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As in the case of the last species, there are two forms of the present Jacamar, which may be 

 readily distinguished when examples from the opposite ends of its range are compared. But as 

 specimens from intermediate localities show somewhat intermediate characters, I have thought 

 it better to keep all the forms under one specific designation. 



The veteran ornithologist Latham was the original describer of the present bird, from a 

 specimen in the collection of Dr. Hunter, under the name of the " White-billed Jacamar," which 

 he afterwards Latinized as " Galhula alM?vstris." About the beginning of the century Audebert 

 and Vieillot figured it in their ' Oiseaux Dores,' and Levaillant in his ' Oiseaux de Paradis,' from 

 examples received fi'om Cayenne. Audebert and Vieillot called it " Le Venetou " from its native 

 name, which is probably a corruption of Venador, the Spanish for " hunter," while Levaillant 

 termed it " Le petit Jacamar, ou Jacamar a bee jaune." The latter designation was Latinized by 

 Vieillot in 1817 as Galbula flavirostris. In 1838 Swainson again described the Guianan bird as 

 Galhula fiavirostra, and pointed out certain slight imperfections in the older descriptions, which 

 led him to believe that his species was really diflferent. But there can be no doubt that the three 

 names above mentioned are completely synonymous. 



The Upper- Amazonian form of this species, which may usually be distinguished by the base 

 of the upper mandible being black like the apical half, and by the deeper colour of the crown, 

 was named Galbula chalcocephala by Deville in 1849 from specimens obtained at Sararayacu on 

 the Ucayali during Castelnau's expedition ; and this name has been generally adopted by those 

 who regard the Amazonian bird as specifically distinct. 



Schomburgk, who met with this species in Guiana, merely tells us that it does not diflFer in 

 its habits from G. viridis and G. ruficauda. On the Lower Amazons G. alhirostris does not seem 

 to occur, but was obtained on the Eio Negro by Natterer at Marabitanas, Barra, and intermediate 

 localities. Hr. v. Pelzeln has determined Natterer's specimens as G. clialcoce^phala ; but a skin 

 in my collection, procured by Mr. Wallace at Guia on the Rio Negro in 1850, can hardly be 

 distinguished from the Guianan form, except by the upper portion of the base of the upper 

 mandible above the nostril being blackish, and by a slightly deeper tinge on the crown. As 

 regards the colour of the cheeks, to which attention is called by Hr. v. Pelzeln, I can perceive 

 no difierence. Natterer's notes tell us that the iris of this bird is dark brown. 



On the Upper Amazons this Jacamar, in the phase called by Deville G. clialcocephala, seems 

 to be rather abundant. Examples are before me obtained by Edward Bartlett at Chamicuros 

 and Xeberos, and by Whitely at Yquitos ; and I have seen many others. But the black base of 

 the upper mandible cannot be considered a constant character of this form, as in one of the 

 examples in my series the white base of the upper mandible for 0-2 inch beyond the nostrils is 

 yellow, and there is very little more black on the apical portion than in the Guianan bird. At 

 the same time the crown of the Upper-Amazonian form appears to be always of a somewhat 

 deeper and more coppery hue. 



In Messrs. Salvin and Godman's collection there is a pair of this species transmitted by 

 Mr. C. Buckley from the Napo, in Ecuador. This is the furthest western locality yet known to 

 me for this Jacamar. 



The male of G. alhirostris of the Guianan form is above of the usual briUiant metallic 

 green which prevails throughout the group; and the wings, which are black in the inner 



