throat. [In

of the same

1.
tis yellow,

the yellow

upper tail-
im In the
and either
rating the
t varies in
occupy the

the others
the throat
low of the

the throat

occupying

oportional

The tail
ened. The
n olive to
exception
tween the
sther part
n others ;
V species ;

eater part

 

TNEERTOD URC ABE ON:

of the group; such too the yellow of various intensities, and more or less interrupted, which
spreads over a greater or less extent of the under surface in most of the species. None of
these, however, is constant throughout the genus, which consequently presents in the different
species comprehended in it, a greater variety of colouring than is met with in the Toucans,
passing from the brilliancy and diversified painting of the Royal or Cayenne Aragaris, to the com-
paratively sombre appearance of the Golden-green or the Grooved-billed. The colour of the
naked parts is similar to that which is met with in the Toucans; the legs being either blue or
greenish, and the naked space round the eyes being generally of the same colour. There are

only two species known in which the naked space surrounding the eyes is red.

A. In the first section of the Aracgaris may be comprehended those species in which the
yellow of the under surface is crossed by a band at the junction of the breast with the belly.
In all these birds the yellow of the under surface is more or less blotched with crimson; the
upper tail-coverts are crimson ; and the head and neck are black, the black bemg occasionally
converted into chestnut on the ears. The males and females offer no difference in their
colouring. To this section belong:

1. Pter. Aracari; with the sides of the upper mandible dirty white, and the ventral band

broad and crimson.

2. Pter. Castanotis; with the sides of the upper mandible obliquely divided into black
and yellow, the sides of the face and of the head chestnut, and the ventral band
broad and crimson.

3. Pter. regalis; with the sides of the upper mandible dirty white with black serrations,
the ventral band narrow, black in front and crimson behind, and the black of the

neck bounded behind by a narrow band of rich chestnut.

B. The second section of the Aracaris comprehends those in which the breast is crimson
and the belly yellow. In these, as in the birds of the previous section, the upper tail-coverts
are crimson; the head and neck are also of a dark colour, which is deep chestnut, except
on the upper part of the head, where it is black. It comprehends two species :

4. Pter. bitorquatus; with the outer half of the lower mandible black, a yellow collar
(occasionally absent) at the lower part of the throat, and the back of the neck
crimson.

5. Pter. Azare; with the bill yellowish throughout, a narrow black band at the lower
part of the throat, and a broad black band crossing the breast.

6