OXYRHYNCUS cribtatiis. 

 Crested SharphilL 



Generic Character. 



O.xifruncus Temminck. 



Rostrum breve, rectissimum, basi trigona, ultra basin attenuatum, apice acu- 

 tissimum ; mandlbula superiore supr arotunduta, utrisque integris. Nares 

 basales, nudcB, membrana partim tectte, aperturd lineuri ad marginem 

 rvstri approxbnante. Pedes brexms, validi, digito medio longiores ; digi- 

 tis antcrioribus tribus, extcriore connexo, interiore fiaso ; huUuce valido. 



Bill short, very straight, base trigonal, beyond attenuated to a very fine 

 point; upper mandible above rounded, both entire. Nostrils basal, 

 naked, partially covered by a membrane ; aperture linear, near the 

 margin of the bill. Feet short, strong, a little longer than the middle 

 toe; anterior toes three, the outer connected, the inner cleft; hind 



toe strong. 



Specific Character. 



O. sjipra olivaceo-viridis, subtusfiavescente-albus, maculis nigrescentibus ; capite 

 crista, coccined inciunbente ; capitis later ibus lineis transversis Jiavcscente- 

 albis. 



Above olive-green, beneath yellowish-white, with blackish spots. Head 

 with an incumbent crimson crest; sides of the head and neck with 

 transverse yellowish-white lines. 



An elegant and (to the ornithologist) a highly interesting bird, 

 considered with much judgement by Professor Temminck as a 

 new genus, having the perfect bill and habit of the Wryneck, 

 but totally unlike that bird in the position of its toes, which in 

 tl\is are not placed in pairs. The Professor has slightly described 

 it, in the new edition of his Manuel, without a specific, but under 

 the generic name of Oxyruncus, the spelling of which must be 

 presumed as an error ot the press : no mention, however, is made 

 of the beautiful crimson colour which adorns the crest. 



Total length near seven inches. Bill eight-tenths in length 

 from the gape ; general colour of the bird olive-green, becoming 

 nearly white on the under part, and on the transverse stripes on 

 each side the neck, front and temples, where there are also ob- 

 scure bands of black ; crown with a concealed crest, which is 

 vivid crimson at the base and blackish at the tips ; inner mar- 

 gin of the covers, quills and tail blackish ; inner covers yellowish ; 

 chin, neck and breast banded with blackish lines, which arc 

 broken into spots and stripes beyond. 



Inhabits Brazil, but is very rare. 

 PI. 49. 1 



