BLACK-HEADED TODY. 
176 
&c., that the superior mandible is very entire, and 
rounded at the extremity — “ mandibula superiors 
integerrima apice rotundata.” In other words, this 
is the exact description of the hill of Todns viridis ; 
while, in every thing that regards size and colour, 
M. Desmarest’s description is perfectly applicable to 
the bird now before us. Thus we have, in his 
Todus cinereus, a species with the colours of mela- 
nocephalus and the bill of viridis. Our present 
species carries us one remove farther from the type, 
and exhibits a bird with the plumage of cinereus , 
but vrith a hill very strongly notched, and suddenly 
bent down at the tip, after the manner of all denti- 
rostral types. What the Todus cinereus of the old 
authors really is, can now hardly be ascertained, 
it having since been discovered that their descrip- 
tion is applicable to four or five species now known. 
Little further requires to be added to the specific 
character above given. The size is rather smaller 
than that of the green tody, especially 'in the head. 
The upper plumage is very dark cinereous, with a 
few shades of olive on the back ; the front of the 
head and lores are deep black, which blends on the 
crown and ears with the cinereous of the upper 
parts ; the greater and lesser covers, and all the 
quills, are deep black, edged externally with yellow 
or yellowish-white ; the tail is graduated and deep 
black, the lateral feathers being tipt with white : all 
the under parts are yellow. The toes differ from 
those of viridis ; the outer and middle are only con- 
nected as far as the first joint, and the inner has the 
