BUCCO STRIOLATUS. 



THE STRIOLATED PUFF-BIRD. 

 PLATE XXXV. 



Bucco {Ca])ito) striolatiis, Pelz. Sitz. Ak. Wien, xx. p. 509 (1856). 

 Nystalus striolatus, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. iv. p. 140 (1863). 

 Bucco striolatus, Scl. Ex. Orn. p. 153, t. Ixxvii (1869). 

 Bucco striolatus, Pelz. Orn. Bras. p. 22 (1871). 

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



Suprk fusco-nigricans, plumis omnibus rufescenti marginatis et fasciatis; nucha lat^j capitis lateribus et 

 torque pectorali saturate ocbraceis nigro punctatis et striolatis ; loris et gula albicantibus ; abdomine 

 sericeo-albo, lateraliter fulvescenti tincto, ventre summo et hypochondriis nigro distincte striolatis ; 

 subalaribus et remigum pogoniis interioribus ad basin cinnamomeiSj Cauda toti brunnescenti-nigra, 

 rectricibus omnibus et in pogonio utroque ochraceo-rufo frequenter transfasciatis ; rostro nigricante, 

 tomiis et mandibulse basi flavicantibus ; pedibus fuscis : long, tota 7'5, alse 3'3j caudse 3"lj rostri a 

 rictu l*6j tarsi 0'75. Fern, mari similis. 



Hab. in Brasilia interiore, Bolivia et Jjlquatoria orientali. 



This Puff-bird is one ef the many ornithological discoveries made by that prince of collectors, 

 Johann Natterer, whose name I have so often referred to in this volume. During his travels in 

 the province of Mato Grosso, in the interior of Brazil, Natterer passed four months (from July to 

 October 1826) at the sugar-plantation of the then lately deceased Captain Gama. This plantation 

 was situated about fifteen leagues from Villabella de Mato Grosso, either on the river Guapore, 

 or not far from its banks. Here and at the neighbouring station called " Dourado " eight 

 specimens of the present Bucco were obtained, but lay unnoticed in the stores of the Imperial 

 Cabinet at Vienna until they were described by Herr von Pelzeln in 1856. 



The notes in Natterer's MS. journal, as published by Von Pelzeln, inform us that in this 

 species the bill of the living bird is olive-green, with the end and the basal half of the culmen 

 blackish brown. The iris he describes as dirty yellowish-white, the feet as olive-green, the tarsi 

 rather brownish above, and the claws black. No details are given as to the habits of this bird ; 

 but, like the rest of its allies, it probably frequents the higher trees of the dense forest. 



In 1869 Mr. Salvin and I gave a figure of this bird in our 'Exotic Ornithology' from a 

 Nattererian skin obtained at Dourado on the 6th of July 1826, as shown by the label in the 

 collector's own handwriting. It is marked female ; but the sexes would be probably almost 

 undistinguishable externally. The same example has been 'used for the illustration now given. 



At the time Mr. Salvin and I figured this species Natterer was the only collector, so far as we 

 knew, that had ever obtained it. But quite recently specimens of it have been received from two 



