PTEROGLOSSUS REGALIS, Lichtenstein.

   
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
   
 
   
   
 
   
 
 

Royal Aracari.

Sprecirric CHARACTER.

Pter. mandibulad superiore stramined, nigro serrata, culmine negro; imferiore nigra, fascia
2 bas ee ae a
angusta stramined : olivaceo-viridis ; capite colloque aterrimis ; cervice fascia lunata castaned
posticé cincta ; gutture postice coccineo obscuré marginato; corpore infra flavo, sanguineo
vv 4 OC
maculata ; pectoris macula aterrima, fascidique atra postici ‘omnatea ; 0Ci
oF 5 0g ra posticd cocceneo marginata ; tectricibus

caudce inferrortbus obscure flavis ; uropygit fascra coccinea ; remigitbus brunnevs.

Upper mandible straw yellow, the culmen and serratures black, under mandible black with a

basal edge of straw yellow; head, neck, and throat deep black ; asemilunar mark of chestnut

 

bounds the back of the neck; the whole of the upper surface and tail olive green; the
quill-feathers brown; band across the rump scarlet; the black margin of the upper part
of the chest is obscurely edged with scarlet, below which on the centre of the breast is a
deep black mark, and below this again a black band edged with scarlet; thighs rufous;
ground colour of the under surface of a fine gamboge yellow with numerous stains as if of
blood; under tail-coverts dull yellow.

Total length, from 15 to 17 inches; beak, 4 to 44.

 

Tue only example of this bird which I have had an opportunity of examining, was in the Royal Museum at
Berlin. It is characterized, by M. Lichtenstein as differing in many essential particulars from P. Aracar?, which
is, however, the only species it could ever be confounded with ; but from this it may at once be distinguished
by the black bands on the chest, the lunar-shaped mark on the back of the neck, and rufous thighs, none
of which characters are possessed by the latter. In general size and stature, the two birds agree as closely
as possible. Although the present is the first figure of the P. regalis which has been published, it has in

SINT 2A. SOT BE, ED NEED SpA Tale Catia hos? Nall.

all probability been for some time known on the Continent, but confounded with P. Aracari, of which it may
be observed that Dr. Latham, in his ‘‘ General History of Birds,” makes it the variety A. The habitat,
however, of these two birds appears to be very different; the P. regalis being an inhabitant of Mexico, while
the P. Aracari is confined to the Brazils. Both birds are equally typical of the genus, and in all probability
similar in general habits and manners.

Called Pretto réal by the Spanish people in Mexico.