COTINGA AND TANAGER. 189 



sight in birds is indeed prodigious, and has been calcu- 

 lated by an eminent naturalist, (Lacepede), to be nine 

 times more extensive than that of the farthest-sighted man. 



The foreign varieties of this kind are, many of them, 

 of exquisite beauty in plumage, and elegance in form; 

 we may mention for example, the Paradise Fly- Catcher. 



Of the fourth genus, (the Cotingas,) we have but one 

 species in England, and that but rarely seen, the Silk- 

 tail, or Waxen Chatterer, from the secondary quills of 

 the wings being ornamented with a flat horny substance, 

 of a bright vermilion colour, looking like red sealing- 

 wax. In foreign countries, however, there are many 

 varieties, amongst others, the singular Bell-Bird, of 

 which we have spoken. It is about the size of a Jay, 

 of a pure white, with nothing remarkable in its appear- 

 ance, except that from the junction of the forehead and 

 base of the beak, a long fleshy sort of slender wattle 

 hangs down; the bird, has, however, the power, either 

 by filling it with air, or exciting the muscles, of render- 

 ing it quite stiff, when it sticks up like a horn of about 

 two inches in length. We have alluded to the pro- 

 bability of this odd appendage, in some way or other, 

 being the cause of the deep bell-toned sound of its note, 

 the air it contains probably contributing to its utterance. 



Of the Tanagras (Table VII., p. 12,) we have not one 

 in Europe; which is much to be lamented, for although 

 they would not enliven our groves with their song, the 

 brilliancy of their plumage would make ample amends. 

 In the different species, every colour, in its brightest 

 hue, may be found, sometimes mingled together, as in 

 the Painted Tanager (Tanagra picta), where the bright- 

 est shades of green, blue, orange, and black, are so in- 

 termingled as to render it, when exposed to the full 

 rays of the sun, almost dazzling to look upon. In 

 another the Scarlet Tanager, there are only two colours; 

 but so contrasted, as to produce the strongest effect; 

 the wings and tail appearing like the deepest shade of 

 jet-black velvet; while the rest of the bird is of the 



