480 Mr. P. L. Sclater on the Fissirostral family Bucconidfe. 



be distinguished from the former by its chestnut head, brighter 

 red breast, broader and longer bill, and absence of all indications 

 of white upon the front or lores. The two external rectrices are 

 light brown, the others blackish edged with light brown. 



In younger birds the chestnut head is wanting, which renders 

 them easy to be confounded with M. ruhecula. 



Mr. Eyton's collection also contains an example of this bird. 



12. Malacoptila ruficapilla (Tsch.). 



Lypornix ruficapilla, Tsch. Av. Consp. p. 300; Tsch. F. P. p. 268. pi. 24. 



tig. 1. 

 Monasa ruficapilla, Gray's Gen. p. 74 ; Bp. Consp. p. 147- 



M. brunnea : pileo castaneo : collo postico cinereo : subtus cinerea 



medialiter rufa. 

 Long, tota 6*0; alse 2-4. 

 Hal), in Peruv. Bor. Or. (Tsch.). 



This pretty little species was discovered by Von Tschudi in 

 North-east Peru. I have seen specimens in the French National 

 Collection and in the Derby Museum at Liverpool. It seems 

 closely allied to M. rubecula in form, and is of about the same 

 size. 



Genus III. Monasa. 



1. Monasa atra (Bodd.). 



Coucou noir de Cayenne, Buff. PL Enl. .512. 

 Cuculus ater, Bodd. Tabl. d. PI. Enl. p. 30. 



tranquillus, Gm. S. N. i. 417. 



Bucco cinereus, Gm. S. N. i. 409. 



Corvus australis, Gm. S. N. i. 377- 



Bucco calcaratus, Lath. Ind. Orn. i. 206. 



Corvus affinis, Shaw's Zool. vii. 381. 



Bucco cinereus, Licht. Vcrz. d. Doubl. p. 8. 



Lypornix tranquilla, Wagl. Syst. sp. 1. 



Monasa tranquilla, Bp. Consp. p. 147; Schomb. Reisen, hi. 719; Vieill. 



N, D. d'H. N. xxi. 321; Vieill. Enc. Meth. K«8. 

 Monasa atra, Gray's Gen. i. p. 74 ; Gray, List of B. M. p. 49. 

 he Barbacou a bee rouge, Le Vail. Ois. de Par. ii. t. 44, 45. 



M. nigra : alarum tectricibus albo limbatis : rostro rubro : pedi- 



bus nigris. 

 Long, tota 110; alse 5-3 ; caudse 5'2. 

 Hab. in Guiana (Schomb.) ; Cayenna (Buff.) ; Trinit. ins. ? 



This bird, which has been honoured with no less than six dif» 

 ferent specific names by the older authors, is common in collec- 

 tions from Cayenne, and I have seen examples said to be from 

 Trinidad. Schomburgk says that it is always found in ])airs, and 

 pi'efers the more open woods and the trees on the banks of the 

 rivers. He never found it in the bush. 



