482 Mr. Vigors's Sketches in Ornithology. 



Pec^om plumse basi fuscae, apice sanguineo-coccineae ; superi- 

 ores in medio sulphureae. Abdominis plumaj basi fuscae, apice 

 sulphureae ; quibusdam lateralibur. prope fasciam pectoralem sitis 

 sanguineo-coccineo ad apicem notatis. Tectrices inferiores fusco- 

 albidae. Remiges supra fuscae, externe olivaceo-Yiridi marginatae ; 

 subtus fuscae, ad basin interne pallidiores. Rectrices olivaceo- 

 virides, subtus pallidiores. Tectrices femorales pallide olivaceo- 

 virides. Rostrum margine gracili aurantiaco prominente instruc- 

 tum ; mandibula superiore pallide flavo-albida, profunde serrata, 

 subtus striga nigra serras comprehendente marginata; inferiore 

 vix serrata, fascia lata nigra apicali, a basi supra oblique descen- 

 dente mandibulamque in partes aequales dividente, taeniaque gracili 

 nigra, marginem basalem aurantiacum attingente ornata. Longi- 

 tude corporis, 15; uIcbb. carpo ad remigem 5""", 4|; caudce, 5 ^; 

 rostri, 2 ^ ; tarsi, I -^q. 



The species to which this bird bears the nearest resemblance, 

 is the Pt. Azara of M. Vieillot, described in the " Dictionaire 

 d'Histoire Naturelle."* It has the same colours, and nearly the 

 same distribution of them. But my bird does not possess the 

 Second black band that separates the scarlet of the breast from 

 the yellow of the abdomen in M. Vieillot's bird : nor has the 

 latter bird the yellow collar that adjoins the black /c*c/a on the 

 breast, or the scarlet nuchal band that is found on my bird. In a 

 family like the present where the species approach each other so 

 nearly in their colours, such differences as the foregoing are im- 

 portant in the discrimination of species. At the same time it 

 must be observed that the colours of the sexes among the Ptero- 



* M. Vieillot refers to plate A. of M. Le Vaillant's work on this family. 

 The only copy that I have been able to consult of this splendid work in this 

 country is in the possession of my friend Mr. Children of the British Museum, 

 and this plate is by some accident wanting. I have not therefore been able to 

 compare my bird with M. Le Vaillant's figure of Pt. Azara. The want of such 

 books of reference in our publick libraries is a material obstacle to the advance 

 of science. I have lately however seen M. Vieillot's own figure of this species. 

 [Gal. des Ois.] The bill deviates much more from that of my bird than I was 

 led to suppose, from the description in the " Dictionaiie d'Histoire Naturelle." 

 From the inspection of this figure I am strengthened in the opinion that my 

 bird is specifically distinct from Pt. Azara. 



