GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. __________________________________/\__________________________________ / \ NEOTROPICAL| NEARCTIC |PALÆARCTIC | ETHIOPIAN | ORIENTAL | AUSTRALIAN SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS. -----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------ | | | | | -- 2. 3 -- |-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- -- | | | | | The Toucans form one of the most remarkable and characteristic families of the Neotropical region, to which they are strictly confined. They differ from all other birds by their long feathered tongues, their huge yet elegant bills, and the peculiar texture and coloration of their plumage. Being fruit-eaters, and strictly adapted for an arboreal life, they are not found beyond the forest regions; but they nevertheless range from Mexico to Paraguay, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. One genus, {307}_Andigena_, is confined to the forest slopes of the South American Andes. The genera are:-- _Rhamphastos_ (12 sp.), Mexico to South Brazil; _Pteroglossus_ (16 sp.), Nicaragua to South Brazil (Plate XV. Vol. II. p. 28); _Selenidera_ (7 sp.), Veragua to Brazil, east of the Andes; _Andigena_ (6 sp.), the Andes, from Columbia to Bolivia, and West Brazil; _Aulacorhamphus_ (10 sp.), Mexico to Peru and Bolivia. FAMILY 56.--MUSOPHAGIDÆ. (2 Genera, 18 Species.) GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. __________________________________/\__________________________________ / \ NEOTROPICAL| NEARCTIC |PALÆARCTIC | ETHIOPIAN | ORIENTAL | AUSTRALIAN SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS|SUB-REGIONS. -----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------ | | | | | -- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|-- -- -- --|1. 2. 3 -- |-- -- -- --|-- -- -- -- | | | | | The Musophagidæ, or Plantain-eaters and Turacos, are handsome birds, somewhat intermediate between Toucans and Cuckoos. They are confined to the Ethiopian region and are most abundant in West Africa. The Plantain eaters (_Musophaga_, 2 sp.), are confined to West Africa; the Turacos (_Turacus_, 16 sp., including the sub-genera _Corythaix_ and _Schizorhis_) range over all Africa from Abyssinia to the Cape (Plate V. Vol. I. p. 264). FAMILY 57.--COLIIDÆ. (1 Genus, 7 Species.)