NO. 4. — 1848.] SKETCHES IN NATURAL HISTORY. 83 



Group : Zygodactyly. 

 Family : Bucconidce (Barbets ). 

 Genus : Bucco (Linn.). 



B. caniceps (Franklin). —This is the largest Barbet we 

 have. It measures about in. in length — of wing in., 

 tail y^j in., tip of bill to forehead T 9 ^ in. ; colour of bill is 

 reddish ; a patch of bare skin of a dull orange colour sur- 

 rounds the eye, and extends some distance backward ; colour 

 above, green ; head and neck brownish freckled with white, 

 each feather being brown, with the shaft whitish ; vent, 

 bright green; legs, orange.* 



Common in Ceylon, frequenting trees, on the fruit and 

 berries of which they feed. The note is a shrill tc Poo poo 

 poop" often repeated. Native name, Mai kottoruwa. 



B. -fiavifrons (Cuv.). — This handsome species is next in 

 size to B. caniceps, measuring about 7^ in. in length — 

 bill to forehead 1 in., of wing 4 in,, tail 2i in. ; above, 

 dark green ; the edges of the feathers paled ; forehead, 

 golden yellow, the colour extending over the head along the 

 shafts of the feathers ; there is also a spot of yellow at the 

 base of the bill. The chin is blue ; a similar coloured patch 

 surrounds the eye, extending backwards ; lower mandible of 

 beak yellowish brown, upper mandible deep brown; vent, 

 yellowish green ; breast the same, but the feathers being- 

 each edged with a darker green give it a scaled appearance ; 

 inside of wing blue and buff ; underside of tail and legs 

 verditor. This species is confined to the hilly country, where 

 it replaces B. caniceps, and is very common : they are 



from my note book : — u Saturday, March 17. ' B. ruhricapillus" ': Shot 

 this species climbing up the limb of a tree, and chipping off bark in quest 

 of insects.'* My attention was drawn to the bird by the tapping 

 it made, and I shot it thinking it was a new woodpecker. 



* IS. Zeylanicus so closely resembles this in all respects except size, 

 that I am inclined to think it a mere variety. When the examination 

 of numerous specimens shall have determined this it shall be noticed. 



