62 Zoological Society : — 



Febriiaiy 8, 1859.— Dr. Gray, V.P., in the Chair. 

 On the Members of the Genus Rupicola, and whether 



THERE be Two OR MORE SpECIES. By JoHN GoULD, EsQ.j 



F.R.S. 



At present only two species of this splendid group of birds have 

 been characterized, namely the Rupicola ci-ocea and R. peruviana. 

 It is true that several other specific names have been proposed by 

 various writers, such as aurantia, eayana, and elegans ; but I believe 

 these terms all have reference to the first-mentioned species — the 

 Pijira mpicola of Liunseus, the Rupicola crocea of Bonnaterre — a 

 bird sent to Europe, and particularly to France, in the greatest abun- 

 dance from Caj^enne. There can be no doubt that the second species, 

 the R. peruviana of Latham, is distinct from the R. crocea ; but 

 there is much doubt as to whether the specimens sent from Bogota 

 be identical wdth the R. peruviana, since it is not to be found in the 

 intervening country of Ecuador, whence we have long received a 

 splendid bird, which I believe is not yet described, and to which I 

 propose to give the name of R. sanyuinolenta. At all events I have 

 signally failed in my endeavours to see a male specimen of a Cock of 

 the Bock from Peru, by which means alone the question can be de- 

 termined ; on the other hand, I have a female or young male from 

 that country, which ap])cars to diflPer from the females or young spe- 

 cimens from Bogota. In the present state of our knowledge of the 

 subject, it will be advisable to leave the point undecided, and describe 

 the bird from Ecuador, which is at once distinguished from its con- 

 geners by the deep blood-red colouring of its plumage, as compared 

 with the bird from Bogota ; it also differs in its smaller size, and in 

 the relative lengths of its wings and tail. Before describing the R. 

 sangtdnolenta, I may mention that specimens of jR. crocea from De- 

 merara, although very similar in colour to those sent from Cayenne, 

 differ considerably in the form and size of the crest, — that of the 

 Demerara specimens being much smaller and rounder, and having 

 the terminal crescent of brown much darker than in the more di- 

 lated crest of the Cayenne birds. 



Rupicola sanguinolenta. 



Crest (which is destitute of the terminal crescentic brown mark 

 observable in the other species), the entire jjlumage of the body, the 

 lesser wing-coverts, the under wing-coverts, and the thighs rich 

 blood-red ; the greater wing-coverts, Avings, tail, and the extremities 

 of the larger under wing-coverts velvety-black ; tcrtiaries very l)road, 

 and of a fine silvery grey ; bill and feet yellow. 



Total length 12 inches, bill If, wing 7, tail 5, tarsi 1-i-. 



On a New Species of Dendrochelidon, or Tree Swift. 

 By John Gould, Esa., F.R.S., etc. 



The highly interesting group of Tree Swifts forming the genus 

 Dendrochelidon has recently been augmented by the discovery of a 

 new species in Celebes by Mr. Wallace — the fifth of the form with 



