ON THE GENERA. 
xxxi 
1. Genus Caimto. 
Characteristics. — Bill compressed, inflated at the base; gonys slightly raiH(;(l tcjwards the 
tip; culmen flat; rictal bristles few and feeble; nostrils roundcsd and basal. Wings 
rounded and moderate in length ; fourth and fifth quills longest. Tail about one-third less 
than the wing in length. Legs and feet similar in structure to the other subfamilies'. 
Tarsus about the same length as the exterior front toe. According to Mr. Sclater, the 
Barbets occupy but a limited area in South America, compared with many either of its 
peculiar families. Not one of them has yet been found to the north of the Isthmus of 
Panama, or south of the basin of the Amazon ; and the species are chiefly confined to the 
countries traversed by the upper branches of this river and to the mountain- valleys of New 
Granada, Ecuador, and Peru*. We have few details recorded concerning their habits; but 
they are said to be seen generally in the fruit-trees, feeding on the fruit and hopping from 
branch to branch like the Toucans. 
Mr. Bartlett, who had great opportunities of noticing the habits of this genus, says that 
they perch on the tree-tops, and bow the head and raise the tail as they utter their call. 
He considers that their movements greatly resemble those of the RamiJhastidcB. 
All the species of this genus have this pecuKarity, which exists in no other, namely that 
the sexes difier in a most wonderful manner : for many years the small green ones were all 
considered good species, until Mr. Salvin discovered that they were only females of the red- 
headed ones. 
A". Cauda brevi ; culmine simo. 
a. MajoreSj rostro plumbeo. 
a'. Supra niger immaculatus ............ C. maculicoronatus. 
v. Supra aurovirens C. aurovirens. 
c'. Suprk niger flavo variegati. 
a". Gutture rubro, fronte rubiEi .......... C. niffer. 
b". G-utture aurantiaco, fronte viridescenti-sulphurea . . . C. auratus. 
c". Gutture albo, fronte nigra ........... C. quinticolor, 
b. Minores, rostro flavescente, supra virides. 
a'. Pileo coccineo. 
a". Mystacibus coccineis C". bourcieri. 
b". Mystacibus flavis . . C. glaucogularis. 
c". Mystacibus glauco-cseruleis .......... C. versicolor. 
b'. Pileo saturate sanguineo. 
a". Vitta cervicali postica cinerascenti-caerulea ..... C. richardsoni. 
b". Vitta cervicali postica clare flavicanti-viridi ..... C. aurantiicollis. 
2. Genus Teachyphonus. 
Characteristics.— compressed towards the tip, and inflated at the base, of a greenish 
yellow colour; culmen rounded and elevated above the nostrils, which are rounded and 
basal ; the upper mandible is curved towards the tip, and slightly overhangs the lower one. 
* Since Mr. Sclater wrote the above in 1861, two species have been discovered north of the Isthmus. 
