Australian Birds in the Collection of the Linnean Society. 203 
out of the genus Ampelis, Linn., and some conterminous birds. 
He however still assigned it a station in the series of his genera, 
immediately subsequent to the Linnean genus Coracias. The 
bird evidently exhibits strong relations to both these groups. In 
its colours, its size and strength, and its general form, it bears a 
resemblance to the Rollers; while in the wide gape of the bill 
it equally seems to approach the broad-billed Berry-eaters. 
Judging, however, even from external characters, we have no 
hesitation in stating our opinion, that these relations are merely 
analogical, and that the natural station of the bird is in the 
tribe of Fissirostres, but at that extremity of the group where it 
joins the Dentirostres. The shape of the wing, evidently formed 
for a rapid flight, —the comparative shortness and weakness of 
the legs, indicating the pursuit of an aérial rather than of a ter- 
restrial prey,—and the notched apez of the bill, denoting its 
food to be rather animal than vegetable,—all are characters 
which point out its affinity to the Fissirostral 
» prey within their gape as they pursue it on t 
brilliant colours of this bird, which have hith 
placed among the Rollers, equally associate it with the present 
family of Todide and with the neighbouring Halcyonide : while 
the bill appears decidedly formed according to the same model 
as that of Eurylaimus* and the conterminous group of Podargus. 
We had much pleasure in finding that our conjectures respecting 
the affinities of this group, which we had drawn merely from its 
external characters, were confirmed by the accounts of its habits 
- and mode of life, which we have extracted above from Mr. Ca- 
ley’s manuscripts. We must observe in addition, that this natu- 
ralist, arranging his birds without any predilection for systems, 
OT. one 
ee 
* See Linn. Trans. vol. xiv. p. 430; and Zool. Researches in Java, no. 2. 
2p2 and 
