520 BUCCONID^. 



back, but the brownish cap passes gradually into the less bright brown of the upper 

 surface." 



We find nothing on record respecting the habits of this bird. N. ruficapilla is stated 

 by Natterer to live solitary in the forest, sitting on branches near the ground. 



MONASA*. 



Monasa, Vieillot, Anal. p. 37 (1816). 



Lypornix, Wagler, Syst. Av. fol. 10^ p. 15 (1827) . 



Monastes, Nitzsch, Pter. p. 135 (1840). 



Monacha, Sclater, Monogr. Jacamars and PufiF-birds, p. xl (1882) ; Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xix. p. 202. 



This genus is very distinct, not only on account of the dark colour of its members, 

 all of which are either black or dark grey, slightly relieved in some cases by white on 

 the forehead or chin. Other structural characters distinguish it from the rest of the 

 genera of Bucconidse. 



The bill is much as in Malacoptila, but, relatively to the size of the body, smaller, 

 the culmen evenly curved, and the maxilla without notch. The feathers curving over 

 the nostrils and those of the chin are not nearly so long nor so bristle-like as in 

 Malacoptila and Nonnula. The tail is long and the rectrices wide. 



Of the seven known species, two occur within our limits ; of these, M. grandior is 

 restricted to Nicaragua and Costa Eica, but has a close ally in M. peruana of the 

 southern continent. The other, M. pallescens, is found on the Isthmus of Darien and 

 other parts of Colombia. The remaining five species are distributed over Tropical 

 South America, from Colombia and Guiana to South-eastern Brazil. 



The species of Monasa are strictly forest birds. 



1. IKEonasa grandior. 



Monasa grandior, Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 327'; Sak. Ibis, 1869, p. 315'; 1872, p. 322'; 



Zeledon, An. Mus. Nac. Costa Rica, 1887, p. 120 *. 

 Monacha grandior, Scl. Men. Jacamars and PuflF-birds, p. 155, t. 52 °; Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xix. 



p. 205 \ 

 Monasa peruana, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. p. 118'; v. Frantz. J. f. Orn. 1869, p. 312°. 



Saturate sohistacea, capite, gutture, remigibus et cauda nigris ; fronte, mento et gula antica albis ; tectricibus 

 alarum dorso concoloribus, tectricibus subcaudalibus nigricantibus ; rostro ruberrimo, pedibus nigri- 

 cantibus. Long, tota 12-0, alae 5-6, caudae 5-0, rostri a rictu 1-8, tarsi 0-8. (Descr. exempl. ex 

 Chontales, Nicaragua. Mus. nostr.) 



5 mari similis. 



Hah. NiCAEAGUA, Mosquito Coast {Bell ^), Chontales {Belt ^), La Libertad in Chontales 



* Mr. Sclater altered Vieillot's name Monasa into Monacha, the former being probably intended either for 

 Monacha or Monastes, Nitzsch's suggestion. But we already have Monarclia in Aves, written Monacha by 

 Swainson, so that on the whole it seems best to let Monasa stand. If a change must be made, Wagler's title 

 Lypomix has priority, and after it Nitzsch's Monastes. 



