7 a ie | VIR, T YLILY JILIRIRIRILI II TORII IR FLILILI RIL oO ae fter that statesman’s decease it passed into the hands of Mr. Lead- atter C StALe i. . 2 ‘Planches Coloriées’ of M. Temminck is undoubtedly the d it with a nearly allied species discovered in the late Right Hon. George Canning aia beater. The representation of this bird in the nee first that was published; but the author open ii os Brazil, and figured in the ‘ Avium Species nee eee ie oe edition of thie aoe nee ran Beene part of the ae eee - Pon information has been obtained respecting this ago. In the long interval which has elapsed much < Salvin for the full and interesting statement subjoined, fae bird; and I am greatly indebted to Mr. Osbert 2 vin for ae: 5 hich I am sure will be read by every ornithologist with the greatest pleasure oe which I am sure wi aoe ae ited by John Ray, Fellow of the Royal Society, and “In the ‘Ornithology’ of Francis Willughby (edited by Joh ce tory of Bird a aoe : 1 published in the year 1678), page 385, will be found * An Appendix to the co eee Oe Birds as we suspect for fabulous, or such as are too briefly and et aes _ a ae a k sufficient knowledge of them, taken out of Franc. Bleu a7 especially.’ Under te ee. a feathered Birds’ Willughby translates from Hernandez as follows = i feathers — a me be” ‘ tototl more precious than gold; and therefore it is oe ie of JEM. a a we a good part adorned with Peacocks’ feathers, of the ogee of a Pie o: Pigeon, Lang 1 yellow Bill, and Feet something yellow. The Tail is composed of very long feathers of a shining green and of a Peacock colour, like for shape to the leaves of MV/over-de-luce, and covered above wa ote plod. ones, but beneath and where they touch the Peacock-coloured or purple ones (which are in the middle) inclining to green, as if nature took care of the beauty of the middle feathers. The crest consists of shining and vent beautiful feathers. ‘The breast and neck underneath are covered with a red and shining plumage, and with a purple [pavonina], as is also the back and sides under the wings and the belly Ce legs; but the feathers in this last place are of a fainter colour, slender, and soft. The feathers of the wings are very long, tinctured with a dilute green and ending in sharp points. The feathers growing on the shoulders are green, but black underneath ; but those between the Wings are sometimes crooked and of the colour of the claws. The feathers of this bird are highly esteemed among the Jndians, and preferred even before gold itself—the longer ones for crests and other ornaments, both of the head and whole body, both for War and Peace, but the rest for setting in feather-works and composing the figures of saints and other things, which they are so skilful in doing as not to fall short of the most artificial pictures drawn in colours. For this purpose they also mingle and weave in together with these the feathers of the Flumming Bird. These birds live in the province of Zocolotlan, beyond Quantemallam, towards Honduras them. Only it is lawful to pluck off their featl indifferently, but only for the lords and , Where great care is taken that no man kill 1ers, and so let them go naked; yet not for all men proprietors of them; for they descend to the heirs as rich possessions. Francisco Fernandez, in some pretermitted annotations, adds concerning the taking these birds some things worth the knowing. The fowlers (saith he) betake themsel hiding themselves in small cottages, scatter up and down boil ground many rods besmeared with birdlime, ves to the mountains, and, there ed Indian wheat, and prick down in the wherewith the birds entangled become their prey. They fly are wont to sit, making and singing in consort. They have by the inst sticking to the birdlime, they in flocks among trees, on which they no unpleasant noise with their whistling inct of nature such knowledge of their riches that, once remain still and quiet, not Struggling at all, that tl injure their feathers. The beauty whereof they and killed than, by endeavouring ley may not mar or are so in love with that they choose rather to be taken to get their liberty, do any thing that may deface or prejudice them. saat ees and therein to build and breed up their young. They feed upon worms and certain wild Pinne of that sort which Mexicans are wont to call end. TI nor hath it been yet found that ever ! they would be kept tame or ] noise not much unlike Parrots, but they have a cheerful and ple to wit, in the morning, at noon, and about sunset.’ “Thus wrote Hernandez now two | existence of such a bird They are said to pick holes in tr 1ey love the open air, brought up in houses. They make a asant whistle and they sing thrice a day, iundred years ago; and Willughby, his tr as his Quetzaltotot] ia the family of the Trogons w described anslator, evidently doubted the 825 that a magnificent bird of uich can be no other than the bird Hernandez objects for illustration in | had lent to him by Mr. Le ame Trogon pav azilian traveller, S] : bestowing upon it the barb - It was not until the year ] as made known to science, wl SO many years before. When seekino: for ‘Planches Coloriées ; i nck : Ss Coloriées M. Temminck 3/2) under the n one then recently described by the Br renamed the same bird Mis well-known work the adbeater a bird which he le species to be the same as 1X, under that name. Tn 1831, however, De la Llave arous title Mocinno, under des Oiseaux, described and figured (PI. onin < 1 onus, Supposing tl which it is now known to the