The Key to Scientific Names
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Nycthiornis (See: NYCTYORNIS)
NYCTYORNIS (Meropidae; Ϯ Red-bearded Bee-eater N. amicta) Gr. νυκτι- nukti- night < νυξ nux, νυκτος nuktos night; ορνις ornis, ορνιθος ornithos bird; "MEROPS ATHERTONI, (NOBIS). Azure-throated Bee-eater ... According to his [Lt. J. Atherton's] notes which accompanied the bird, it is stated to be very scarce and rare, inhabiting the thickest jungles in the interior of India, and feeding by night, at which time it is very noisy, repeating frequently the short cry of curr, curr. ... ADDENDA. ... MEROPS ATHERTONI, PLATE 58. Mr. SWAINSON has constituted this, with the M. Amictus of TEMMINCK, into a genus, under the title of Nytcyornis. ... It is placed by him among the Scansores, at the extremity of the Fissirostres, adjoining to Prionites: NYCTYORNIS, Swain." (Jardine & Selby 1830); "Its genuine name, however, appears founded on erroneous information, as it feeds during the day, and the note of the Bucco viridis, seems to have been mistaken for that of this bird, which has a loud rolling warble" (Jerdon 1845); "Nyctyornis Swainson MS.1 Jardine and Selby, Illustr. Orn., 2, 1830. Addenda, sign. D 2. Type, by diagnosis, Merops amictus Temminck. ... 1 Not preoccupied by Nyctornis Nitzsch, 1829 (Caprimulgidae)." (Peters, 1945, V, p. 238).
Var. Nycthiornis.
Synon. Alcemerops, Bucia, Napophila, Nyctinomus.- Thiornis
‡ (Podicipedidae; syn. Podiceps Ϯ Brimstone Grebe P. sociata) Gr. θειον theion brimstone; ορνις ornis, ορνιθος ornithos bird.
