FISSIROSTRES. 327 



scansorial Ramphastidw, the Trogons, like the Toucans, are omnivorous. Finally, 

 who that has seen the superb Trogon Pavoninus of MM. Spix and Temminck, 

 with its long, gilded, green feathers, is not immediately reminded of a Peacock? 

 This analogy, in short, has given rise to its specific name, and has been at once 

 perceived, without the least suspicion that the Trogons actually represented the 

 Gallinaceous order. 



It now only remains to show in what manner the Curtipedes are united into a 

 circle, by the union of the Fissirostres and Scansores. We have already intimated 

 that the Trogons typify the only fissirostral group which is omnivorous ; so also 

 are the Toucans and the Motmots (Prionites) : the affinity between the two latter 

 every writer since the days of Linnaeus has perceived ; but the bill of the Mot- 

 mots is compressed, while that of nearly all fissirostral birds, as suited to their 

 peculiar habit of catching their food in the air, is considerably depressed. To 

 prove, therefore, the connexion of Prionites with the Fissirostres, it was necessary 

 that a form should be discovered which resembled Prionites, but had the broad bill 

 of a fissirostral bird ; or, in other words, provided with such a flattened bill as is 

 seen in Galbula grandis. Now it fortunately happens that, although we have 

 not yet seen it, Mr. Vigors (who places the Motmots as one of the groups of the 

 Hornbills) has actually proved the existence of the very bird we have theoretically 

 described, without having the slightest suspicion of the station it occupies in 

 the chain of Nature. The very name of Platyrhynchus, which that gentleman has 

 judiciously bestowed upon this most extraordinary bird, is sufficient to show how 

 widely it differs from all its congeners in the shape, and consequently the functions 

 of the bill. We would ask, therefore, as Prionites is connected with Ramphastos 

 on one side, into what genus does it merge upon the other ? Whatever that 

 genus may be, it must have short, weak feet ; the bill may be either serrated or 

 entire, but it must be decidedly depressed, since that is the form which Nature 

 plainly shows she is about to assume in her new group. We should also expect 

 to see, in this succeeding link, a continuation of the same shortness of wing and 

 length of tail, which is so conspicuous in Prionites. Now the only bird yet 

 discovered, in the whole circle of Ornithology, which realizes this imaginary 

 description, is the Galbula gratidis of Demerara. Unlike all its congeners, it has 

 a broads depressed bill, but with the margins entire ; it is equal in size to most of 

 the Motmots ; its feet, like theirs, are weak ; it has the same kind of short, 

 rounded wings and lengthened tail ; and is, moreover, clothed in nearly the 



