“VIOLET 
PLANTAIN 
E. 
DescRIpTION. 
PRACE. 
PLANTAIN-EATER. e 
Genus XI*, PLANTAIN-EATER. 
ILL ftout, trianeular, the upper mandible elevated at the bafe 
above the crown; both mandibles dentated on the edges. 
Nosrtrizs.in the middle of the bill. 
ToNnGUE entire, and ftout. 
Toes placed three before and one behind. 
Mufophaga violacea, Mufafreffer, Schr. der Berl. Gefell. ix. S. 16. taf. 1. 
Royal Cuckow, Lew. Mu/: pl. in p. 167? me 
HIS curious and hitherto non-defcript bird, is nineteen inches in 
length, of which the tail is fix inches and one-third: the bill from 
the tip to the gape is one inch and an half, and very fingularly fhaped, 
efpecially the upper mandible, being nearly triangular, lofing its at- 
tachment at the back part, where it is elevated, and hangs over the 
crown; the colour of the bill is yellow, growing red towards the end, 
and the edges ot both mandibles are dentated; the tongue not unlike 
that of a Parrot in fhape: irides brown: the top of the head is 
purple: lore violet: beneath each eye is a line of white; eye-lids 
purple: the neck, breaft, and body violet; wings the fame: the 
prime quills purple in the middle: toe tail iongif:, cuneiform, ob- 
tufe, the fame colour as the quills+: legs duiky biack, and very 
ftrong. 
This beautiful bird is found on the plains near the borders of rivers, 
+ lM. Ifert fays the tail confifts of nine feathers only, which might be the cafe with 
his fpecimen, dut as we know no bird in which the tail feathers are not even in nume 
ber, I fhould fufpeé& that this bird alfo may have at leaft ten feathers, or even more. 
a in 
