AVES. 



447 



fourth and fifth subequal, longest of all. Tarsi covered anteriorly 

 by large scutes. Claws curved, acute. Orbital region unplumed. 



The ro«c«^.-These birds live in the warm countries of America Thev 

 feed on fruits and insects, but also eat eggs and young birds. The biU is 

 of enormous size, but very light, and occupied internally by a trellis-work 

 of bony lammEe, which is very vascular. (Compare Trail, Linn. Transact 

 XI. pp. 288, 289.) There is a monograph by Gould on this genus (Mono- 

 ffraph of the Family of the Rhamphastidw, London, 1834, foHo), of which a 

 German edition, with additions, has been published by J. H C F and 

 J. W. Sturm. The furcula consists of two bony pieces terminating below 

 thin, and not united. The sternum has two deep incisions on each side 

 behmd. The same applies to the skeletons which I have examined in the 

 folio wmg family (species of Capita) . 



Bhamphastos Illig. BiU higher and broader than forehead 

 Nostrils concealed behind the prominent base of bill, surrounded 

 by membrane. Tail even or rounded. 



Sp^Mam^astus Tucanus L., Buff. PI. enl. 307 i-Mamphastus toco Gm 

 Buff. PL enl. 82 Less. Ornith. PI. 25, fig. 2; in this species the bill i'^ 

 longer than the half of the body with the tail, of a yellow colour, with a 

 black spot at the extremity of the upper mandible j-^. discolorus Gm 

 Buff. PI. enl. 269, &c. '' 



Pteroglossus Illig., (Aracari Buff.). Bill of the height of 

 forehead. Nostrils conspicuous in the base of bill. Tau' lonff 

 graduated. °' 



Sp. Rhamphastm Aracari L., Buff. PI. enl. 166, Less. Ornith PI 2. 

 fig. I ;—Rhainph. piperivorus L., Pteroglossus cidilc Wagl., Buff PI enl 

 577, 1'^^9-—Rhamphastussidcatus, Pteroglossus sulcat us Swains Temm' 

 PI. col. 356 &c These species are generally smaller than the preceding,' 

 and have the bill less large. "^"^"^S, 



Family XXII. PogonophorcB. Bill moderate or shorter than 

 head, thick, fui-nished with bristles at the base. Anterior toes 

 connate at the first joint. (Tail with only ten feathers in manv 

 Wmgs with first quill short, fourth and fifth mostly longest of all.) 



Pogonorhynclus nob., Pogonias Illig. ^ Temm., Pogonius Leach 

 Bill moderate, thick, with culmen arched, tip compressed, acute! 



1 This name, already given by Lacepede and Cuvier to a genus of fishes ^see 

 above p. X79), cannot be kept In the first edition, therefore, of^this Handbo k "x 



L'f'orG E ' "7;°'" u "'^T.^' Pogonorhynchus; this must have escaped 1. 

 not ce of G. E Gray, generally so strict as to priority, when he adopted in hfs work 

 on the genera of birds the name Laimodon, proposed by him iu 1841 



