Genus LYNCORNIS, Gould.

CHARACTERES GENERICI.

Caput penicillis elongatis (quasi auribus) instructum. Rostrum depressum et perdebile ; rictu amplissimo, infra oculos
tendente, setisque carente ; naribus basalibus rotundatis, plumisque frontis obtectis. Ale perlonge, primarus rigidis,
remige secundo longissimo. Cauda mediocris, equalis, et, (sicut ale,) notéd alba carens. Tarsi breves, robusti, antice,

plumis ex parte, tecti. Digiti breves, ad basin membrana conjuncti, laterales equales ; intermedi unguis pectinatus.
LYNCORNIS CERVINICEPS, Gould.

Lyne. vertice pallide cervino, minute nigro fasciato, plumis nonnullis notis nigris in medio ornatis ; genis, plumisque auricu-
laribus castaneis, nigro crebré adspersis ; penicillis capitis nigris ; guld pectoreque nigrescenti-fuscis ; lined alba inter
has partes dividente, dilutiore ad nucham, et in cervinum transeunte ; abdomine cervino, plumis ad basin mgris ; dorso
alisque, cervino, castaneo, nigroque variegatis ; primariis nigrescenti-fuscis, castaneo interrupte fasciatis ; cauda nigre-
scenti-fuscd, cervino adspersd, et interrupte, et late fasciata.

Long. tot. 231 wne.; rostri, 12; ale, 12; caude, 74; tarsi, 2.

Crown of the head light buff, minutely barred with black, several of the feathers having central spots of the same
colour; sides of the face and ear-coverts chestnut, largely freckled with black; egrets black; throat and
chest blackish brown, with a line of white dividing the chest and throat, and expanding upon the back of the
neck, where it deepens into fawn colour; abdomen and under-surface buff, with the basal portion of each
feather black; back and wings mottled with buff, chestnut, and black, the buff predominating along the
scapularies and down the centre of the wing; primaries blackish brown, with interrupted bands of chestnut ;
tail blackish brown, with four or five broad, irregular bands of buff, the black interspaces marbled with buff ;
bill and feet brown.

Lyncornis cerviniceps, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part VI. 1838.

 

I Ave never seen more than a single specimen of this truly beautiful Goat-sucker ; and this I received seven
years ago ; it was said to be a native of China or the adjacent islands. I have selected it as the type of the
genus Lyncornis, a minor group among the Caprimulgide, conspicuous for their large eyes, lengthened
egrets, and great powers of flight. The analogy of this group to that of the horned owls is too palpable to
escape observation ; the irides of the members of this genus will in all probability prove to be either yellow
or hazel. The species described above is in the collection of the Zoological Society.

The figure is of the natural Size.