EESTJME OF THE HISTOEY. 
1827. Gloger, in the ' Observ. sur les noms d'Ois.,' separates as Nystactes some of the 
American species now classed as Capito. 
1828. Lesson, in the ' Man. d'Orn.,' gives the generic name of Cucupicus to the group that 
had previously been named Trachjphonus by Ranzoni. 
1829 Cuvier (vol. i. p. 456) follows Gmelin's classification, but divides them mto three 
subfamilies The Asiatic members he places in the genus Bucco ; the African in the genus 
Poqonias; and the American, including the fissirostral Puff-birds, in the genus Tamatia. 
This, again, is one step in advance of Vieillot; for it is the first recognition of the Asiatic 
species as a separate subfamily. 
1830 Temminck applies the name of Micropogon to the two princi])al genera of the 
Camtonince, taken together, namely Capito (Vieillot) and TracliypUnus (Eanz.). _ 
1835. Van der Hoeven substitutes the name oi Pogonorhynchus for Pogonias (Illiger;, as 
the latter name had previously been applied to a genus of fishes. 
1835. Smith, in his ' S. Afr. Journ.' gives the generic name of Polysticte to T. cafer, 
apparently oblivious both of Tracliyplionus and Cum^icus, and their claims to priority. 
1835. Miiller names the genus Psilopogon, giving as type P. pyrolopJms ; we have now four 
genera {Capito, Pogonorhynchus, Tmchyphonus, and Psilopogon), Bucco being still m use for 
the Asiatic species. , o • ^ 
1837. Lesson introduces the genus Barbatula to represent the small African Megate- 
minffi ; type, B. pusilla. There are now five genera. 
1837 Swainson (Nat. Hist. Cab. Enc. ii. p. 311) groups the CapitonidcB with several 
other families under the head " Buccomncer with the following diagnosis-" Bill surrounded 
with long bristles; tail short, soft,"-and divides them into the following ^enem-Asthe- 
nurus, Picumnus, Bucco, Micropogon, Pogonias, Yunx, Oxyrhynchus. The Picidm he arranges 
between the PsMacidm and Certhiadm. This classification of the group being manifestly 
erroneous, it is unnecessary to dilate upon it. i • , 
1838 Next in order comes Temminck (PI. Col. vol. iii.) ; he was the first author who 
clearly distinguished the Fissirostral from the Scansorial Barbets; the former he places m a 
separate family under Tamatia; the latter he divides into three subfamilies-M.ro^o.^on, 
Bucco, and Po^om«.,-which, under other names, is similar to our method of classification, 
the first comprising Capito, Trachyphonus, and Caloramphus, the second Megaloema, Xan- 
tlxolmna, Psilopogon, and Barhatula, the third Pogonorhynchus. He gives a series of very 
fair plates of a number of species of this family; and his work contains a great deal of 
information about the Asiatic genera. From this date the scansorial Barbets are classed as 
a distinct family; and at that time about three-fourths of the species were known. Ihis 
' author also introduces the genera PsUopus and Xyloi^ogon, both of which have fallen into 
disuse. J r 
1839 In this year the Malayan species C. lathami was first generically separated from 
the others by two authors. Lesson naming it Caloramphus, and Eyton proposing Megalo- 
rhynchus ; of these two, Lesson's name has the precedence. This makes the sixth genus as 
now accepted. 
