22 BOAT-BILL. 



it appeared to have been yellow. If I may be allowed a conjecture, 

 it is, that the cinereous one, first described, is the male, the plain 

 brown one the female, and the spotted variety a young male, and 

 that probably the crests of both may be equal in the adult. In the 

 PL enlum. I observe a patch of grey in the middle of the greater 

 wing coverts, which is not in any specimen that I have seen ; the 

 figure referred to in Brown, is too short and squat; that in the Hist. 

 des Ois. worse, though the bill and crest are well figured; but both 

 in the PL enlum. are sutficiently expressed ; and it is to be hoped, 

 that our representation may not give an inadequate idea of so 

 curious a bird. 



This species, for I include all the above under one, inhabits 

 Cayenne, Guiana, and Brazil, chiefly in such parts as are near the 

 water ; where it perches on the trees, which hang over the streams ; 

 and like the Kingsfisher, drops down on the fishes which swim 

 beneath. It has been thought to live on -crabs likewise, whence the 

 Linnaean name; but this is not clear, though far from improbable. 

 We are certain, however, that fish is the most common, if not the 

 only food. 



