RnA3viPHASTin.«. 123 



nearest relatives, the oil-gkmd of the Toucans is tufted, there are no 

 c.Tca, and the rcctrices are reduced to ten in number. Eut the 

 lihantphastidce, as pointed out by Garrod (P. Z. 8. lS78, p. 933), 

 differ structurally from the Cajntoniihe in the form of the vomer', 

 wliich in the lihami,hastidce presents a large tabular truncation at 

 its anterior extremity, instead of being bifurcate, as in the Capi- 

 tonuhf, and sending forth its limbs to join the maxillo-palatines. 



The lihamphasttda are confined to the Neotropical Kegion, and 

 are distributed more or less thickly over the wooded districts of that 

 Region, from Southern Mexico to Northern Argentina. Thev do 

 not occur iu the Antilles, on the western .slope of tlae .South- American 

 Andes south of the Gulf of Guyaquil, or in any part of the Pata- 

 gonian Subregion. The species seem to be most numerous in the 

 great wood-region of Amazonia. 



So far as the nesting of this family is known to us, the e^o-s are 

 always laid in hollow trees. Their form is regularly ovd" and 

 their colour white, of a tine grain, and slightly shiniuo-. ( Cf Des 

 iJurs, Ool. Anal. p. 234.) a K j. ^^^ 



The lihamphastidce were first monographed by Levaillant * who 

 however, was only acquainted with about 7 or 8 species, and' those 

 very imperfectly. Early in the ornithological career of John tiould 

 this brilliant group attracted his attention, and his well-known 

 Moiiograph of them was completed iu iS34. A second and revised 

 edition of the Monograph was published in 1854. In 18G7 John 

 Cassin published, in the ' Proceedings ' of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philadelphia, an excellent review of the species of Rham- 

 jihastuhe, based on the specimens iu the Academy's Collection. This 

 is the most recent authority on the subject. 



Kei/ to the Genera. 



A. JJill very large and broad ; nostrils opening fp. 124 



backwards beiiind the casque : sexes alike. 1. Rhamphastos 

 15. I^ill not large; nostrils opening upwards at ' 



the edge of the casque. 

 (I. Nostrils rounded, jjlaced on the sides of 

 the culniiual ridge. 

 //'. ]5ill longer, more than twice the length 

 )f the head ; sexes alike or nearly so: 

 [ biU wider at base, culmen nai-- 



, .,i;°^^«l" ■ 2. AXDIGKNA, p. 1.3.3. 



I bill narrower at base, culmen [p. 137. 



,/ 1,1. \ ^^"idei- 3. Pteboglossus, 



. liiU shorter, less than twice the length 



of the head : sexes different 4. SELKXiDEnA, p. 148 



fj. ^ostrlls elongated, lateral, placed beneath fp 153 



the cubiiiual ridge : sexes alike 5. Aulacorhamphus, " 



* ' Ilistoire Natiirelle des Oiseaux de I'aradis.' vol. ii. Paris, 18tM;. 



4 



