118 SENEGAL RED-FOOTED PROMEROPS. 



birds, on the other hand, differ from that of Southern 

 Africa ; first, by having little or no glossy green on 

 the back, breast, and body ; secondly, by having 

 the bill red only at its base, the rest being black ; 

 and, thirdly, by having the bill rather longer, and 

 obviously less curved. Now, the question is, whe- 

 ther these Senegal specimens are of a different 

 species, or mere varieties, of that from the Cape of 

 Good Hope ? In regard to the above differences, 

 the first may arise from climate or from age ; the 

 second may be accounted for by the fact, that the 

 red colour is only gained by mature age ; for one of 

 our specimens has the bill entirely black, and a full 

 half inch shorter than the other: the third difference, 

 as far as regards the degree of curvature, is much 

 more important, for we do not suppose that this 

 would be the effect of age or of climate ; and yet, 

 is it suificient to constitute a specific distinction ? 

 On this question we cannot at present return a de- 

 finite answer ; but as M. Yieillot has done so, by 

 retaining these birds under different specific names, 

 we shall follow the same plan, at least until further 

 information is procured upon the subject. M. Yieil- 

 lot likens his Senegalensis^ not to the Moqueur of 

 Le Yaillant (which is the eryihrorynchos of au- 

 thors), but to the Namaquois Promerops of the 

 same author , neither does he notice the difference 

 in the curvature of the bills, above pointed out. 

 "We shall now describe the Senegal Promerops as 

 concisely as possible. Size and structure similar to 

 P. eryihrorynchos, excepting the bill, which is 



