  —?— THE SEARCHERS (Investigatores).The families which, according to natural arrangement, seem to constitute a third division of the great class of birds are principally characterised by the conditions under which they procure their food, viz., by searching for it in situations where it can only be obtained by diligent investigation or laborious exertion. Their diet is usually of a very mixed description, consisting partly of insects and partly of materials derived from the vegetable creation. Many of them were at one time considered to subsist entirely upon the honeyed juices of the fruits and blossoms, among which they spend the greater part of their lives; and, although it is now generally admitted that the insects which abound in the nectared chalices whence they draw their supplies constitute a principal article of their nutriment, they are not the less on that account to be regarded as riflers of the saccharine stores laid up for their use in many a beautiful cup temptingly held forth for their enjoyment. Such are the Honeysuckers and the gorgeously decorated Humming Birds, whose sumptuous garb would seem literally intended to "gild refined gold and paint the lily." A second important group, constituted likewise for the purpose of preying upon insects, has been specially adapted to climb the trunks of trees in search of the innumerable hosts of destroyers that lurk beneath the bark, or in the crevices of wood in progress of decay. These constitute an extensive family, well exemplified by the Woodpeckers; while others, furnished with beaks and feet of very diverse structure, search everywhere for the particular kind of nourishment upon which they are destined to subsist. The name we have selected for this extensive division of the feathered creation was first employed by Reichenbach, although not exactly in the same sense as that in which we are going to apply the term, neither can we hit upon any single character whereby all the species included under this denomination can be easily designated; nevertheless, however they may differ among themselves, there is a certain conformity in their structure, and a general resemblance in their habits, which will probably be appreciated when we have put the reader in possession of the details contained in the following pages. We shall, therefore, at once commence their history, by describing them under the following headings. THE CLIMBERS.The CLIMBING BIRDS (Scansor) are for the most part recognisable by their slender though powerful body, short neck, and large head. The long or medium-sized beak is either strong and It is usual among systematic writers to associate many of the birds which we have included in the present order as slender-billed forms of one or other of the preceding divisions, more especially those usually denominated TENUIROSTRES, and perhaps we shall be harshly judged for our departure from the usual custom; be that as it may, the resemblance between some of the Climbing Birds and some Singing Birds is undeniable, and it is upon that ground that we treat of them in this place. The TENUIROSTRAL species are distinguishable from all others by the slenderness of their beak, which is usually more or less curved, and by the feebleness of their feet, the toes of which are not arranged in pairs. They may be grouped as follows:— The FLOWER BIRDS (Certhiola) constitute a small group of South American species, remarkable for the great beauty of their plumage. All possess a slender body, moderate-sized wing, containing nine primaries (of which the second, third, and fourth are the longest), and a somewhat soft-feathered tail, of medium length. The beak is also of moderate size, much arched at its base, and curved slightly inwards at its margins. The tongue is long, divided, and thread-like at its tip, but not protrusible; the foot is short and powerful. The sexes are readily distinguishable by the diversity of their coloration, the plumage of the male being blue, and that of the female usually green. All the members of this group closely resemble our singing birds in their habits and mode of life; they subsist upon insects, seeds, corn, and berries, in pursuit of which they hop from branch to branch, with ever restless activity. According to the Prince von Wied, they regard fruit of various kinds, particularly oranges, with especial favour, and, when these are ripe, constantly venture into the gardens, even close to dwelling-houses, with all the fearlessness of the Domestic Sparrow; at other seasons they prefer to keep within the shelter of well-wooded thickets. Their song, we believe, consists of but a single note. The BLUE BIRDS (CÆreba) are at once recognisable by their long, thin beak, which is compressed at its sides, and slightly notched near its very sharp tip; the wing is long and pointed, its THE SAI, OR BLUE CAEREBA. The SAI, or BLUE CAEREBA (CÆreba cyanea). The prevailing colour of this beautiful species is a brilliant light blue, shading towards the top of the head into resplendent blueish green; the upper part of the back, wings, and tail, as well as a stripe surrounding the eye, are black, and the inner margins of the wings yellow. The eye is greyish brown, the beak and foot bright orange-red. The plumage of the female is siskin-green on the upper parts of the body, and pale green beneath; the throat is whitish. The length of this species is four inches and two-thirds, the wing measures two inches and a quarter, and the tail one inch and a quarter. THE SAI, OR BLUE CAEREBA (CÆreba cyanea). These beautiful birds are met with throughout the greater part of South America, and are especially numerous about Espirito Santo. The Prince von Wied found them in large numbers inhabiting the forests near the coast, and tells us, that except during the breeding season, they live in small parties of six or eight, which disport themselves among the topmost branches of the trees, frequently associating with Tangaras, and such other of the feathered inhabitants of their