GALKVIADM. 161 



Family GALBULID^E. 



(By P. L. SCLATER.) 



Tho Galbulidcc or Jacamars arc a small but well-deflued familj- of 

 SccDisores or Zygodactylous PicarUe, restricted to the Neotropical 

 Region, over the northern portion of which they are thinly distri- 

 buted, from Mexico to Southern Brazil. They do not occur in the 

 Antillean Subregion. 



The Jacamars are readily separable from the three preceding 

 families (the Indicator idee, Capitonidip, and lihaitiphastid(f) by their 

 nude oil-gland and the presence of cajca in the intestines. Their 

 nearest allies are the Puff-birds (Bucconidce), from which they may 

 be distinguished by tho long pointed bill, angular genys, the presence 

 of an after-shaft on the feathers, and by having a gular branch to 

 the pectoral tract on the lower plumage. 



Tho Galbulida' are naturally divisible into two groups, of one of 

 which Jacamerops is the sole known representative, while the five 

 other genera belong to the typical Galbuliiw. The six genera of 

 OalbulidtK may be diagnosed as follows : — 



Subfam. I. GALBULIN^.-BiW sti-aight, 

 lengthened, compressed, sharp ; nostrils 

 rounded, naked, with a lew covering 

 bristles ; external rectrix either abnor- 

 mally small or absent. 

 A. Tail elongated, more or less graduated. 



a. Middle rectrices much elongated .... 1. Urogalba, p. 102. 

 h. Middle rectrices slightly elongated . . 2. CtALBIJLa, p. 103. 

 15. Tail .--hort, squared. 



c. External rectrix absent : 



( hind toe present 3. Bbachygalba, p. 171. 



\ hind toe absent 4. Jacamaralcyo.n",p.174. 



d. External rectrix present 5. Galbalcybhynchus, 



[p. 175. 

 Subfam. II. JACAMEROPINAH.—BiW in- 

 euvvt'd, widened at the base ; nostrils 

 with ail internal membrane ; outer rec- 

 trix of medium size, not quite half as 

 long as the central 0. Jacamkkoi'S, p. 170. 



Little is yet known about the nesting-habits of this family, and 

 I have never seen a Jacamar's egg. But Mr. Kirk has recorded 

 that in Tobago G. rujicauda " builds in marl-banks like the Mot- 

 mot," and lays " pure white eggs, nearly circular " in shape ; and 

 Herr Eider states that Jacaimtrcdcijoii tridactyla " bores holes in 



Vol. XIX. K 



