Dear Friends,

I am delighted to say that I have finished the Motmots of the family MOMOTIDAE. I have rejected, I believe with good reason, Peters' unexplained lump in his vol.5 (1948) of what all  ornithologists, including Ridgway,Hellmayr,Cory,von Berlepsch and Chapman, prior to Peters had treated as distinct species into Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota.  I have given reasons in each case, with particular reference to features of plumage and voice, which can be found for each species under Citations,Notes and Synonyms.  Previously, Peters' lump of Rufous Motmot Baryphthengus martii with Rufous-capped Motmot B. ruficapillus, as well as his lump of Highland Motmot Momotus aequatorialis with Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota had already been rejected. The grounds are equally solid to undo his casual lumping of separate species in Momotus momota.

I welcome, as usual, comments and criticism.

John Penhallurick