ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 
SS4- 
Family HALCYONID.®. Kingfishers. 
Wings rounded, not formed for rapid flight. Feet very 
feeble. Toes in pairs. 
Tamatia. Kill straight, compressed. Nostrils defended 
by long, stiff, incurved feathers and bristles. Rictus 
strongly bristled. Toes versatile, as in Cuculus. 
Tamatia, Cuv. (^.289.e) Bill moderate, thick, conic; 
the tip but slightly bent. Tail narrow. Conirostral. 
T. maculata. Braz. B. pi. 11. bitorqiiata. Parts. No. 138. 
Capita, Vieil. {fig. 289. d) Bill long ; the tip abruptly 
bent, so as to form a hook. Tail narrow. Dentirostral. 
C. leucotis. Braz. Bds. pi. 12. somnolentus. lb. pi. 9. 
Lypornix, Wagler. {fig. 290. a) Bill moderate, defended 
by very long bristles. Both mandibles nearly equal. 
Wingsvery short, rounded. Tail narrow. Tenuirostral. 
L. striata. Braz. Bds. pi. 34. rubicula. Ib. pi. 35. 
Monassa,V\e^^S.. {fig. 290. b) Bill as in 
Lypornix, withoutthebasal bristles, 
but with short setaceous feathers. 
Wings short. Tail lengthened, and 
very broad. Scansorial. 
M. leucops. Brazil. Birds, pi. 12. 
Brachypetes, Sw. {fig. SffO.e) Bill as 
in Lypornix, butshorter,higher, and 
more curved ; the margins greatly 
indexed. Wings long. Tail short 
and even. Fissirostral. {fig. 291.) 
B. teiiebrosa. Braz. Birds, pi. 35. 
