268 Birds of the Genus Pteroglossits. 



Aracaris, being very deep at the base, from which it gradually 

 narrows to a sharp point at its tip, the upper part is convex and 

 somewhat tumid, the sides are compressed, and the upper 

 mandible has two broad slightly-indented grooves on each 

 side, the base of this mandible has a few transverse wrinkles, 

 and the serratures deep and unequal. The lower mandible is 

 only half the depth of the upper, the sides concave, and the 

 serratures less, the colour in the dead bird was black, the 

 base of the lower and the upper half of the superior mandible 

 being rufous with a whitish marginal transverse line on each 

 side ; the nostrils are more lateral than any of the species I have 

 yet seen, being placed in a line with the eye, the orbits naked 

 and reddish brown, the feathers encircling which, particularly 

 beneath the eye, are vivid cerulean blue. The whole upper 

 plumage of the bird is parrot-green, paler beneath, whereas on 

 the cheeks there is a strong tinge of golden yellow, the throat 

 dusky white, wings short rounded five inches long, inner shafts 

 of the quills black, margined with yellowish white, tail cuneated 

 four inches and a half long and green, the four middle feathers 

 of equal length, legs dusky black. 



This rare and extraordinary bird has a peculiarity of habit, 

 rather dissimilar from any of the Aracari, yet it most clearly 

 belongs to the genus. I first saw it in a small case of birds 

 brought from New Spain, in the possession of my friend 

 E. Falkner, Esq., of Fairfield, who kindly lent it me for 

 inspection. Another existed in Mr. Bullock's Museum, which 

 came from Peru, and which is now in the collection of 

 Lord Stanley. The generic name was suggested to me by 

 Professor Lamminck, while showing him ray ornithological 

 drawings, and to whom it was also unknown. 



Art. VI. Meteorological Journal, shewing the Quantity 

 and Pressure of the Aqueous Atmosphere, &c., three times 

 in the Day. By. J. F. Daniell, Esq., F.R.S., M.R.I. 



