PHYTOTOMA. 



Hyreus, separating this bird from Phytotoma, " from its having but three toes, 

 placed two before and one behind, in the manner of the genus Tridaclylia." 

 Dr. Latham has arranged the species in two sections, according to the num- 

 ber of toes ; the first contains the P. vara, having four toes, the second 

 P. Abyssinica, which has only three. We cannot but prefer this arrangement 

 to that adopted by Mr Stephens ; for the formation of a new genus should 

 rest on a better foundation than descriptions drawn up merely from figures. 

 All that is known of the Abyssinian plant-cutter, is derived from the descrip- 

 tions of Daudin and Buffon (and these do not perfectly agree), both taken 

 from drawings, one of which was copied from a Nubian specimen, and sent to 

 Daudin, the other done in Abyssinia, was brought home by Mr Bruce. In 

 our humble opinion, genera can never be satisfactorily established, without a 

 minute examination of the individuals themselves on which they are founded. 

 Don Felix de Azara # mentions another bird, the Dentato, evidently 

 belonging to this genus, and having four toes : it is the Phytotome du Para- 

 guay, Phytotoma rutila of Vieilxot, which M. Sonini remarks is close- 

 ly allied to P. rara, if it be not in fact the same species. The individual be- 

 fore us, which we have named in honour of the naturalist who accompanied 

 Lord Byron, constitutes the third species of Latham's first division of the 

 genus, making in all four species of Phytotoma at present known, provided 

 P. rutila be really distinct from P. rara. The characters of the four species 

 may be briefly described as follows : — those of P. rara, and Abyssinica are 

 taken from Latham -j- ; that of P. rutila from Azara's account of that bird. 



* Voyages dans l'Amerique meridionale, Sokini's edit, 3. p. 

 f Supp. to Ind. Ornith. p. xix, 



