490 Notes on the Trumpeter Bird. 



even according to the author's own admission, the head of 

 Chroicocephalus is dark coloured only in the summer plumage, 

 and that even then it does not possess the dark head, unless 

 the bird be in its mature plumage, and when we consider that 

 this is the only character separating it from Larus, we are 

 struck with the frivolity of the distinction. By what means 

 are we to know a Chroicocephalus in its immature or its win- 

 ter plumage from a Larus ? The only additional evidence to 

 prove the fallacy of the separation which we could require, 

 would be the discovery of some gull partaking of the charac- 

 ters of both, and this we find in the common gull Larus ca- 

 nus before referred to, whose head is spotted both in the sum- 

 mer and winter plumage, and which, were we to follow Mr. 

 Ey ton's rule, must have a "new sub-genus" established for 

 its reception. I hope the arguments I have given will be 

 thought sufficiently conclusive to warrant the union of the 

 two sub-genera, Larus and Chroicocephalus. 



I am sorry to be obliged again to differ with Mr. Eyton, in 

 another part of his valuable work, in which he makes the 

 grey wagtail come under the sub-genus Budytes. According 

 to Swainson, the sub -genus Budytes has the tarsi and middle 

 toe equal, and the hind toe as long as the tarsus ; now, this 

 obviously can never apply to the grey wagtail, which, in my 

 opinion, belongs to the genus Motacilla, with which it agrees 

 in the character of its feet, &c. 



French Street, Dublin. 



Art. VIII. Notes on the Trumpeter Bird, or Waracobi of th Aro- 

 wahs of Guiana ; Psophia crepitans of Linnaeus. By Dr. John 

 Hancock, Corr. Memb. Zool. Soc, &c. &c. 



This bird, which is about the size of a domestic fowl, has 

 many affinities with the genus Struthio. Its tail is short, the 

 wings are small, and it seldom flies ; but with the assistance 

 of its short wings it runs, or rather hops along, with much 

 rapidity. 



The singular and social habits, and very antic gambols of 

 this bird, have frequently attracted the notice of travellers. — 

 It will stand on one leg, then hop and dance before the spec- 

 tator, and tumble over like a Merry- Andrew ; so that an Afri- 

 can noticing it, was not unapt in calling it the crazy bird. — 

 Like a dog, it shows great attachment to its keeper, and will 

 follow him wherever he goes, — a rare propensity in a bird. — 

 It is bold and pugnacious, and appears to be the master of 



