LITTLE PALE-WINGED PR0MER0PS. 121 
and Vieillot’s splendid work on the Gilded-birds 
( Oiseaux Doris), its nearest affinity is to the blue 
species, figured at plate 9 ; but that bird is very 
considerably larger, and has none of those white 
spots upon the wings which are so conspicuous in 
the present species, neither is it enumerated in the 
Sy sterna Avium of Dr. Wagler. In size and general 
appearance it makes a near approach to the Prome- 
rops purpuralas of Burchell* ; but the size is still 
smaller, and the bill, instead of being falcate, is 
very slightly curved. We may here remark, that 
we do not see sufficient characters in the proposed 
genus Rkinopomastes to allow of its separation 
from Promerops. In reference to what has been 
said of the form of its nostrils, it appears to us but 
a simple and a very slight modification of that ex- 
hibited in the last bird we have described, hut more 
especially in this. In all three the aperture of the 
nostril is linear and pervious ; the upper part is 
protected, in erytlvrorynchos , by a slightly promi- 
nent rim formed of the substance of the bill, but 
which is so thin, that when the bird is alive we 
suspect it is flexible ; for in Seneyalensis it actually 
is so, although, to a casual observer, it appears like 
that of the former species. Finally, in the bird 
now before us, this aperture of the nostrils is still 
narrower ; and the homy lid, which is flexible, is 
so developed, that, when closed, the aperture can 
be scarcely seen. It perfectly accords, in short, 
* This seems to be the Wrinopomastes Smithii , Zoological 
Journal, iv. p. 2. 
