PTEROGLOSSUS CASTANOTIS, Gould. 
Chestnut-eared Aracari. 
Specific Character. 
Pter. mandibuld superiore flavescenti-riifa; culmine late nisi apice maculaque triangulari atrin- 
que nigro ; mandibuld inferiore nigra ; regione paroticdfemoribusque saturate castaneis. 
Male. —Crown of the head, sides of the neck and throat black ; ear-coverts and a broad hand 
at the back of the neck dark rich chestnut; upper surface, wings and tail olive-green ; 
under surface yellow, crossed on the abdomen with a broad band of blood-red ; a faint 
wash of the same hue of a gorget-like form immediately below the black of the throat; a 
faint wash of the same hue also occurs on the under tail-coverts ; thighs olive ; both man¬ 
dibles surrounded at the base by a raised yellow border, narrow on the upper and the 
sides of the lower, but broad along the under side of the latter next the throat; upper man¬ 
dible reddish yellow, with a broad triangular mark of black along the basal three-fourths 
of the culmen, and a nearly similar mark on each side at the base; the intervals between 
the dentations also black; under mandible black ; at the lower basal angle of each man¬ 
dible and between the black of the sides and culmen of the upper mandible are marks 
of rich red ; irides pure white, with a black spot in the front part of the pupil, giving it 
an oblong appearance ; orbits blackish grey, inclining to blue ; feet greyish grass-green, 
darker on their under surface. 
Total length, 184 inches; bill, 4f; wing, 6i; tail, 7 ; tarsi, If. 
Pteroglossus castanotis, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part I. p. 119-—lb. Mon. of Rampb., 
pi. 13.—lb. Sturm’s Edit., pi. .—Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 403, 
Pteroglossus, sp. 2.—Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 93, Pteroglossus, sp. 2. 
This very fine species of Arapari is spread over a great part of the interior of Brazil, its range extending to 
the eastern slopes of the Andes, both of Peru and of Columbia. In the Museum of Neufchatel there are 
fine examples brought by Dr. Tschudi from Peru, which are of a richer colour, and have stouter bills than 
those specimens which have been obtained in Brazil. I have traced it as far to the north on the Andean 
range as Santa Fe de Bogota, from whence specimens are occasionally sent. Those indefatigable collectors 
Messrs. Bates and Wallace appear to have met with it in great abundance, as they have sent numerous 
specimens from the Upper Amazon. Mr. John Natterer found it in the Brazils in the 17th degree of south 
latitude, and continued to meet with it as far as the western boundary of the province of Goyaz, and thence 
in a northerly direction beyond the Amazon. As I invariably find to be the case with all specimens from 
the hills, the Peruvian examples are of a larger size, apparently a more vigorous race; they have also the 
dentations of the bill more strongly developed, the chestnut of the ear-coverts, sides of the face and back 
of the neck of a much darker hue, and the yellow of the breast and the scarlet abdominal band of a richer 
colour. 
It is said that there is an exception to all rules, and the present bird may be cited in illustration of the 
proverb; for, unlike every other member of the family, its irides are of a fine pearly white instead of the 
rich dark tints pervading those of the other species. 
Considerable difference exists in the size of specimens from various localities. The females are always 
less than the males, and have the chestnut ear-coverts and sides of the neck of a much lighter hue. 
The figures represent the two sexes of the natural size. 
