30 BUCCONID./E. 



Fam. XXVI. BUCCONIDJE, OE PUFF-BIRDS. 



The Bucconidffi, or Puff-birds, are entirely restricted to the Neo- 

 tropical Region, and are most numerous in the great forests of 

 Amazonia and Colombia, where most of the 43 known species have 

 been met with. These birds seem to pass their lives sitting upon the 

 topmost or outermost branches of the larger trees, looking out for 

 insects, which are captured flying and constitute their only food. 

 Southwards of the great forest-districts of South America, Puff-birds 

 become very scarce. One species only is as yet known to occur in Para- 

 guay, and some uncertainty prevails as to the single member of this family 

 stated to be found near Tucuman. 



266. BUCCO MACULATUS (Gm.). 

 (SPOTTED PUFF-BIRD.) 



Bucco maculatus, Scl. Jamacars and Puff-Urds, p. 99, pi. xxxii. ; Scl. et Salv. 



Nomencl. p. 106. Capito maculatus, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 446. 

 Description. Above blackish, spotted with brown ; lores, superciliaries, and 

 neck-collar pale cinnamomeous white : beneath white, fore neck clear reddish 

 cinnamon ; breast and belly covered with round black spots ; chin and middle 

 of belly whitish ; tail black, with transverse bars of pale brown : under wing- 

 coverts and under surface of wings white ; bill red, with the culmehi and base 

 blackish ; feet plumbeous : whole length 8'0 inches, wing 3'2, tail 2-8. Female 

 similar. 



Hob. S.E. Brazil. 



Dr. Burmeister records the occurrence of this species of Puff- bird 

 near Tucuman, and it must therefore be placed in our list on his 

 authority. But it is possible that the species which he met with may 

 have been the nearly allied B. striatipectus of the Bolivian frontier of 

 Brazil, which is more likely to extend into Northern Argentina than 

 the true B. maculatus. B. striatipectus (figured and described in 

 Sclater's ' Monograph of the Jacamars and Puff-birds/ pi. xxxiii. 

 p. 101) is very similar to B. maculatus, but has the spots on the belly 

 elongated into long striations. 



It is again possible that the Bucco of Tucuman may be the Para- 

 guayan B. chacuru of Vieillot, founded upon the " Chacuru " of Azara, 

 which is another species not remotely allied to B. maculatus. 



