BUCCO PICATUS. 



THE AMAZONIAN BANDED PUFE-BIRD, 



Bucco picatus, Scl. P. Z. S. 1855, p. 194. 



Nothriscus picatus. Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. iv. p. 146 (1863). 



Bucco picatus, Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 1873, p. 295. 



Bucco picatus, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 105 (1873). 



Supra niger, pilei plumarum maculis terminalibus, striga capitis utriaque per oculos transeunte et scapularium 

 apicibus latis albis ; subtiis albus, pectoris vittfi, latS, nigrd ; lateribus nigricantibus albo mixtis ; cauda 

 nigra, rectricum trium utrinque lateralium fascia mediant e maculis quadratis composite necnon rec- 

 tricum omnium apicibus albis ; remigum pagina inferiore obscure cineracea, horum pogoniis internis 

 basin versus albis ; rostro et pedibus nigris : long, tota 6'8, alae 3'lj caudae 3"7j rostri a rictu 1"3. 



Hab. in Amazonia superiore. 



Obs. Simillimus B. tecto, sed crassitie majore, colore nigro saturatiore et caudse rectricibus sex mediis 

 omnino immaculatis distinguendus. 



The Upper-Amazonian form of the Banded Puff-bird is rather difficult to deal with satisfactorily ; 

 and it is not without some hesitation that I give it a place in the present volume as a distinct 

 species. I first met with an example of this bird in the large collection from the Huallaga 

 received by Mr. Gould from Mr. John Hauxwell in 1854, and, with Mr. Gould's kind permission, 

 described it as Bucco picatus, pointing out that, besides its larger size and darker black plumage, 

 it was distinguishable from B. tectus in not having so many of the lateral tail-feathers barred 

 with white at the middle of their length. The specimen upon which I established the species is 

 now in the British Museum. 



The only other individual of this form which I have seen is an example in the collection of 

 Messrs. Salvin and Godman, which formed part of the extensive series recently obtained in the 

 vicinity of Sarayacu in Eastern Ecuador by Mr. Clarence Buckley. This specimen, while agreeing 

 with the type of B. picatus in the several particulars in which it differs from B. tectus, has the 

 top of the head thickly spotted with white, as is usual in the latter species, whereas in the 

 type of B. picatus the head is nearly of a uniform black, having only a few scattered spots on 

 the forehead. After closely comparing these two specimens, however, I have come to the con- 

 clusion that they are undoubtedly referable to the same species, and that the absence of the 

 white head-spots in the example now in the British Museum is an individual variation due to 

 the spots having been worn off. I have an example of Bucco suhtectus in which tlie same 



