COEACllD^. 



Family CORACIIDiE. 



ycxes similar in colour ; the plumage of the upper surface non- 

 metallic. 



Bill Corvine in shape, culmen rounded ; the tomium slightly 

 curved and the genys also nearly straight, ascending gently towards 

 the end. 



Palate desmognathous. 



Feet anisodactyle, the outer toe united to the middle toe at the 

 extreme base ; the inner toe united for its hasal joint. 



No powder-down patches. 



Oil-gland nude. 



Amhiens muscle absent. 



Nostrils placed near the base of the upper mandible, and hidden 

 by bristly feathers. 



Tail-feathers twelve. 



Range. Temperate and tropical portions of the Old World. 



A't^ to the Subfamilies and Genera. 



a. Tarsus elongated, exceeding the 



middle toe in length. Habits ter- 

 restrial BRACHYPTERAVIIN.E. 



a . Bill long, measured from gapw 

 exceeding the length of the 



tarsus 1. Bbachyi>teeacias, p. 4. 



b' . Bill shorter, much less than the 

 tarsus in length. 

 a". Wing much longer than the 



tail 2. Geobiastes, p. 6. 



b" . AVing and tail about equal . . 3. Ateloenis, p. 7. 



b. Tarsus shortened, kss than half the 



length of the middle toe. Habits 



arboreal VOBACIIlsM. 



c, BiU slender, compressed, much 



longer than it is broad 4. Coeacias, p. 9. 



(T. BiU short, depressed and slightly 

 hooked, as broad at gape as it 

 is long , 5. EuEYSTOMUS, p. 28. 



Subfamily I. BRACHYPTERACIIN^. 



\. BRACHYPTERACIAS. „, 



lype. 



Brachypteracias, Lafr. liev. et May. de Zoo!. 1834, 



pi. 31 B. leptosomus. 



Chloropygia, Stcains. Classif. B. ii. p. 333 (1837) .... B. leptosomus 



Ttanrje. C'onfiucd to Madagascar. 



i 



