On some Species of the Ramp hast idee. 477 



cribed also as such by M. Brisson.* If all these characters are 

 stated correctly, the species forms an interesting bond of con- 

 nection between the Ramphasli and Pteroglossi. 



This bird seems to have been among the first of the family 

 which were known to the early ornithologists. It appears io be 

 the Pica Brasiliensis of Gessner, Aldrovandus, and Ray, and the 

 Tucana of M. Brisson. The following are the specifick charac- 

 ters given by Linnajus : — R. nigricans, pectore luteo, crisso rec- 

 tricumque apicibus rubris, uropygio nigra. The bill is said to be 

 yellowish clouded with dark green, the apex inclining to red. 



There are still some species described as belonging to this 

 family, which cannot be referred with certainty to either of the 

 two genera described in it : such as the R. torquatus, pavoninus, 

 luteits, cceruleus, &f dubius. Gmel. Most of these seem to have 

 been characterized and named from the descriptions of some of the 

 older authours, particularly Fernandez, who enumerates many 

 apparently different species, in his '' Historia Novae Hispaniae." 

 The last species was described on the authority merely of a list 

 of birds belonging to a collection in France. Many of these spe- 

 cies will probably be hereafter recovered to science. But in the 

 present state of doubt respecting their authenticity, it would be 

 unsafe to exalt them to the rank of species, or notice them further 

 than by a casual reference. 



I have been led into this long, and I fear tedious enumeration 

 of species and synonyms, with the view of pointing out the differ- 

 ence of my bird from all those which have been hitherto des- 

 cribed from authentick sources. From the description given above 

 of this bird, it will be evident that it can be referred with cer- 

 tainty to none of the foregoing species. The species to which it 

 approaches most nearly is the R. tucanus, Linn. : and ornitho- 

 logists in general on a casual inspection, have assigned it that 

 name. But it will be seen that it in no respect corresponds with 

 Linnaeus's original description, or with the most authentick figure 

 which we have of the species, that of M. Le Vaillant. It is true 

 as I have before observed, that as Linnaeus referred to M. Bris- 



* Ornithologie IV. p. 402. M. Vieillot makes the species a Ramphastos in 

 the " Diet. d'Hisl. Naturelle." 



