded. Its total length is
two inches and three lines, and its colour on the
upper parts green-brown with a coppery lustre :
the quill-feathers of the wings are violet-brown,
and the tail of the same colour, except the two
middle feathers, which, as in most others of the
genus, are of the colour of the back : the whole
under parts, from the chin to the vent, are greyish
white, and the legs are covered with grey plumes.
The female differs from the male in being rather
smaller, of a dull grey beneath, and in having all

348 VIELLOT'S HUMMING-BIRD.

the tail feathers, except the middle pair, tipped
with white.

This small species is common in the island of
St. Domingo, where Monsr. Viellot assures us he
has procured several pair, with their nest and
young. Each hrood, as in all of this genus, whose
nests have been hitherto observed, consist of two.
The period of incubation is twelve days : on the
thirteenth the young are hatched, and remain in the
nest -seventeen or eighteen days, by which time
their wings are fully grown: they then follow
their parents in quest of food : the nest is some-
times placed with its bottom horizontal on a
branch, and sometimes it is attached by its side to
a perpendicular one; and is externally covered
with lichen, and lined internally with fibres of
cotton : the male is extremely affectionate to the
female, watching her, and bringing her food
during the time of incubation, and afterwards as-
sisting in the care of the young. When the family
leaves the nest, the young usually perch on some
dead twig on a neighbouring tree; the parents im-
mediately extracting honey-juice from the neigh-
bouring flowers, and feeding the young; either
sitting by them, or on the wing, by applying the
tips of their tongues to those of the young, which
immediately swallow it with avidity, agitating
their wings the while, and from time to time ut-
tering a feeble cry or note of delight.

Monsr. Viellot seems to suppose this species to
be the Trochilus niger of Linnaeus; but if this be
the case, it must be confessed that the Linnaean

WHITE-TEMPLED HUMMING-BIRD. 349

specific character is not very correctly descriptive,
since it states the bird to be black above, and
gilded beneath.

WHITE-TEMPLED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus leucocrotaphos. T. aureo-viridis , subtus canus abdominc
albo, linea postoculari albida, re?nigibus cauduque chalybcis.

Gold-green Humming-Bird, beneath grey with white belly, a
whitish stripe behind the eyes, and blue-black quill and tail-
feathers.

Oiseau-mouche au tempes blanches. Atara Par.

TOTAL length three inches and five twelfths :
from the angles of the eyes a whitish stripe of a
line in diameter passing towards the sides of the
hind-head, and beneath it another which is black-
ish: the two exterior tail-feathers tipped with a
whitish spot, which on the third feather nearly
vanishes : bill red for half its length, and black
for the remainder, and about eight lines long.
The most common species in Paraguay. Male
and female alike.

350

MAUGEAN HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Maugeanus. T. avreo-viridu, subtus violaceo-cceruleo
nitens, remigibus rectricibusque violaceo-nigris, cauda sulfur-
cata.

Gold-green Humming-Bird, beneath glossed with violet-blue,
with violaceous-black wings and tail, the latter slightly forked.

L'Oiseau-mouche Mauge. VielL pi. 37. 38.

Tobago Humming-Bird ? Lath. syn.

LENGTH about three inches and a half: colour
green-gold, with blue and violet reflexions on the
under parts: lower part of the abdomen white:
wings and tail deep violet-black: the latter forked.
Native of the island of Porto-Rico, from whence
it was brought by Monsr. Mauge. The female is
rather smaller than the male, of a coppery green
above, and greyish white beneath: the wings
brown, the two middle tail-feathers green, the
succeeding ones tipped with blue, and the two ex-
terior ones on each side green at the base, then
grey, gradually deepening into blue, and tipped
with whitish grey.

LITTLE BROWN HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus ruber. T. subfenugineusfusco submaculatus, rectricibus

later alibus fusco-violaceis.
Subferruginous Humming-Bird, slightly spotted with brown,

with the side-feathers of the tail violet-brown.
Trochilus ruber. T. rectirostris, rectricibus laterulibus violaceia,

corpore testaceo fusco submaculato. Lin. Syst. Nat. Lath.

ind. orn.

