THE SINGING BIRDS. 183 



and throat, which are bare and of the colour of verdigris. The eyes are greyish brown, the beak 

 black, and the feet flesh-pink. The length of this species is about ten, and its breadth nineteen 

 inches ; the wing measures nine inches and three-quarters, and the tail three inches and a quarter. 

 The female is not quite so large as her mate, she is black upon the throat and top of the head ; the 

 upper part of her body is of a siskin-green, the under side yellow, longitudinally spotted with black, 

 and streaked with whitish and yellowish lines upon the throat. The young male resembles the 

 mother until it is one year old, when it acquires white spots, and only in its third year appears in the 

 garb of the adult. 



THE ARAPONGA. 



The A raponga ( Chasmarhynchus variegatus) is also white over the greater portion of its body, 

 but the delicate purity of its hue is marred by a slight intermixture of grey. The wings are deep 

 black, and the top of the head pale brown. The front of the throat is bare, but studded with a 

 multitude of small, fleshy, worm-shaped appendages, of a deep brown colour ; the beak and feet are 

 black. The plumage of the female is greenish, and on her throat the strange appendages of the male 

 are replaced by feathers. 



THE TRUE BELL BIRD. 

 The True Bell Bird ^Chasmarhynchus carunculatus) is entirely snow-white. The male is 

 furnished with a very remarkable wattle at the base of the beak, which is hollow, black, and muscular. 

 When the bird is under the influence of no emotion, this wattle is flaccid and pendent, but when 

 excited he raises and inflates this fleshy horn until it attains a length of about two inches, and a 

 thickness of half an inch at its root. Schomburghk tells us that the female is larger than her mate, 

 but her fleshy lappet is proportionately considerably smaller. The young resemble the mother, and 

 present a very remarkable appearance whilst in their state of transition. 



THE THREEWATTLED BELL BIRD. 



The Three-wattled Bell Bird, or Hammerer {Chasmarhynchus tricarunculatus), is furnished 

 with three fleshy lappets, one of which grows above the base of the beak, whilst the two others appear 

 as prolongations of the corners of the mouth. The colour of these lappets, as also of the bill and 

 feet, is blackish; that of the eye, light brownish red. The head and throat of the male are bright 

 chestnut-brown, and the nape and upper part of the breast pure white. The female, whose plumage 

 is olive-green, streaked with a lighter shade on the under side, is entirely without the appendages 

 that distinguish her mate. The young resemble the mother. The length of this species is twelve 

 inches; the wing measures six and a half, and the tail four inches; the lappet on the upper part of the 

 beak is from two inches and a half to three inches long, and those at the corners of the mouth about 

 two inches and a half. In the young the fleshy appendages are mere rudiments. 



All the different kinds of Bell Birds above described belong to South America. The Blacksmith 

 inhabits the Brazilian forests, the Araponga is met with in the northern portions of the continent, 

 whilst the True Bell Bird is found in Guiana, and the Hammerer in Costa Rica. As far as is at 

 present ascertained, it would appear that in their habits and mode of life these different species 

 closely resemble each other. The Blacksmith, we are told by the Prince von YVied, is one of the 

 most attractive and beautiful of the many strange occupants of the magnificent forests of Brazil ; the 

 dazzling whiteness of its plumage affording a striking contrast to the rich deep hues of the leafy 

 retreats it usually prefers. Its loud clear note is distinctly heard to a very considerable distance, as 

 it rings, bell-like, at regular intervals, through the surrounding silence, or is rapidly repeated with a 

 force and peculiarity of tone that strongly resembles the blows made by a smith upon his anvil. No 



