CRIMSON-CRESTED TOURACO. 229 



now illustrating, we have little hesitation in intro- 

 ducing it in this "Work, particularly as it is one of 

 those few remarkable hirds whose identity, as a 

 species, does not require a personal examination. 

 M. Vieillot, indeed, seems to be the only one who has 

 made his description from the bird itself. M. 

 Temminck has copied this, but without any al- 

 ledged reason, attempted to set aside the original 

 specific name. Its genus, in fact, is not Musophaga, 

 but Coryihaix, instituted by Illiger in 1811, long 

 before M. Vieillot proposed that of Opcetkus. 



The specimen which was seen by M. Vieillot was 

 alive in Paris, and belonged to Madame Pauline de 

 Ranchoup. It was gentle and familiar, but it did not 

 long survive the change of climate and of nourish- 

 ment. The substance of M. Vieillot's account may 

 be thus stated : 



The size is not exactly specified, but from the 

 scale expressed upon the place, it appears to be of 

 the general form and dimensions of the last species. 

 The crest is red, composed of a great number of 

 delicate hair-like feathers which are elevated on eacli 

 side and compressed so as to form a ridge, not un- 

 like that of an antique helmet ; this crest is con- 

 tinued to the back of the nape, where the feathers 

 begin to assume the same direction as those of the 

 neck ; a large patch of white spreads round the eye, 

 the sides of the head, ears, and chin ; the bill is 

 pure yellow, inclining to orange. The eyes are large, 

 red, and very brilliant, and the eyelids have a few 

 purple spots. The general colour of the plumage is 



