Volume Iii Part 18 (2/2)

PTEROGLOSSUS viridis,

_Green Aracari,_ (_male_.)

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 44.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_P. nigro virescens; capite juguloque nigris, foeminae castaneis; corpore flavo; rostro serrato, tomiis albis, mandibula superiore aurantiaca, linea longitudinali, laterali, media, nigra, mandibula inferiore caerulea._

Blackish green; head and neck black (in the female chesnut), body yellow; bill toothed, the margins white, upper mandible orange, with a black longitudinal line; lower mandible blue.

Ramphastos viridis. _Linn. Gmelin_, 1. _p._ 353. _Lath. Ind. Orn._ 1.

138. _Gen. Zool._ 8. 2. _p._ 370.

Green Toucan. _Lath. Syn._ 1. 331.

Tucana Cayanensis viridis. _Briss. Ois._ 4. 423. _pl._ 33. _f._ 1. _Id.

Orn._ 2. 162. _Pl. Enl._ 727. _mas._ 728. _foem._

This is a common bird, known to the older ornithologists; but here introduced, for the purpose of representing the vivid colours which ornament the bill of the live bird: the figures likewise above referred to are so very loosely drawn, that a more correct representation of the species appeared desirable. A remarkable character pervades all the Aracaris, (with the exception of _P. sulcatus_, pl. 44,) the head and throat being black in the male, and chesnut or grey in the female birds; the bills also of the latter are always the smallest; that of the Green Aracari is larger, thicker, and more curved than in any other species; the serratures strong and unequal; the top, and upper half of the superior mandible, pure yellow; the lower half orange; these colours being divided by a slender isolated black line; the under mandible blue, with the base rosy; its general plumage bears a resemblance to several other species. Dr.

Latham says the orbits are yellow; this, however, is a mistake, for both the orbits and irides are gra.s.s-green; this writer likewise refers to Edwards, pl. 329, for this bird; which plate, in fact, represents a Toucan, and is that bird which I have described and figured under the name of _R.

carinatus_, pl. 45.

I believe this species is confined to the northern parts of South America.

Mr. Charles Edmonston brought home fine specimens from Demerara; they were preserved with so much skill, that the colours of the bill almost retained their primitive brightness; Le Vaillant, I believe, has figured this bird; but I have not, at this time, access to his valuable book.

Pl. 170

[Ill.u.s.tration]

MALURUS Africa.n.u.s,

_African Soft-tail._

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