336 T O U C A N .
mixed with afh-colour: the bill very large, and longer than the
bodyitfelf*: the eyes black: irides reddilh yellow.
Inhabits the fea-lhores of Mexico, and is faid to feed on filh.
14.
BLUETHROATED
T.
»N a lift of birds in the mufeum of Baron de Faugeres, of Mont-
^ pettier, I find one by the name of Toucan d gorge bkue, with
this addition: “ Ce Toucan n'eft decrit par aucun auteur.” I do
not find a Toucan with a blue throat mentioned by any writer;
and muff therefore, with him, conclude it to be a new fpecies.
As it is but very lately that I have known this circumftance, it
has not been in my power to fay further on this head, refting the
whole, for the prefent, on his opinion.
it ;
WHITE
A L L we know o f this fpecies is, that the bird is wholly of a
pure white f ; and that it is now, or was very lately, alive,
in the menagerie of the King of Naples.
* Fcruandezob&Tvcs, that vaft flocks of birds, whofe bills are bigger than the
•whole body, and the plumage variegated with yellow, red, white, and blue,
come at certain feafons into the province of Honduras; whence it is likely, that
fome of the fpecies, at leaft, are migratory; for he mull mean one or other of
this genus. Fernand. Hiß. p. 17. ch. xv.
-j A white 7'mean is mentioned by Hawheßworth, in his Defcription of Voyages
round the World, vol. i. p. 123. This was moft likely an Hornbill, and not
a Toucan •• reafons for which conjecture will be given in their place.
G enus
[ 337 ]
G e n u s VII. M O T M O T.
N” 1. Brafilian Motmot.
V a r . A. Variegated Motmot.
THE bill of this genus is pretty ftrong, flightly incurvated,'
and indented * at the edges.
Noftrils covered with feathers.
Tongue long, narrow, feathered at the edges.
Tail cuneiform.
Toes placed three before and one behind; the fore toes greatly
united.
Were it not for precifion, which ever ihould be attended to in
defining genera, this might have been joined to the Toucan, as it
appears to have many things in common with that bird, on a
flight inlpeftion, efpecially the edges of the bill and feathered
tongue; but the fituation of the toes being placed in a different
manner from that genus, makes it necelfary to feparate it, as all
authors, except Linnaeus, have done. I believe that there is really
but one Ipecies yet known.
* I call this indented, as it will be found different from any of the Toucan
tribe, the edges of whofe bills are formed exadlly like the edge of a fa v i.
X x Rantphaffos