Little browu Humming-Bird. Edio. pi. 32.
L'Oiseau-mouche pourpre. Buf. ois.
Little brown Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

DESCRIBED by Edwards from a pair of specimens
brought from Surinam. Length rather more than
three inches: bill rather long, and slightly bent* : top
of the head dull brown, spotted with bright brown :
throat, sides of the head, neck, breast, and belly
bright bay or dull orange : under the eye a stroke
of dark brown, and on the breast some dark spots:
back and upper part of the wings dull brown, in-
termixed with brighter or yellowish brown : quill
and tail-feathers dull purple, except the middle
tail-feathers, which are brown.

* So as to render it doubtful in which division of the genus it
should be placed.

352

CRESTED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus cristatus. T. aureo-viridis subtus cincrtus, crista aureo-

ccerulea acuminata, remigibus caudaque violaceis.
Gold-green Humming-Bird, cinereous beneath, with golden-blue

pointed crest, and violet quill-feathers and tail.
Trochilus cristatus. T. rectirostris viridis, alis fusds, abdomine

fusco-tinereo, crista ccerulescente, tibiis pennatis. Lin. Syst. Nat.

Lath. ind. orn.

Crested green Humming-Bird. Edw. pL 37* Lath. syn.
L'Oiseau-mouche hupe. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 22?. /. i. Viell.

pi. 47. 48.

THE Crested Humming-Bird seems to have been
first described by Edwards, who, in the thirty-
seventh plate of his excellent work, has given a
good figure both of the bird and its nest. The
total length of the bird is three inches. " The
bill, says Edwards, is slender, sharp-pointed, and
not so long as in most of this kind, of a black
colour, and very little bowed downward : the top
of the head, from the bill to the hinder part, which
ends in a crest, is first green, and toward the hinder
part dark blue : both these colours shine with a
lustre far exceeding the brightest polished metals,
the green part especially, which is the lightest in
some lights, changes from green to gold-colour, so
beautiful as not to be expressed by colours, or
hardly conceived in the absence of the object: the
feathers of the upper part of the body and wings
are dark green intermixed with gold-colour : just
beneath the bill is a spot of dirty white: the breast

/'///•/ AVer/ .<•'•//((- ('///rr Proprietors.

CRESTED HUMMING-BIRD.

and belly are of a dark, dirty, grisled or mixed
grey colour : the quills are of a purple colour, and
the tail is of a blueish black, something glossy on
the upper side, the under side more glossy than
the upper, which is not common : the legs and
feet are very small, and of a black colour."

The female of this species differs in wanting the
crest, and in being ash-coloured beneath. Native
of South America and some of the West Indian
islands. In its general manners and character it
seems to resemble the Red-Throated Humming-
Bird, being of a bold disposition, attacking larger
birds, and expelling them from its haunts. It
frequents gardens, building on the twig of an
orange-tree or jasmine, and sometimes on the pro-
jecting straws of the roof 'of a cottage ; and if the
nest and young be taken into the house, will
follow, and rear the young in their state of con.
finement.

Y. VIII. P. I,

354

CRESTED BROWN HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus pileatus. T.fuscus, crista cceruko-nitentc acuminata.
Brown Humming- Bird, with glossy-blue pointed crest.
Trochilus pileatus. T. rectirostris pallide fuscus, remigibus rec-

tricibusque saturatioribus, crista cceruka spkndidissima. Lath.

ind. orn.
Trochilus puniceus. T. pallide fuscus, crista ccerulea. Lin,

Gmel

L'Oiseau-mouche a huppe bleu. Viell. pi. 63.
Crested brown Humming-Bird. Lath. syn.

