BANTAM— BARBET 27 



the epithet "Bald" is apjilied just as inaccurately in North America 

 to an Eagle, the Haliaetus leucocephahis, and in England, though 

 more appositely, to the Coot. 



BANTAM, a small lireed of domestic poultry, so-called under 

 the belief that it came from the part of Java A\'hich bears that name ; 

 but apparently it originated in Japan (cf. Darwin, Anim. & Plants 

 under Domest. chap, vii.) Birds of this breed were mentioned in 

 1698 by Fryer {Neiv Account of East India, p. 116) as " Champore 

 cocks," coming from Siani. Remarkable for their diminutive size, 

 they were characterized also by their feathered feet. In modern 

 times Sebright established a sub-breed, known by his name, in which 

 not only is this last feature wanting, but there is comparatively 

 little external difference between the cocks and hens. 



BARBET, Pennant's equivalent in 1773 {Gen. Birds, pp. 13, 14) 

 of Brisson's and subsequently Linna^us's genus Bucco (a word coined ■•■ 

 in 1752 by Moshi'ing, though applied 

 by him to the Toucans) ; but Brisson 

 called it in French Barhu, "from its 

 bristles, a sort of beard " with Avhich 

 the beak is beset, as will be seen 

 in the figure, and hence Pennant 

 formed his word.- The type of 



Brisson's genus, on which that of PoaoNORHYNcnns. (After Swainso^ ' 



Linnpeus was founded, was called 



by the latter in 1766. B. capensis — most unhappily in all respects, for 

 the former had expressly given Cayenne as its habitat.^ The birds 

 originally included in the genus are now recognized as belonging to 

 two distinct Families, commonly known as Bucconidx and Ca])itonidse, 

 and it is to the latter of these that the name " Barbet " is restricted 

 by modern ornithologists, the former being known as Puff-birds. 

 The Capitonidai,'^ or "Scansorial" Barbets as some authors designate 

 them, though their climbing power is disputed, form the subject of 

 a beautifully illustrated Monograph by Messrs. C. H. T. and G. F. L. 



^ From the Latin bucca; and, as explained by Pennant, referring to "the 

 fuhiess of the cheeks." 



^ Barbet had long existed in French in the sense of a shaggy dog — a poodle or 

 water-spanieh 



^ In this case of the use of the extraordinary and ungrammatical adjective 

 which has unfortunately been so frequently adopted, one can hardly doubt 

 that Linnaeus meant to write, and very likely did write (in an abbreviated form, 

 as was his habit), cayensis for cayenncnsis, which he afterwards misread, and 

 unluckily clenched the mistake by adding, " Hab. ad Cap. b. Spei." 



^ Garrod {Proc. Zool. Soc. 1879, p. 935) and Forbes (op. cit. 1882, p. 94) used this 

 term to include the Toucans and Honey-guides as well as the Barbets. Of 

 course if these Families, hidicatoridae,, Ccqntonidw, and Hhamphasiidaz, be united 

 in one, the last is the name it should bear. 



