42 
ON THE CLASSIFICATION OP BIHDS. 
position of the feathers in preserved specimens, it is ob- 
vious that the hinder part of the crest is not so procum- 
bent as those last mentioned : we suspect also, that the 
crest of the Corythnix erythrohphus is differently formed 
to that of a species now before us (which is possibly 
the C. Buffoni of Wagler), where the hinder part 
appears adapted for reposing upon the occiput. It is 
somewhat surprising that, on a subject so interesting as 
that we have now discussed, every author we have con- 
sulted should be is altogether silent. The crests of birds 
are their most beautiful ornaments, and no student 
would have imagined they were so much diversified. 
By following up this inquiry, it will be found, that 
particular sorts of crests belong to particular types, 
all those, for instance, which radiate from the crown' 
and which we have termed concealed, belong to those 
incessorid groups which represent the tyrant flycatchers. 
Those with helraet-like or compressed crests, on the con- 
trary, are chiefly representations of the typical Racores; 
at least Rupicola, Meiopia, and probahiy Calyptomina, 
are of that type ; although the latter has indications also 
of the fissirostral structure in its wings. 
(48.) In some few birds there are certain appendages to 
the head, ■which, although not strictly coming under the 
denomination of crests, are, in some degree, analogous 
thereto : the ornaments we allude to are certain bare 
shafted feathers, very greatly elongated, which spring out 
on each side, close to the ear, and of the use of which we 
are altogether ignorant. Incipient indications of these 
singular plumes may be detected in the violet-eared hum- 
ming bird*; but they are more lengthened in Tr. rufus 
and ornatus, although in these latter birds they proceed 
more from the sides of the neck than from the head • 
but in that most resplendent creature, the six-shafted 
Paradise bird, these feathers are at their maximum, mea- 
suring near five inches ; they are completely spear-shaped ; 
and although perfeefly naked, except at their tips, are 
there ornamented with a spatulate web of resplendent 
• Trochilus auratus, Braz. Birds, voL i. pL 29. 
