Mr. J. Gould on Ceriornis Caboti. 5^1 



observing it in a state of nature, he noticed that its actions were very 

 peculiar, and quite different from those of all other birds : the flight 

 is performed with a motion of the wings so rapid as to be almost 

 imperceptible ; indeed the muscular power of this little creature ap- 

 pears to be very great in every respect, as, independently of its rapid 

 and sustained flight, it grasps the small twigs, flowers, &c. upon 

 which it alights with great firmness, and if wounded clings to them 

 with the utmost tenacity : it appears to be most active in the morn-" 

 ing and evening, and to pass the middle of the day under the shade 

 of the thick leafy branches. Occasionally it occurs in such numbers, 

 that fifty or sixty may be seen on a single tree. When captured, 

 it so speedily becomes tame, that it will feed from the hand or 

 mouth within half an hour. Successful in keeping one alive during 

 a long railway journey, in a gauze bag attached to his breast-button, 

 for three days, during which it readily fed from a small bottle filled 

 with a syrup of brown sugar and water, Mr. Gould determined to 

 attempt the bringing of some living examples to England, in which 

 he succeeded, but unhappily they did not long survive their arrival 

 in London, and died on the second day : had they lived, it was his 

 intention to have sent them to the Society's Gardens, where they 

 would doubtless have been objects of great attraction. Mr. Gould 

 added, that he was certain that they might be readily brought to this 

 country ; that they would live in the gardens at least during the 

 months of summer, and that the captains of any of the great steamers 

 now voyaging between England and America would willingly render 

 the assistance requisite to effect this desirable object. 



Mr. Gould exhibited a highly interesting species of Ceriornis, 

 which he had found in the Collection of Dr. Cabot of Boston, who, 

 with the greatest liberality, permitted him to bring it to England 

 for the purpose of comparison and description. The appearance of 

 this bird is very singular, and the uniform buff colouring of the 

 breast would lead to the supposition that it is merely a variety of 

 one or other of the previously known species of the genus ; but the 

 greater length of the tarsi, and the well-defined markings of the 

 back, forbid such a conclusion. For this new bird, forming the 

 fourth species of the genus, Mr. Gould proposed the name of 



Ceriornis Caboti. 



Forehead, sides of the head, nape and chin, black ; crest and sides 

 of the neck deep red ; all the upper surface mottled with black, rich 

 chestnut, and huffy white, the latter colour assuming the form of a 

 large circular spot at the tip of each feather ; this buff mark greatly 

 increasing in size on the scapularies and the greater wing- and tail- 

 coverts ; primaries and tail-feathers very dark brown, crossed with 

 toothed markings of buff mottled with black ; breast and under sur- 

 face deep sandy buff stained with red, and black on the flanks, under 

 tail-coverts and thighs. 



Total length, 1 Scinches; bill, If ; wing, 10 ; tail, 7\; tarsi, 3|; 

 middle toe and nail, 2f . 



Hab. China. 

 Ann, ^ Mag, N, Hist Ser.3. Fb/. xx. Suppl 34 



