VIOLET PLANTAIN-EATER. 
219 
It was in the forests of Acra on the Gold Coast, 
that M. Isert, a Pmssian naturalist, first discovered 
the Musophaga ;* hut he observes that it is so rare 
in that part of Africa, that notwithstanding all his 
efforts, he could only obtain a single specimen. 
More recently, however, the hunters towards Senegal 
seem to have discovered some particular district 
where these birds are less scarce ; and as whatsoever 
is rare or costly finds its way to England, our mu- 
seums have been enriched with several specimens. 
No less than three in the highest preservation are 
now before us, and wo shall at once proceed to 
describe the plumage and notice some particulars 
of the structure. 
The assertion which has so generally been made, 
that this bird has the power of placing one of its 
toes either backward or forward, is completely er- 
roneous. This error has no doubt originated from 
a partial inspection of the foot in the mounted spe- 
cimens of museums, where of course the toes remain 
as disposed by the bird-stuffer, and cannot be dis- 
placed, much less relaxed by the inquirer. Dr. Shaw, 
who first made known the bird in England, con- 
fesses that he made his description from a drawing 
wherein the toes were placed in pairs, that is, two 
before and two behind. But Isert, whose original 
* The effrontery with which some of the German nomcn- 
clators have endeavoured to set aside this name for one of 
their own, is unexampled in science ; such synonyms should 
never be even quoted^— the best punishment their authors can 
receive. 
