16 



There can be little doubt tbat Latham had seen examples of this Jacamar, as in describing his 

 '■'■ Galhula caiida longiore" he wrote "in quibusdam rectrices duse intermedise viridi-aureae, reliquse 

 rufae ;" but he did not rightly distinguish it from G. viridis. Levaillant, however, a few years 

 later gave a sufficiently good figure of the present species in the second volume of his ' Oiseaux 

 de Paradis,' and clearly understood its specific validity. Upon Levaillant's figure Cuvier in 1817 

 based his Galbula rujicauda, which is the proper systematic name for this bird, taking precedence 

 of Vieillot's Galhula macroura (the appellation next given) by several years. 



In 1838 Swainson introduced considerable confusion into this group by redescribing the 

 present bird under a third name " le])tura," and calling another species [G. rufo-viridis) Galhula 

 rujicauda. This error was corrected by Dr. Cabanis and myself about the same period, as has 

 been pointed out in the preceding article ; and " rujicauda " is now the term under which the 

 present Jacamar is generally known to naturalists. 



Galbula rujicauda has a considerable range in the northern part of South America, occurring 

 throughout Venezuela, and extending into the adjacent districts of Colombia on the one hand, 

 and British Guiana on the other, while it is likewise met with in the islands of Trinidad and 

 Tobago. In British Guiana, Schomburgk tells us that its habits are exactly the same as those 

 of G. viridis, although it resorts more to the denser and more shady forests. He found it most 

 common in the neighbourhood of Golden Hill. The Macusi Indians call it ^'■Kujei" the 

 Arekunas '■'■Picima." Natterer obtained examples of this Jacamar near Fort S. Joaquim, on 

 the Eio Brancho, in the forests on the right bank of that river, in the winter of 1831-32. He 

 notes the naked skin round the eye as dark bluish grey, and the iris as dark brown. In 

 Venezuela this Jacamar is probably of general occurrence, though we have at present very 

 imperfect information about the ornithology of the greater portion of this country. But it is 

 certainly met with in the collections commonly received from Caraccas, and from the delta of 

 the Orinoco [via Trinidad) ; and specimens of it were obtained by Goering at Carupano, in the 

 province of Cumana. Leotaud, in his ' Birds of Trinidad,' tells us that this Jacamar is very 

 common in that island, frequenting shady and wet places, and resting hours long perched on a 

 branch without moving, except to seize a passing insect. Leotaud adds that it feeds principally 

 on earth-worms, which it seeks on the ground ; but I am rather inclined to doubt this part of his 

 story, as it is quite contrary to the usual habits of the group. 



Mr. Kirk, our authority on the birds of Tobago, gives us the following notes on G. rujicauda 

 as observed by him : — " Jackamar of natives : eyes dull red ; feeds on cantharides flies ; builds 

 in marl banks like the Mot-Mot, without any preparation, except digging a hole or entrance an 

 inch and a half in diameter ; the distance of the eggs from the entrance about 18 inches ; they 

 are three in number, pure white, and nearly circular, difiiering only one tenth in longitudinal 

 diameter." 



Examples of the Tobagan bird prepared by Mr. Kirk are in my own collection, and fully 

 agree with continental skins. 



In the United States of Colombia this Jacamar appears to extend along the wood-region of 

 the coast-range as far as Santa Marta, examples of it having been recently obtained at VaUe 

 Dupar, near the base of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, by Mr. Simons, who is now exploring 

 that district for Messrs. Salvin and Godman. In the interior of Colombia this Jacamar is met 



