PLATES.
X X X V I .
X X X V I I .
X X X V I I I .
X X X I X .
XL.
X L I .
X L I I .
X L I I I .
XLIV.
XLV.
XLVI.
X L V I I .
X L V I I I .
X L I X .
LI.
L IL
L I I I .
LIV.
LV.
LVl.
L V I I .
L V I I I .
LIX.
LX.
L X I .
L X I I .
L X I I I .
LXIV.
LXV.
LXVI.
L X V I I .
L X V I I I .
L X I X .
LXX.
LXXI.
L X X I I .
L X X I I I .
LIST OF PLATES.
MEGAI^EMA HODGSONI.
LINEATA.
IXORXATA.
CANICEPS.
ZEYLANIOA.
PHiEOSTR 1 ATA.
XAXTIIOLUEMA H.EMACEPIIALA.
„ ROSEA.
„ RUBRICAPILLA.
„ MALABARIGA.
XYLOBUCCO DUCIIAILLUI.
„ SCOLOPACEUS.
BARBATULA PUSILLA.
CIIRYSOCOMA.
UROPTGIAL1S.
ATROFLAVA.
BILINEATA.
SUBSULPHUREA.
LEUCOI^EMA.
LEUCOTIS.
PSILOPOGOX PYROLOPÜTS.
GYMXOBUCCO CALVUS.
„ BONAPARTE I.
TRACHYPHOXUS CAFER.
„ MARGARITATUS.
„ SQUAMICEPS.
„ GOFFINI.
„ PURPURATL'S.
CAPITO MACULICOROXATUS.
AUROVIREXS.
NIGER.
AURATUS.
QUINTICOLOR.
BOURCIERI.
GLAUCOGULARIS.
VERSICOLOR.
RICIIARDSONI.
AURANTIICOLLIS.
CALORHAMPHUS FULIGINOSUS.
„ LATE AMI.
STACTOL/EMA AXCIIIET;E.
P E E F A 0 E.
THE addition of one more bulky volume to t h e long list which crowds t h e shelves of our
Ornithological libraries, seems to a certain extent to demand an apology; Ornithology has
so far shared in the impetus that Natural science generally has received during the last
quarter of a century, t h a t i t is fast establishing for itself a place and position of importance
among t h e popular branches of scientific study. The opening out of new fields for research
has greatly enriched our stock of data, and the knowledge thus acquired of t h e fauna of t he
distant portions of the globe has occasioned much interesting discussion; the increased
facilities for intercommunication between civilized countries has tended to systematize the
observations of naturalists, and acquaint those of each country with what has been acquired,
and is being done around them ; the works of many eminent naturalists, and t h e perfection
to which natural-history painting has been brought of late years, have drawn a larger share
of public attention to this engrossing study than had hitherto been accorded to i t ; and in
t h e increased interest thus aroused must lie our excuse for adding a volume to our Zoological
libraries, already so extensive.
The main object of this monograph is to bring together as far as possible, and arrange
in a convenient form, all the information, published or unpublished, regarding t h e family of
t h e Capitonidw, which has been acquired by naturalists of all countries up to the present
date, and, by supplying an accurate coloured figure of each species, to facilitate identification,
and to reduce to uniformity the accepted specific names in the various countries. The
attention of several eminent naturalists has from time to time been devoted to the different
sections of this family; and we must take this opportunity of acknowledging the assistance
we have gained from the researches of Messrs. Sclater and Salvin in t h e American group, of
Messrs. Jules Verreaux, T. von Heuglin, E. L. Layard, and Dr. H a r t l a u b in the African,
and of Mr. A. B. Wallace, Mr. Swinhoe, and Drs. Hartlaub and Jerdon in the Asiatic
g r o u p ; and then- notes will be found to have been largely quoted. No modem book,
however, has appeared embracing the entire family, except the descriptive catalogue of the
" Musee des Pays-bas," at Leiden, published in 1863 by Messrs. Schlegel and Goffin; this
a