518' BIRDS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



the houses of the native Indians they are also often to be seen, 

 with their wings trimmed, and wandering at large about the 

 settlement." 



The following note is quoted from Beebe (Our Search for a 

 "Wildernes^j p. 144) : — " It was the height of the season of court- 

 ship of Palm Tanagers, and they were noisy and bold. A caged 

 female proved to be a source of great attraction, and several wild 

 ones kept coming to the cage. We trapped two, and and they 

 made themselves at home within a few minutes. There was con- 

 siderable variation, some being grey, almost- a bluish-grey, while 

 in others the green was strongly dominant." 



Genus RAMPHOCffiLUS Desm. 



Bamphocalus Desmarest, Hist. Nat. Tangaras, pis. 28, 29, 1805. Type 

 M. brasilius (Linn.). 



rig, 190. — SamphoGoslus carbo. 



The species that comprise this genus are birds that are some- 

 what large in size and brilliant in colour. The bill is more or less 

 depressed at the base, where its width is about equal to the length 

 of the exposed culmen, while its depth is about one-sixth less, the 

 tip of the upper mandible is slightly hooked and the nostrils are 

 almost covered with feathers. The wing is rounded, the second, 

 third, fourth, and fifth primaries are longest and subequal, and 

 the first is about equal in length to the sixth. The tail is 

 slightly rounded at the tip and almost equal to the wing in 

 length. The tarsus is rather shorter than the middle toe and claw. 

 Coloration: male and female different. 



