MOMOTUS MARTII, Spix % Martins. 

 Martius's Momot. 



PLATE XXIII. 



M. supra viridi-flavescens, capite colloque dilute castaneis, malis coeruleis, subtus 

 viridi-coerulescens, auriculis nigris postice attenuatis. 



Prionites Martii, Spix fy Martius, Nov. Spec. Av. Brasil. Part i. p. 63. tab. lx. 



A he length is about twelve inches : the bill is brownish-black, and is 

 toothed, as in the rest of the genus : the crown, occiput, and back of the 

 neck, are pale reddish-orange, with a mixture of yellowish-brown, and pass 

 into yellowish oil-green on the back and wing-coverts ; the auricular fea- 

 thers are velvet-black, sometimes having the ends of the webs tipped with 

 ultramarine blue, and extend under the eyes to the extremity of the 

 rictus : the feathers upon the lower jaw, and extending partly upon 

 the cheek, are pointed, extremely close in texture, and form a patch of 

 shining ultramarine or verditer-blue : the tail in this species is equally cu- 

 neated with the others, but is not so long in proportion; the feathers are 

 verdigris-green, with ultramarine reflections, underneath pale blackish- 

 grey, with a silvery tinge : the quills are edged with ultramarine-blue : 

 the throat, breast and belly pale verdigris green, tinged on the throat with 

 verditer-blue, and on the breast and sides with ochre-yellow : vent and 

 under tail-coverts deep yellowish- white, slightly tinged with verdigris- 

 green : the under wing-coverts very pale reddish-orange : the feet and claws 

 are blackish-brown. 



This species is described by Spix and Martius as inhabiting the woods 

 of Para in Brazil, and there known by the provincial name of Jiriba, pos- 

 sessing a short and jerking flight, and building its nest under ground. 



The specimen from which our drawing is taken, was brought by Mi- 

 Bullock from some part of Mexico, and was purchased by us at his sale 

 of Mexican curiosities. 



