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28 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [paet hi.
although recognizing the fact of its zoological and geographical
diversity, as well as its vast superiority over every other sub-
region in the number and variety of its animal forms.
The reptiles, fishes, mollusca, and insects of this sub-region
have been sufficiently discussed in treating of the entire region,
as by far the larger proportion of them, except in the case of
land-shells, are found here.
Plate XV. Characteristic Neotropical Birds.—To illustrate the
ornithology of South America we place our scene on one of the
tributaries of the Upper Amazon, a district where this class of
animals is the most prominent zoological feature, and where a
number of the most remarkable and interesting birds are to be
found. On the left we have the umbrella-bird (Cephalojpterus
ornatus), so called from its wonderful crest, which, when ex-
panded, completely overshadows its head like an umbrella. It is
also adorned with a long tassel of plumes hanging from its breast,
which is formed by a slender fleshy tube clothed with broad
feathers. The bird is as large as a crow, of a glossy blue-black
colour, and belongs to the same family as the exquisitely tinted
blue-and-purple chatterers. Flying towards us are a pair of curlcrested
toucans {Pteroglossus beauharnaisii), distinguished among
all other toucans by a crest composed of small black and shining
barbless plumes, resembling curled whalebone. The general
plumage is green above, yellow and red beneath, like many of its
allies. To the right are two of the exquisite little whiskered
hummers, or " frill-necked coquettes," as they are called by Mr.
Gould, (Lophornis gouldi). These diminutive birds are adorned
with green-tipped plumes springing from each side of the throat,
as well as with beautiful crests, and are among the most elegant
of the great American family of humming-birds, now numbering
about 400 known species. Overhead are perched a pair of
curassows {Crax globulosa), which represent in America the
pheasants of the Old World. There are about a dozen species
of these fine birds, most of which are adorned with handsome
curled crests. That figured, is distinguished by the yellow car-
uncular swellings at the base of the bill. The tall crane-like bird
near the water is one of the trumpeters, {Psophia leuco2)tera),elegdint