THE EDINBURGH 



JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



AND OF 



THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



JULY, 1838. 



ZOOLOGY. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE THE EURYLAIMES. 



The genus Eurylaimus, first instituted by Dr Horsfield, is composed of birds reniark- 

 nble for the great size of their bill, of which the upper mandible has its dorsal outline 

 convex, the sides sloping, the tip small and deflected, the notches very small ; the lower 

 mandible dilated at the base ; the bristles generally of moderate size. The tarsi are 

 short, the toes rather small ; the claws compressed, moderately curved, and acute. The 

 plumage is compact, often splendidly coloured. They inhabit the tropical regions of 

 Asia, and are considered as belonging to the family of Flycatchers. 



Fig. 1. The Corydon Eurtlaime i^Eurylaimus CoryrfoB), of a brownish-black 

 colour, with the bill blood-red, the middle of the back orange-red, the throat whitish, 

 and a white hand on the primaries and tail feathers. 



Fig. 2. The Great-billed Eurylaime (£^. nasutun'), which has the upper 

 parts, the chin, and a band on the fore-neck, bluish-black, the rest of the lower parts 

 and the rump deep red, and the scapulars white, inhabits the Indian Islands. 



Fig. 3. HoRSFiELDS Eurylaime (E. /fors^eW£i), originally made known by Dr 

 Horsfield under the name of E. Javanicus^ is bluish-black above, vinaceous beneath. 

 the wings and tail patched with yellow. It occurs in Java. 



Fig. 4. Horsfield's Eurylaime. Female. Dusky, spotted with yellow abo\e; 

 yellowish-white beneath. 



Fig. 5. The Hooded Eurylaime (E. cucullatus'), crested, the head and upper 

 parts black, the breast rose-coloured, a white ring on the neck, the scapulars yellow. 

 It is nearly allied to the last species, and inhabits the same country. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE THE THRUSH-SHRIKES. 



The Thrush-shrikes, constituting the genus Laniarius, are distinguished by having 

 the bill less curved at the tip than in the Shrikes, and approaching somewhat in form 

 to that of the Thrushes. They inhabit Africa and India, and are in general remark- 

 able for the beauty of their plumage. 



Ftg. 1. The Bacbakiri Thrush-shrike (^Laniarius Bacbakiri)^ greenish-yellow 

 above, ochraceous beneath, with the head ash-grey, and a semi-lunar black band on 

 the fore-neck. 



Fig. 2. The Female is deep green above, paler beneath. 



Fig. 3. The Green Thrush-shrike [L. viridis), green above and on the sides ; 

 the throat and breast bright red, a black semi-lunar band on the fore-neck. 



Fig. 4. The White-throated Thrush-shrike (i. albicollis), green above, 

 yellow beneath, with the head black, and the throat white. 



Fig. 5. The Olive Thkush-shrike (L. olivaceus), green above, yellow be- 

 neath, with a black band on the side of the head and neck. 



Fig. 6. The Babbary Thbush-shrike (i. Burbarus), black above, deep red 

 beneath, the head and neck yellow. 



The Aurochs or Zubb, Bos Urus Dr Weissenborn states that this animal, 



which formerly inhabited a great part of Europe, is now confined to the marshy 

 forest of Bialowicza, where it is protected by very strict laws. The size of the animal 

 in Its present confined abode is much less than it was in former times, when it was 

 uncontrolled in its range. A six-year-old male measured seven French feet from the 

 crown of the head to the tuber ischii, and its height at the withers was four feet nine 

 inches; but in 1795, an individual thirteen feet long, and seven feet hii'h, was killed 

 near Friedrichsburg, and another killed in Bialowicza in 1752 weighed 1450 lb. The 

 game-keepers say it hves to the age of fifty years and upwards. Its strength is enor- 

 mous, and it easily defends itself against the Wolf or Bear, an old Zuhr being a match 

 for four of the former. It runs with great speed, but has httle bottom, swims with 

