Volume Iii Part 11 (1/2)

GENERIC CHARACTER.

_Rostrum breve, conic.u.m, compressum, basi aliquatenus hians, mandibula superiore inflexa, inferiore superiorem magnitudine superantem. Nares basales, rotundi, basi plumulis obtecta. Pedes sedentes, digitis tribus anticis basi divisis, halluce plerumque brevi, curvo, aliquando recto._

Ob. _Remigum penna prima brevi, secunda tertiaque longissimis._

Bill short, strong, conic, compressed; the base slightly gaping; upper mandible inflexed; under mandible largest. Nostrils basal, round, covered at the base by small feathers. Feet sitting, the three anterior toes divided at the base; the hind claw in general short and curved, in some species straight.

_Ob._ The first quill of the wings shorter than the second and third, which are the longest.

Generic Types (Temminck) i. _Emb. citrinella. miliaria_ Lin. ii. _Em.

nivalis. Fring. Lapponica._

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_E. olivacea, infra flavescens; capite cristato; jugulo nigro; striga oculari, scapulis rectricibusque lateralibus flavis._

Olive, beneath yellowish, head crested; throat black; eye stripe, shoulders, and lateral tail feathers, yellow.

The elegant crest of narrow-pointed feathers on the head of this new bird, at once distinguishes it from all others of the same family. Mr. Brookes favoured me with the individual here described; it was purchased alive at one of the Brazilian ports; but I strongly suspect it had been first brought from Africa, by some one of the slave s.h.i.+ps. The figure is of the natural size; down the shaft of each feather on the back is a black line; the tail is rather long, and even; the two middle feathers black; the rest pure yellow, with black shafts, and brown exterior terminal margins; the upper mandible of the bill is sinuated; the base not gaping, but with a few inc.u.mbent bristles.

I have taken the authority of Professor Temminck for the accuracy of the generic types of this genus under its present modification.

Pl. 149

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CASTNIA Fabricii,

_Red underwing Day-moth._

GENERIC CHARACTER.

_Antennae clavatae, clavo elongato, cylindraceo, fusiformi, ad apicem unco brevi, acuto armato. Palpi breves, graciles, haud prominentes, articulo ultimo nudo, oblique verticales. Vertex ocellatus? ocello oculum juxta utrumque posito._

Obs. _Caput parvum; alarum basis squamis conspicuis, elongatis imbricata._