

Order II. PASSERES, Tribe I. Fissibostres Diurile. Family Y. Alcedinidje. 



The fourth Subfamily, 



GALBULIN/E, or Jacamars, 



have the Bill more or less long, generally straight, and pointed, sometimes rather depressed, broad, and 

 curved; the Wings moderate, with the fourth quill the longest; the Tail more or less long and graduated ; 

 the Tarsi very short, and generally clothed with feathers ; the Toes four or three, usually placed two 

 before and two behind (except when the inner posterior toe is wanting), the two anterior toes united to 

 near the end of the inner one. 



Galbula Mcclw* 



Bill more or less lengthened, slender, straight, and four-sided, with the culmen keeled, the sides 

 sloping to the lateral margins, which are straight ; the gonys lengthened, keeled, and straight ; the base 

 furnished with two long slender bristles ; the nostrils basal, lateral, and placed in a small groove, with 

 the opening small and exposed. Wings moderate and rounded, with the fourth quill the longest. Tail 

 more or less long and graduated. Tarsi very short, more or less slender, and covered with feathers. 

 Toes unequal ; the outer anterior toe longest ; the inner posterior toe very small, or entirely wanting. 



The species that compose this genus arc peculiar to the tropical portions of South America, and are also found in some 

 of the West Indian isles. They inhabit the humid forests, where it is usual to observe them seated singly on sonic low 

 naked branch, until the approach of an insect calls them into action, after which they dart off rapidly, and securing it 

 with their lengthened acute bill, return to the same place again. The ground round their chosen position is generally 

 strewed with the wings of insects, as they only feed on the bodies. Some species are stated to frequent the borders of 

 rivers and brooks, and to feed on fish and their fry. These birds form a hole in trees or in banks of rivers, like the 

 kingfishers, the entrance of which is an inch and a half in diameter, and the eggs are placed about eight inches from 

 the outward surface. They are usually three in number. 



1. G. viridis Lath. — Alcedo galbula Linn. Edw. Birds, pi. 334. 6, G. tombacea Spix, Av. Bras. t. 58. 



PL enl. 238., Levaill. Hist. Nat. Jac. t. 47,,48>-49., Vieill. Ois. | ~. G. paradisea (Linn.) PL enl. 271. Levaill. Hist. Nat. Jac. t. 



dor t. 1,2.? .52. Vieill. Ois. dor t. 3. 



2. G. ruficauda Cuv. Levaill. Hist. Nat. Jac. t. 50. — Galbula 8. G. tridactyla (Vieill.) N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xvi. p. 444. t. 

 macroura Vieill Gal. des Ois. t. 29. E. 32. f. 2. Av. Bras. t. 57. f. 2. — Galbula ceycoides Such. Jard. 



3. G. leptura Swains. Lath. Gen. Syn. pi. 26., Levaill. Hist. Nat. i & Selby, 111. Orn. pi. 22. ; Jacamaralcyon brasiliensis Less. Levaill. 

 Jac. t. 52. — Galbula viridis var. Lath. j Hist. Nat. Guep. Suppl. t. L. ; Type of Jacamaralcyon Cuv, 



4. G. leucogaster Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xvi. p. 441., Le- (1829). 



vaill. Hist. Nat Guep. Suppl. t. h. — Galbula albiventer Less. 9- G. lugubris Swains. Two Cent, and a Quart, p. 329. 



5. G. albirostris Lath. Levaill. Hist. Nat. Jac. t. 51 Galbula 10. G. albogularis Spix, Av. Bras. t. 57. f. 1. 



flavirostris Vieill. Ois. dor t. 4, 5. 



* Established by Mceliring in 1752. It embraces Jacamaralcyon of -Cuvier (1829), 



