BUCCO EUFICOLLIS. 



THE EED-NECKED PUFF-BIED. 

 PLATE XXIX. 



Capito ruficollis, Wagler, Isis, 1829, p. 658. 



Tamatia gularis, d'Orb. et Lafr. Eev. Zool. 1838, p. 166. 



Bucco ruficollis. Gray et Mitch. Gen. B. i. p. 74 (1846). 



Capito ruficollis, Bp. Consp. i. p. 146, et 



Capito gularis, Bp. ibid. (1850). 



Bu£co ruficollis, Scl. Ann. N. H. ser. 2, xiii. p. 360 (1854). 



Bucco ruficollis, Scl. Syn. Bucc. p. 10. t. i. (1854). 



Chaunornis ruficollis, Bp. Consp. Vol. Zyg. p. 13 (1854). 



Bucco ruficollis, Scl. P. Z. S. 1855, p. 196. 



Bucco rificolUs, Cassin, Pr. Acad. Phil. xii. p. 134 (1860). 



Bucco ruficollis, Scl. Cat. A. B. p. 270 (1862). 



Hypnelus ruficollis. Cab. et Heine, Mus. Hein. iv. p. 144 (1863). 



Bucco ruficollis, Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 1870, p. 781. 



Bucco ruficollis, Wyatt, Ibis, 1871, p. 374. 



Bucco ruficollis, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 106 (1873). 



Bucco ruficollis, Salvin, Ibis, 1880, p. 175. 



Supra fuscus albescenti variegatuSj fronte rufescente; loris et plumis auric ularibus cum torque cervicis posticae 

 albis ; subtus sordide albus, gutture rufo, vitta pectoral! nigra, lateribus nigro sparsim maculatis ; rostro 

 et pedibus nigris ; subalaribus et remigum marginibus internis albis cinnamomeo perfusis : long, tota 

 8"4, alse 3"5, caudse 3*4, rostri 1'6. Fern, mari similis. 



Hah. in Columbia, littoralij in valle fl. Magdalense. 



This is likewise a well-marked species, perfectly distinct from all its congeners, but in structure 

 closely approximating to Bucco hicinctus. Messrs. Cabanis and Heine have placed it, along with 

 the last-named bird, in a separate genus {Hypnelus). But it appears to me quite unwise to split 

 up genera into such multitudinous divisions, based upon trifling characters, as are proposed by 

 these authors in this and other cases. This far too prevalent practice, which has now been 

 carried to such an excess that nearly every well-marked species is become the type of a genus, 

 throws a great burden upon the memory, and, in my opinion, offers no accompanying advantages 

 in ensuring a more natural classification. 



The well-known German naturalist Wagler published the first description of the present 

 Puff-bird in 1829, in an article in the 'Isis,' containing additions and corrections to liis ' Systema 

 Avium.' Wagler took his description from examples in the Berlin Museum, and adopted 



