152 



and Kiister in 1822. These authors wrote their specific term ^' morphoeus ;" but there can be 

 little doubt, I suppose, that they intended to bestow upon the bird the familiar name of the 

 classical god of sleep and dreams " Morpheus.'" It seems therefore best to consider the specific 

 term a substantive and to put it in apposition with the generic one, though Messrs. Cabanis and 

 Heine have proposed to convert it into an adjective, and to alter its termination. 



The White-faced Nunbird is a well-known inhabitant of the great wood-region of South- 

 eastern Brazil, and has been noticed by nearly all the explorers of that district. Prince 

 Maximilian of Neuwied found it in the forests of the Eio Espirito Santo and Belmonte. 

 Professor Burmeister did not himself see the bird, but obtained specimens from his hunters in 

 the vicinity of New Freiburg, in Minas Geraes : Spix met with it in the province of Piauhy ; 

 and Natterer obtained examples near Eio di Janeiro and on the Eio Claro near Goiaz. Prince 

 Maximilian gives us the following notes on its habits : — 



"This fine Tamatia I did not meet with so often as the preceding species [Malacoptila 

 torquata). It does not live so near human habitations, but is found in the vast thickly wooded 

 districts, where we obtained many specimens. In the summer they live in pairs, in the cold 

 season singly or in flocks. At times pouring forth their loud and peculiar cries from the thick 

 branches close to us, they astonished us not a little. They are somewhat less stupid and solitary 

 in their habits than M. torquata. I have often seen them, more especially when uttering their 

 loud cries in concert. In their stomachs I have found remains of insects. About their nesting- 

 habits I can give no information." 



This species, or a very closely allied form, inhabits the forests of Lower Amazonia. 

 Wallace obtained it in the vicinity of Para, and Natterer at Borba and on the Eio l9anna, a 

 branch of the Eio Negro. Although referable to M. morpheus, one of Mr. Wallace's specimens 

 in my collection certainly shows less white on the throat, and thus diverges towards M. peruana, 

 which takes the place of M. morpheus in Upper Amazonia. 



Natterer describes the iris of this bird as dark brown in life, the feet and claws as greyish 

 black, and the bill bright cinnabar with an admixture of carmine. 



The examples of this species in my collection and that of Messrs. Salvin and Godman 

 measure as follows : — 



No. Mus. Patria. Long, tota, alae, caudse, rostri. 



1. 



P. L. S. 



S.E. Brazil. 



11-5 



51 



5-2 



1-5 



2. 



S.-G. 



Bahia {Wucherer). 



10-3 



5-2 



5-1 



1-6 



3. 



S.-G. 



Bahia {Wucherer). 



10-5 



4-8 



4-9 



1-5 



4. 



S.-G. 



Bahia {Wucherer). 



10-0 



4-8 



4-7 



1-3 



5. 



P. L. S. 



Lower Amazons {Wallace). 



11-3 



5-1 



50 



1-5 



The figure (Plate L.) is taken from No. 1. 