THIS, which resembles the preceding in size
and habit, differs in being entirely of a fine and
rather pale brown colour, the wings and tail
rather deeper, and the throat rather lighter than
the other parts: the crest is similar in shape and
size to that of the immediately preceding bird,
and is of a fine bright or glossy blue colour. This
species, if such it really be, and not a mere variety
of the preceding, is called in the]Gmelinian edition
of the Systema Naturae by the name of Trochilus
puniceuS) but why a name so little expressive of
the true colour should have been fixed upon it is
not easy to conceive.

Sird

2808 Ccl'i.Lwutvn PubUjJi'tt ' /n- t:./T,<i/v/,-r /*//•//. iV/yy/.

LEAST HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus minimus. T. aurco-viridis sescuncialis, subtus albidut,

alis taudaquc violacco-fuscis.
Gold-green Humming-Bird, measuring about an inch and half in

length, beneath whitish, with violet-brown wings and tail.
Trochilus minimus. T. rectirostris, rcctricibus lateralibus mar-

gine cxteriorc albisy corpore viridi-nitente, subtus albido. Lin.

Syst. Nat.

Guainumbi minor corpore toto cinereo. Raii. syn.
Least Humming-Bird. Edw. pL 105. Nat. Misc. vol. I2.pl.

480. Zool. Lect. I . pi. 62.
Le plus petit Oiseau-mouche. Buff. ois. PL Enl. 276. / 1.

Vidl.pl. 6*.

THE smallest of all the genus; and consequently
of the whole feathered tribe. General length from
sixteen to seventeen lines, or rather more than an
inch and quarter : colour on the upper parts green-
gold, the quill and tail-feathers glossy violet-brown
or blackish, and the exterior tail-feathers edged
and tipped with white: under parts pale or whitish
grey in the male, and dusky grey in the female.
Native of several parts of South America, and of
some of the West Indian islands, particularly, as
is said, of Jamaica. It seems to have been first
correctly described by Edwards; for on the loose
general descriptions of Marcgrave, arid repeated
by Willughby, &c. no dependance can be placed.
" The bill, says Edwards, and whole upper side of
the head, neck, body, wings, and tail are of a
dirty brown colour, yet iri the sunshine there is a

LEAST HUMMING-BIRD.

small gloss of a gold-green colour, which strikes
not the eye in common lights : the under side of
the head, neck, and belly are of a dirty white: the
outside feathers of the tail are also white: the legs
and feet are black : the bird, when dried, weighed
no more than five grains. I take it to be the
same with the Smallest Humming-Bird of Sir
Hans Sloane's History of Jamaica, vol. 2. p. 307>
where he says it weighed not over twenty grains
when just killed."

The above specimen, from Edwards's description
of the colours, appears to have been a female.
The figure engraved in Sloane's Jamaica is repre-
sented by far too large for the bird, and is other-
wise so ill executed as to be unworthy of quo-
tation. The figure given in Brisson's Ornithology,
and repeated in the Planches Enluminees of
Buffon agrees in size with that of Edwards. Those
represented in the work of Monsr. Viellot are a
trifle larger, or at least longer, measuring about an
inch and five eighths in length, and were brought
from America by Dufresne. The gold-green of
the upper parts is more brilliant in these figures
than the general tenor of descriptions would lead
us to suppose ; but in these birds, as in all others,
considerable diversity as to the colour of the plu-
mage must be expected to take place in indi-
viduals of different ages, and in different degrees
of perfection. A pair of this species in the Bri-
tish Museum are of a brownish green above, with
but a slight appearance of a gilded lustre. They
are reported however to have belonged to the col-

LEAST HUMMING-BIRD. 35?

lection of Sir Hans Sloane, and may therefore well
be supposed to have lost much of their original
lustre of plumage.

The nest of this species is described as rather
large for the size of the bird, but this appearance
is owing to its thickness : it is covered outwardly
with lichens, and lined with fine cotton or other
downy substances: the eggs are said to be of
the size of coriander seeds, and of a dull white
colour.

END OF PART I.

T. D*tn*o*, Lombard-street,
fWritefriars, London.

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