278 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 
ish, sometimes tinged with russet; ear-coverts black, bordered above by a 
line of bright light greenish blue or bluish green (this sometimes almost 
obsolete). 
b'. Whole top of head bright verditer-blue, varying to verdigris-green, duller 
centrally ; length about 14.20-15.00, wing 5.30-5.70, middle tail-feathers 
8.80-9.15, exposed culmen 1.40-1.55. Hab. Eastern Mexico, north to 
Rio Grande Valley (Nuevo Leon). 
M. czruleiceps GouLp. Blue-crowned Motmot.! 
6%. Top of head deep black centrally, this entirely surrounded by bright verditer- 
blue, the latter bordered exteriorly, from eyes backward, by rich pur- 
plish ultramarine-blue; size about the same asin MV. ceruleiceps. Hab. 
Central America, from Veragua to southern Mexico. 
M. lessonii Less. Lesson’s Motmot.? 
a. Whole top of head and hind-neck uniform rufous; lores dull grayish, mixed 
with dusky; lower parts pale glaucous-green (sometimes tinged with buffy 
anteriorly), changing to dull whitish on flanks, anal region, and under tail- 
coverts ; a large spot of purplish smalt-blue underneath eye, on malar region, 
and ear-coverts usually largely ultramarine- or smalt-blue; length about 
12.00-13.00, wing 4.50-5.00, middle tail-feathers 6.50-7.50, exposed culmen 
1.40-1.60. Hab. Southwestern Mexico, north to Mazatlan. 
M. mexicanus Swarns. Rufous-crowned Motmot.> 
Famity ALCEDINIDAL.—Tue KincrisHers, (Page 271.) 
Genera. 
(Characters same as those given for the Family)........ Ceryle. (Page 278.) 
Genus CERYLE Borg. (Page 278, pl. LXXX., figs. 2, 3.) 
(Nest at extremity of horizontal burrow in earth-banks. Hygs usually 6, ovate 
or oval, pure white, with smooth, somewhat glossy surface.) 
Species. 
a’. Wing 6.00, or more; tarsus about as long as hind-toe, much shorter than inner 
anterior toe; plumage without metallic gloss. (Upper parts plumbeous-blue, 
or bluish plumbeous, more or less streaked with black, especially on top 
of head, the tail-feathers transversely spotted with white, these markings 
usually more or less hidden in closed tail; chin, throat, and collar round hind- 
neck pure white.) (Subgenus Streptoceryle Bonar.) 
6. Wing more than 7.00, culmen more than 3.00; belly, sides, and flanks uni- 
1 Momotus ceruleiceps Gout, P. Z. S. 1836, 18. 
2 Momotus lessonii Luss., Rev. Zool. June, 1842, 174 (Realejo, Nicaragua). 
3 Momotua mexicanus Swatns., Philos, Mag. n. v. i. 1827, 442. 
