324 BROOKLYN INSTITUTE MUSEUM. SCmNCE BUIvLETlN 2. 6. 



of the Juvenal plumage appear. This plumage is similar to the adult 

 plumage. At about the same time that the pin-feathers begin to appear, 

 the young commence to creep out to the entrance to their burrows, 

 where they sprawl in the sun and await the visits of the parents with 

 food. If alarmed, they will scuttle backwards into the burrow, never 

 turning around to dive in head foremost. 



The bottom of the cavities, in nests containing half grown young, 

 are alive with maggots working in the excrement and cast off parts of 

 the insect food — chiefly small beetles — brought to the young. 



The two nests referred to above, as found on the 8th of May, were 

 both situated on (or in) the practically level sandy 'Soil of the open 

 savanna. In each, the excavation was in an almost straight line back 

 from the entrance, descending at an angle of about 30"" with the hori- 

 zontal. In one case the entrance tunnel was 200 cm. long and the 

 nest cavity 50 cm. from the surface, in the other the entrance tunnel 

 was 135 cm. long and the nest cavity 35 cm. from the surface. 



GALBULIDAE— THE JACAMARS. 



Berlepsch and Hartert's paper records five species only, two of 

 which were met with on the Orinoco proper, the other three being re- 

 corded from Caura River points. An additional species from the upper 

 Orinoco is now recorded. 



I believe that without exception the members of this family are 

 resident wherever found. 



Key to Genera, Species and Subspecies oe Galbulidae. 



a. General color above green-iridescent. 

 b. Bill wholly black. 



c. Under surface of tai' rufous Calbiila ruficauda. 



c'. Under surface of tail not rufous. 



d. A broad iridescent green band across the breast Galbula galbula. 



d'. Without a green band across breast Jacamerops aureus. 



b'. Mandible and base of maxilla yellowish horn color; tip of maxilla 



blackish Psilopornis albirostrts. 



a'. General color above blackish or brownish. 



b. Throat white; tail long and much graduated Urogalba dea. 



6'. Throat brownish ; tail not graduated Brachygalba lugubrts. 



Urogalba dea (Linn.). 



AJcedo dea Linn., Syst. Nat. (1758): p- 116 (Surinam). 



In the American Museum are two specimens collected by Miller at 

 Boca de Sina, Cunucunuma River, Upper Orinoco. This species has not 

 before been recorded from the Orinoco. 



