MELANERPIN^. 
Chloronerpes Swains* 
Bill rather short, with the culmen gradually curved, and the sides compressed to the tip, which is 
acute ; the lateral margins nearly straight, and the gonys moderate and ascending ; the nostrils basal, 
and covered with the projecting plumes. Wings long and pointed ; with the first quill short, and the 
fourth and fifth the longest. Tail moderate and graduated, with the ends of the feathers pointed. 
Tarsi short, and covered in front with transverse scales. Toes unequal, and the outer pair the longest, 
with the posterior rather shorter than the anterior : the claws long, much compressed, and acute. 
It is in the tropical parts of America that the species of this genus are found. 
1. C. aurulentus (Licht.) PI. col. 59- f- 1. — Picus chrysochloros 
Vieill. ; P. brasiliensis Swains. Zool. 111. pi. 20. ; P. macrocephalus 
Spix, Av. Bras. t. 53. f. 2., Azara, No. 256. 
2. C. xanthotcenia (Wagl.) Azara, No. 257. — Picus auratus 
Vieill. 
3. C. maculipennis (Licht.) Syst. Av. sp. 51. 
4i. C. icterocephalus (Lath.) PI. enl. 784. — Picus chlorocephalus 
Gmel. Spix, Av. Bras. t. S^. f. 2. 
5. C. erythrops (Vieill.) — Picus icterocephalus var. Lath. Spix, 
Av. Bras. t. 54.. f. 1. 
6. C. fasciatm (Lath.). 
7. C. favicollis (Vieill.) N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxvi. p. 74. 
8. C. squamosus (Vieill.) N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxvi. p. 74. 
9. C. maculatus (Vieill.) N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxxi. p. 91. 
Azara, No. 259- 
10. C. spilogaster (Wagl.) Azara, No. 258. 
11. C polyzonus (Temm.). 
12. C. rufoviridis (Malh.) Rev. Zool. 1845. p. 
13. C. Kirkii {M-dlh.) Rev. Zool. 1845. p. 
14. C.affinis Swains. Zool. 111. p. 78. — Picus luficeps Spi.r, 
Av. Bras. t. 56. f. 3. 
15. C. ruhiginosus Swains. Zool. Illustr. pi. 14. 
Melanekpes Sxv(iins.-\ 
Bill rather long, broad at the base, with the culmen sloping, and the sides compressed to the tip, 
which is acute ; the lateral margins nearly straight, and the gonys long and ascending ; the nostrils 
basal, rounded, and much covered by the projecting plumes and bristles. Wings long ; with the 
first quill short, and the third nearly as long as the fourth, which is rather the longest. Tail long, with 
the ends of the feathers pointed. Tarsi short, and covered with transverse scales. Toes unequal ; the 
outer pair the longest, and equal : the claws moderate, much compressed, and acute. 
These birds are found in both North and South America. They are seen in the woods, the orchards, and even 
on the fences in the neighbourhood of houses. Their chief food consists of insects, but they commit great devastation 
on fruits, berries, and Indian corn, and they enter the dovecots for the purpose of sucking the eggs of the pigeons. 
Their note is shrill and lively, and so much resembles, says WilsoUj that of a species of tree frog which frequents 
the same trees, that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the one from the other. They migrate during the night 
* Established by Mr. Swainson in 18.97 {Class, of Birds, ii. p. 307.). 
t Mr. Swainson established this genus in 1 831 (Fauna Boreali-Americana, p. 31 6.). 
5 N 
