INSESSORES. 



199 



The name recur virostr is, applied to this little bird by the Baron 

 Lafresnaye, is that entitled to adoption on account of a very short 

 period of priority. It cannot be regarded, however, as appropriate in 

 any very considerable degree, as the bill of this species is no more 

 recurved than that of other species of this genus, and is only character- 

 istic of young birds, to such extent as to warrant a special designation. 

 The recurved character in adult birds of this group is of the lower 

 mandible only, and very similar in various species. 



Mr, Peale's remarks on this bird are as follows : 



" This is the smallest species of the genus observed by the members 

 of the Expedition. It was found at the Island of Upolu, one of the 

 Samoan or Navigator's Group, and there confined itself within the 

 recesses of the forest. In manners it much resembles the jacamars 

 [GalbuJce) , of South America, sitting for hours, as they frequently do, 

 to watch for passing prey. It prefers the shady humid woods ; there 

 the snap of its bill, while catching insects by darting from its perch, 

 will probably first call the attention of the hunter to it. Like most 

 of its congeners, it is noisy, but its notes have nothing but their pecu- 

 liarity to recommend them. 



" The females are similar to the males in dimensions and appearance, 

 but they are not so deeply colored, and the blue inclines to a green." 



Our figures of this bird are of the size of life, and represent both 

 sexes. 



5. ToDiRAMPHUS DiviNus, Lessou. 



Todiramphus divinus, Less. Voy. Coquille, Zool. I, p. 667 (1826). 



Dacelo nullitorquis, Peale, Zool. U. S. Exp. Exp. Birds, p. 155 (1st ed. 1848).* 



Atlas, Ornithology, Plate XVIII, figs. 1, 2, Adults, 3, Young. 



* "Head, neck, back, and rump, olive-green; wings dusky verditer-blue, the inner 

 webs of the quills black, third primary longest, under coverts white ; tail slightly rounded, 

 above dusky verditer-blue, beneath black; shafts dusky; under coverts white ; tliroat, 

 breast, and abdomen white ; bill black above, white beneath ; legs dusky red ; all the 

 plumage black at the roots, excepting that of the throat, which is entirely white; irides 

 brown. Male. 



"Total length, seven and a half inches; bill, one and one-tenth of an inch; to the 

 gape, one and four-tenths of an inch; tarsi, eleven-twentieths of an inch; middle toe, 

 half an inch; claw, one-fourth of an inch ; tail, two and seven-tenths inches; wing, from 

 the carpal joint, four inches." 



