134 



The Nunlets as yet known to us belong to four species, divisible into two sections, in the 

 former of which the lores are white, while in the latter these parts are grey or brown. We will 

 commence with the best-known member of the former section. 



Spix, one of the earliest scientific explorers of the rich fauna of Tropical America, was the 

 original discoverer and describer of the Eed-breasted Nunlet, which he appropriately named 

 " ruhecula" after our well-known European favourite. Spix, in his great work on the Birds of 

 Brazil, tells us that he met with this bird near the village of Malhada, on the Eio San Francisco. 

 This would appear to be about the centre of its range, as it occurs in other widely separated 

 provinces of Brazil, both to the north and to the south of that river. 



Going first to the south, we find from Herr von Pelzeln's account of Natterer's collections 

 that it was obtained by that indefatigable explorer at Ypanema, in the province of Sao Paulo, and 

 near Goiaz, the capital of the province of the same name. Prince Maximilian of Neuwied does 

 not appear to have noticed it during his travels in South-eastern Brazil ; but Burmeister procured 

 a single specimen of it near New Freiburg, in Minas Geraes, and Reinhardt records its occurrence 

 near Lagoa Santa. It was also, there is little doubt, from this part of Brazil that Temminck 

 and Swainson obtained the specimens which they figured, although neither of them has favoured 

 us with exact information on the subject. Temminck's name for the species, it may be remarked, 

 was published a year later than that of Spix, and must therefore give way to Spix's appropriate 

 appellation. 



Turning now to the north, we find that Natterer obtained examples of Nonnula ruhecula at 

 Borba on the Rio Madeira, at Marabitanas on the Rio Negro, and on the Rio Iganna. Our 

 well-known countryman Mr. A. R. Wallace likewise procured specimens on the Lower Amazons ; 

 so that there can be little doubt of its pervading this district, although it is not usual to find the 

 same species common to Lower Amazonia and the wood-region of South-eastern Brazil. 



As regards the habits of the present bird we have unfortunately very little information. 

 Professor Burmeister's hunters told him that it is found solitary in the forests, and resembles 

 Malacoptila fusca in its mode of life. Natterer's notes tell us that the sexes are alike, that the 

 iris is dark brown, and that the eye-ring is black, bordered with a row of small white featherlets. 



This species certainly seems to be scarce ; for during thirty-five years' collecting I have never 

 succeeded in getting but one example of it ; and for the preparation of this article I have only 

 two examples before me, which measure as follows : — 



•So. 



Mus. 



Patria. 



Long, tota, 



alfe, 



caudse. 



rostri 



1. 



P.L. S. 



Para (?). 



5-5 



2-5 



2-4 



0-9 



3. 



S.-G. 



Bahia {Wucherer). 



5-0 



2-4 



2-2 



0-9 



The figure (Plate XLV. fig. 1) is taken from No. 1. 