 agility, is exceedingly shy, and is incapable of being tamed. Its food consists of the 

 bark of trees, lichens, and various herbaceous plants. Its voice is a short grunt. *' On 

 the 12th of October 1836, a hunt was held withaview of furnishin"' some of the mu- 

 seums in Prussia with specimens ; and Prince Dolgorukow, the governor-general of 

 the province of Balystock, who presided at it, caused it to be conducted with more 

 than usual solemnity. Two thousand drivers and marksmen were assembled, besides 

 an immense number of spectators whom cui'iosity had drawn to the spot, where a bal- 

 cony of fir trees had been erected for the prince and his suite. Thither diflFerent herds 

 of Zubrs were driven, to be fired at, and the flesh of the largest bull was dressed, to 

 give additional interest to the concluding act of the party, a plentiful dinner." 

 38 



BRITISH BIKDS THE GOATSUCKER. 



The Goatsucker or Nightjar arrives in this country from the middle to the end of 

 iVIay, being among the latest of our summer visitants, and departs about the end of 

 September. It is generally distributed, but is nowhere very common, and in many 

 large tracts is not met with. Dr Edward Moore states, that it is *' common about 

 the South Hams of Devonshire, where they frequent orchards," and my friend Mr 

 Barclay has met with it near Elgin. It is chiefly found on furzy commons, wild 

 bushy heaths, and broken hilly ground covered with ferns, especially in the neighbour- 

 hood of thickets and woods. It is rarer in Scotland than in England, which is the 

 reverse with the Cuckoo, a bird in some respects similar in its habits, and which ap- 

 pears to be much more plentiful in the wild valleys of the north, than in the cultivated 

 plains of the south. 



The bill of this bird is extremely small and feeble, the mouth excessively wide, the 

 palate flat, covered with a smooth membrane, which is transparent, as are lu some 

 measure the bones. The tongue is very small and triangular. The gullet is rather 

 wide, the stomach large, round, membraneous, its muscular coat being composed of 

 fasciculi, as in the Owls and Cuckoos, the intestine short, the ctecal appendages 

 small. The eyes are very large, as are the apertures of the cars. The head is very 

 large, depressed, and flattened above. The feet are extremely small ; the tarsus very 

 short, anteriorly feathered except at its lower part ; the first toe very short, slender, 

 and directed inwards, the second and fourth about equal, the third much longer, the 

 anterior loes connected by membranes as far as the second joint; the claws very 

 small, arched, and compressed ; that of the middle toe is proportionably longer, and 

 has its inner convex edge expanded and pectinated, being cut in two by parallel slits. 

 The plumage is full and blended ; the wings very long and narrow ; the tail very 

 long, often broad, rounded feathers. The bill and claws are dusky, the feet flesh- 

 coloured ; the general colour of the upper parts is ash-grey, minutely dotted and 

 undulated with dusky, and variegated with brownish-black and pale yellowish-red, the 

 head and back being marked with elongated spots of the latter colour. On the inner 

 webs of three of the primaries is a large roundish white spot ; the two lateral tail- 

 feathers have also a large patch of white at the end. The lower parts are transversely 

 barred with dull reddish-yellow and dusky; and on the throat are some whit« 

 feathers. The length is eleven inches, and the extended wings measure twent\ - 

 three. 



This unfortunate bird has a strong claim on our sympathy, on account of the 

 manner in which all its actions and habits have been misrepresented. The ancients 

 accused it of milking goats, and thus it received the names of Caprimulgus and Goal- 

 sucker, which it retains to the present day. Then it was alleged to be so awkward 

 as to be obliged to fly with its mouth wide open, and so slovenly as to need an in- 

 strument on its foot with which to cleanse its chops. Lastly, so malignant were its 

 traducers, as to hint that it could not see like other creatures, but was obliged to 

 gape widely, and then turn its eyes downward to look through the roof of its mouth 

 for which purpose that part was made thin and transparent. 



