16 lEEISOBID^-. 



Family II. IRRISORIDtE. 



The relationship subsisting between the Upupidce and Irrisoridce, 

 so strongly urged, by Strickland, is now generally admitted, the 

 many similar points of their structure being corroborative of this 

 alliance. The points of difference, too, are manifest, but all of 

 them of less apparent importance and serving only to separate 

 the two families the one from the other. 



The male in Irrisor has a much longer, more curved, and slender 

 bill than the female. 



Several fictitious species of Levaillant's have usually been placed 

 in the Irrisoridce. They are as follows : — 



Irrisor sibilator (V.). 

 „ caudacutus (V.). 

 „ lamprolo])hus (Wagl.). 

 „ cceruleus (V.). 

 „ cyaneus (V.). 



The synonymy of these spurious species is fully given by Drs. 

 Fin&ch and Hartlaub in their ' Yogel Ost-Afrika's ' (pp. 210, 211). 



Another species, Irrisor theophilei of Prevost, has also probably 

 no real existence (cf. Heugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. p. 220), 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Nostrils elongated and open, slightly over- 



hung by a strong thickened eave-like 



edge. Bill luoderately arched 1. Irrisor, p. 16. 



b. Nostrils elongated and completely over- 



hung by a corneous membrane or oper- 

 culum. Bill moderately arched or much 

 curved. 



a'. Bill moderately arched 2. Scopteltts, p. 21. 



b'. Bill much curved 3. Rhinopomastus, p. 23. 



1. IRRISOR. Typ, 



Irrisor, Less. Trait/ d' Orn. p. 239 (1831) I. viridis. 



Mange. Confined to Africa. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Head and throat metallic green or purple, 

 wings and tail with white spots. 



a'. Tail more or less purple viridis, p. 17. 



b'. Tail more or less gi-eeuish blue erythrorhynchus, p. 19. 



