THE ANNALS 
AND 
MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
No. 38. JANUARY 1841. 
~—_- 
XXXV.—Hore Zoologice. By Sir W. Jarvine, Bart., 
F.R.S.E. & F.LS., &c. 
No. III. On the History and Habits of the Birds composing 
the Genus Prionites of Iiliger. 
Tuer genus Prionites, or the Motmots of British writers, is a 
small group of beautiful birds peculiar to the New World. 
They are all very closely allied by their habits, and have the 
colours of the plumage and the distribution of its markings 
assimilating so remarkably with each other, that some confu- 
sion still exists in the distinction of the species; and there 
is also much difficulty in always recognising with certainty 
that to which the observations of travellers relate. In our 
latest ornithological system by Mr. Swainson, two species 
have been separated from Prionites, under the subgeneric 
title of Crypticus*, characterized by the great dilatation of the 
bill ; while in the old form, as now restricted, we appear at pre- 
sent to know six distinct birdst. 
The P. Brasiliensis is the species from which the genus 
was originally established, and it is the only one regarding 
the habits of which we have hitherto had any authentic re- 
cord. The notes of both Azara and Waterton refer to itt, 
* C, platyrhynchus and superciliaris.—Orn. Ilust. pl. 106. and pl. 18. 
N.S. 
} P. Brasiliensis; ruficapillus; Bahamensis, Sw.; Mexicanus; Martii;. 
and ewruleocephalus.—Orn. Illust. pi. 42. N. S. 
+ Of this species, described by Azara, two specimens were procured alive, 
and were kept in confinement for five months. ‘“ It is a rare, strong, bold, 
mistrusting and observing bird ; it ate small pieces of bread, or more readily 
of raw meat, which before swallowing it struck several times against the 
ground, as if, believing them alive, it wished to kill them. Sometimes I 
saw them eat water-melons and oranges; but they never drank or took any 
notice of maize, either whole or pounded, nor did they use their feet to hold 
with. If the piece was large they left it; but what they liked best were 
small birds, which I let loose into the room, and they followed them obsti- 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. vi. Y 
