264 Dr. J. Marie on the Genus Colius. 



ColidEB, Musophagidse, Opisthocomidse, and Bucerotidae. Riip- 

 pell's ' Monograph ' * deals more with the specific forms of 

 Colius, and no fresh discussion of its affinities is entered into. 

 Hartlaub f retains it among the Musophagidse, and near the 

 Pyrrhulinse. 



Most of the foregoing writers either have taken for granted 

 that the Passerine characters were genuine, and its affinities 

 tolerably clear, from general outward appearance, or on the same 

 principle saw fit association with the Plantain-eaters. Nitzsch|, 

 in assigning it likeness to the latter and to the curious Opistho- 

 comus, broke new ground m his reasons, besides seeing likeness 

 to the Hornbills and others ; whilst Wallace^, from an entirely 

 different point of view, deduced association of a novel kind ; 

 which has been uttered with so much perspicuity that I may be 

 pardoned for here quoting his words in full. 



" We have now only one more group to introduce into our 

 Scansores ; but it is one of extreme interest, as tending in some 

 degree to fill up the wide chasm which separates the Psittacidse 

 from all other birds. This we believe is done by the Coliidse, a 

 small group of birds peculiar to Africa, and which have been 

 generally classed as Finches, from their small size and thick 

 beak. The particulars which Le Vaillant gives of their habits 

 are, however, exceedingly curious, and show a resemblance to 

 the Parrots which no other birds exhibit. They live entirely 

 on fruits, never touching either seeds or insects ; they never 

 perch or jump ; they walk with the whole tarsus applied to the 

 ground, creeping, as it were, upon their belly ; they are vei-y 

 fleshy, and weigh twice as much as another bird of apparently 

 the same size ; for their feathers are so short and so closely laid 

 upon their body that they are really much larger than they 

 appear. They have also very weak wings, and can fly a very 

 short distance. They climb up to the top of a tree or bush to 

 fly to another, and in doing so lose elevation so as generally to 

 arrive at the foot of it. They climb one foot after the other, 

 and help themselves on with their beaks. 



* " Monog. der Gattung Ctjgnus, Ceblepiji-is, und Colius," Mus. Senc- 

 kenb. p. 41. t Syst. der Ornith. Westafiika's, p. 155. 



\ Pterylographie. § Ann. and Nat. Hist., Sept. 1856, p. 213. 



