CHLOROCERYLE. 351 



Tofal length 126 mm,, culmen 2G, wing 56, tail 35, tarsus 8. 



Adult female. Differs from the adult male in having a green 

 hand across the chesty the feathers barred and fringed with white. 

 Wing 56 mm. 



Breeding-season. Unknown in British Guiana. 



Nest. Unrecorded in British Guiana. 



J^ggs. Undescribed from British Guiana. 



Range in Bntisli Guiana. Upper Takutu Mountains, Ituribisi 

 River, Supenaam River. Bartica, Bonasika River, Abary River 

 {McConnell collection) ; Kamakusa, Bartica ( Whitelt/) ; Pomeroon 

 River ( TF. L. Sclater') ; Demerara River (i?. Swaiyi). 



E.vtralimital Range. Trinidad, Surinam, Cayenne, Brazil, 

 Eastern Peru. 



Hahiis. Schomburgk (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 704) states that he 

 found this species more common near the coast about stagnant 

 waters and ditches, but not so common near the rivers. It preys 

 on small fish. 



We quote the following note from Mr. Beebe (Our Search for a 

 "Wilderness, p. 16) : — "A Kingfisher alighted within arm's reach. 

 But such a Kino-fisher I — the veriest mite, clad in a robe of brilliant 

 emerald and orange. So small was he that it seemed as if the 

 tiniest of minnows must choke him. He seemed to be of 

 the same opinion, for while we watched him he caught only the 

 insects which passed him in mid-air or which were floating on 

 the water." 



Family MOMOTID^. 



The members of this family are chiefly green in colour. The 

 bills are rather long and curved, with strong tooth-like serrations 

 on both mandibles. The winiis ate short in comparison with the 

 lentrth of the tail. The tail-feathers are twelve in number, except 

 in the genus Baryphtliengus which has ten, and usually long. 

 The feet are small and the toes four in number, three of the latter 

 being directed forward, and the claws are sharply curved. 



Their distribution is confined to Central and South America, 

 including the island of Trinidad. 



The familv consists o£ seven genera, five of which occur in 

 South America, one genus and one s[)ecios being rcpresentevl in 

 i'ritish Guiana. 



