460 Mr. N. A. Vigors on the Natural Affinities 



ceeding family of Cuciilida, the various and extensive genera of 

 which are as yet but little understood, as far as regards their 

 natural affinities. The Linnean genus Cuculiis, indeed, as at 

 present constituted, forms an extremely artificial group. There 

 is much to be done with respect to these birds, and they would 

 form an interesting subject for the researches of an ornithologist 

 who might have leisure and opportunity to describe their living 

 manners and economy. I shall only now observe with respect to 

 external character, that some genera of the family are associated 

 with the true Ciiculus by their curved and slender bill ; others, 

 like Indicator, Vieill., have a shorter and stronger bill ; while 

 Saiirothera, Vieill., by its serrated bill evinces an approaching 

 conformity to the Rarnphastida ; and a considerable number, 

 such as Centropus, 111., Phanicophaus, Vieill., and Crotophaga, 

 Linn., indicate the same affinity by the gradual increase of the 

 bill in length and size. The last-mentioned genus, it may also be 

 added, bears a relation, through the medium oi Scythrops, to the 

 Hornbills ; some species of that family, and one more particu- 

 larly lately discovered* in the interior of Africa, possessing, 



* The bird I allude to is in the possession of Mr. Leadbeater, of Brewer-street, who 

 has kindly allowed me to give the following description of the species : 



BuCEROS, Limi. 



LeaDBEATERI. B.niger, remigibus primoribus albis ; regione ophthalmku gutture- 

 que nudis coccineis, carideo-variegatis ; rostri dorso elevato, cuUrato, compresso. 



Rastrum nigrum, dorso carinato, Crotophaga rostro persimile. Capitis vertex, re- 

 miges secundariae quinque internse, rectrices(\ue intense nigras. Dorsum, collum, 

 pectus, abdomen, remigesque secundarias, quinque internis exceptis, fusco-nigrae : 

 remiges primarise albse, maculis parvis nigris confertis ad medium pogonii externi 

 conspersae. Long, corporis, 3 ped. 7^ unc. : rostri, ad frontem, 7| unc, ad ric- 

 tum, 8; altitudo, 'if. Long, tarsi, 6^: digiti medii ungue incluso, 3^: hallucis 

 ungue incluso, 2^ : unguis medii, |. 



i/a6«7aMn Afric^ inleriori Septentrionali. 



In Mus. Dom. Leadbeateri. 



Obs. Ha;c species, B.Abyssinico in casteris valde aflSnis, rostri structure omnino differt. 



though 



