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Show 324, AVES. We should approximate to the Bee·eaters certain long-tailed birds with metallic·coloured plumage, hitherto classed with Pro-merop' s, but whose ·two external toes are almost as extensively united as those of the former. ( 1) '!'here appears to be none of this genus in America, where they are represented in some respects by the p RIONITES, Illig. The Motmots have their feet and carriage, but differ in the beak which is stronger, the edges of both mandibles ~eing serrat~d, and in t 11 e1. r t ongu e , u..r hich , like that of the Toucans, lS barbed. fhey are beautiful birds, as large as the Magpie; the plumage on the head, loose as in the Jays, and a long cuneiform tail; the stem~ of the two middle quills being stripped of their barbs for a short distance near the extremities, gives to the whole a singular appearance. They fly badly, are solitary, build in holes, feed on insects, and even on small birds.(2) ALcEno, Lin. The Kingfishers have shorter feet than the Bee·eaters: and the beak much longer, which is straight, angular, and pomted; the tongue and tail are very short. There are two emarginations in their sternum, as in those of the B~·eaters and the Rollers. They feed on small fish which they capture by precipitating themselves into the water from some branch where they have remained perched, watching for their prey. Their stomach is a membranous sac. They nestle like Bee-eaters in holes on the banks of streams, and are found in both continents. The European species, /1. ispida; Enl. 77; Naum. 144. The size of a Finch; greenish garrulus, faBciculatus, carunculatus, of Lath. appear to us to be Philedons; we h~ve even ascertained this to be the fact with respect to most of them;-the M Clnt-re" s Seb XXXI 10 is a long tailed Cinnyris or Soui-manga. ... , ' ' ' l hnchos (1) The Promerops moqueur, Vaill. Prom. 1, 2, and 4 ( Upupa eryt zror '!J • Lath.). The young bird has a black beak.-The Prom. namaquois, Vaill. 5 and6, or Falcin. cyanomelaB, Vieill. b' of (2) The Blue-headed Motmot, or the Houtou of Guyana, Guira, guaynum '·u the Brazilians, according to Marcgrave (RampltaBios momota, Gm.:.~ or Pr. brll8!; ensis, Illig. Enl. 370; Vaill. Ois. de Par. &c. I, pl. xxxvii and xxxvm;-th~ ~0: a tete rousse or of Peru; Motmot dombey, Va.ill. loc. cit. pl. xxxix, aml VIeJ · h · pl. cxc;-Pr. Marcii, Spix, 9;-the Tutre of Paraguay, Azz. No. 52, are, to sayt e least, closely allied to it. . '( Motrrwt, according to Fernandez, is the Mexican name of the first. Prwm 11' from "~'"'v, saw, a name gi.vcn by llligcr. M. Vicillot has change d 1· t J·I J to ll.uu· l'IIO'VUS, P ASSERINJE. 325 waved with black above; underneath, and a band on each side of the neck, reddish; a wide band of the most beautiful aquamarina blue along the back. The species foreign to Europe have also a smooth plumage variegated with different shades of blue and green. They may be distinguished among themselves by the beak, which in some is simply straight and pointed as in the common species,( 1) and in others, has an inflated lower mandible.(2) Of those found in New Holland and its neighbouring countries, some have a mandible hooked at the point.(3) The greyish and dull plumage of several of the latter is an indication of their not visiting the water, and in fact they feed on insects. CEYx, Lacep. Kingfishers with the usual beak, but in which the internal toe is deficient. Three species are found in India.( 4) Tonus, Lin. The Todies are small birds of America resembling the Kingfishers in their general form as well as in their feet and elongated beak, but the latter is horizontally flattened, and obtuse at the point. (1) .B.lc. (afra, Sh.) maxima, Enl. 679;-alcyon, 715 and 593, and Wils., Am. 114 xxxiii, 1;-torquata, 284;--rudis, 62 and 716;-bicolor, 592;-americana, 591;hengaknsia, Edw., II;-cmruleo-cepltala, Enl. 356, 2;-cristata, 756, 1;-madagascaritrllia, 778, 1;--pt~orpurea, 778~ 2;-superciliosa, 756, 1 and 2;-cinerifrons, Vieill. Gal.187;-Biru, Horsf. Jav.1 and T. Col. 289, 1;-semi-torqttata, Swains. lll. 154;rJ~ iatica, lb. 50. (2) .B.l. capensis, 599;-atricapilla, 673;-smirnensis, 232 and 894, one of the two · distinguished by Al'istotle;-dea, 116, of w4ich Vigors makes his genus UYSIPTERA.;-chlorocepltala, 783, 2;-coromanda, Somer. 218;-leucocepltala (ja· oonica, Sh.), 757;-senegalensis, 594 and 356;-cancropltaga, Sh. 334;--melanor. hyncha, T. Col. 391;-omnicolor, T. Col., 1i5;-diops, Id. Col. 212;-Dacelo con· creta, ld. Col. 346;-Dacelo cinnamominus, Swains. lll., 67. It is from this division that li. I.each has made his gcnns DA.cELo. N.B. In several of the fig. Enl. the beaks are not sufficiently inflated. (3) .B.lcedo fusca (gigantea, Sh.), Enl. 66.'3; Vieill. Gal. 188;-Dacelo pukltella, Rorsf. Jav. and T. Col. 262;-Dac. Gaudichaud, Quoy and Gaym. Voy. de Freycin. pl.nv. N.B. M. Lesson separates the species with denticulated beaks from the Kingfishers, by the name of SntA.; and by that of ToDIRAMl'UES, those whose beak is a depressed and without a ridge, such as Jllcedo sacra, Lath. Sec his Mem. those of the Soc. d'Hist. Nat. tom. III, pl. xi and xii. trydactyla, Pall. and Gm.; Pall., Spic., VI, pl. ll, f. 2; Sonner. pl. tribrachya, Sh. Nat. Misc. XVI, pl. 681;-.dk. meninting, llorsf., Col. |