leafy retreats as are about their own size. Fruit, seeds, and insects constitute their principal means of subsistence, and in pursuit of these they display an agility and dexterity fully equalling that of our own Titmouse. The voice of the Sai is only capable of producing a gentle twitter. Schomburghk mentions that large numbers of a very similar species are destroyed by the natives, who employ the gay and glossy feathers as personal ornaments. The PITPITS (Certhiola) have a high slender beak, which curves gently towards its sharp tip; their wings are long, their tail short, and their tongue divided into two parts, each of which terminates in a brush of thread-like fibres. THE BANANA QUIT, OR BLACK AND YELLOW CREEPER. The BANANA QUIT, or BLACK AND YELLOW CREEPER (Certhiola flaveola), is blackish brown on the upper parts of the body, and of a beautiful bright yellow on the under side and rump; a line that passes above the eyes, the anterior borders of the primary quills, the tips of the tail, and its two outer feathers are white; the throat is ash-grey, the eye greyish brown, the back is black, and the foot brown. The female is blackish olive on the back, and pale yellow on the under side; in other respects her plumage resembles that of her mate. The length of this species is three inches and five-sixths; the wing measures two inches and one-sixth, and the tail one inch. THE BANANA QUIT (Certhiola flaveola). "Scarcely larger than the average size of Humming Birds," writes Mr. Gosse, "this little Creeper is often seen in company with them, probing the same flowers, and for the same purpose, but in a very different manner. Instead of hovering in front of each blossom, a task to which his short wings would be utterly incompetent, the Quit alights on the tree, and proceeds in most business-like manner to peep into the flowers, hopping actively from twig to twig, and throwing his body into all positions, often clinging by his feet with his head downwards, the better to reach the blossoms with his curved beak and pencilled tongue; the minute insects which are concealed in the flowers are always the objects of his search. Unsuspectingly familiar, these birds resort much to the blossoming shrubs of enclosed gardens. The soft, sibilant note of the Quit is often uttered while the bird peeps about for food. The nest is frequently built in those low trees and bushes from whose twigs depend the THE ABU-RISCH (Hedydipna metallica). In the Eastern Hemisphere the Flower Birds are represented by— The HONEYSUCKERS (Nectarinia). These are small and delicately-constructed birds, adorned with plumage of the most brilliant hues; their body is compact, their beak thin, slightly curved, and sharply pointed. The moderately long wing contains ten primary quills. The formation of the tail is very varied, being either straight, rounded, or wedge-shaped at its extremity; its two centre feathers occasionally extend considerably beyond the rest. The tongue is long, very protrusible, and divided at its tip; the feet are high, and the toes slender. The coloration of the plumage varies not only in the two sexes, but also at different seasons; the feathers are moulted twice in the year, and only exhibit their gay tints during the period of incubation; towards the end of the season the males are clad in the same sombre hues that belong to the females and young. The Honeysuckers inhabit the whole of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, the first-mentioned continent being especially rich in species. Everywhere their glowing colours entitle them to be regarded as the THE ABU-RISCH. The ABU-RISCH (Hedydipna metallica) represents a group recognisable by their slightly-curved beak, scarcely equalling the head in length; their comparatively short wings, in which the second, third, fourth, and fifth quills are of equal length; and their wedge-shaped tail, the two centre feathers of which are usually considerably prolonged. The male is of a metallic green on the head, throat, back, and shoulder-covers; the under side is bright yellow, a line upon the breast and the rump have a violet sheen; the quills and tail-feathers are blackish blue, the eye brown, and the beak and feet black. The back of the female is of a light olive-brown, and her under side sulphur-yellow; her quills and tail-feathers have light edges. The young resemble the mother, but are of a paler hue. The length of this species is six inches, of which three and a half belong to the centre tail-feathers, the rest do not exceed thirteen and a quarter; the wings measure two inches and one-sixth. The Abu-Risch is met with in all such parts of Africa as afford it the shelter of its favourite mimosa-trees, upon and around which it may literally be said to spend its whole existence. Early in the morning, and towards the close of the day, it usually perches quietly among the branches, and only displays its full vivacity during the noontide heat, when it flutters rapidly from blossom to blossom, in search of food, singing and chirping briskly as it flies in cheerful companionship with its almost inseparable mate. The song of the male is pleasing, and accompanied by a great variety of gesticulations and attitudes, calculated to exhibit his crest and plumage in all their varied beauty to the admiring gaze of the female, who usually endeavours to imitate her partner, but, owing to the comparative dullness of her colours, with a far less imposing result. In Southern Nubia the breeding season commences in March or April. The nest, which is variously formed, is neatly and skilfully woven with cotton-wool and similar materials, and lined with hair or spiders' webs. This pretty little structure is usually suspended from the end of a branch, at no great height from the ground, and is entered by an aperture at the side, frequently so situated that the leaves of the branch overhang and shade the entrance hole. Both parents work busily in constructing this snug apartment for their young, and have seldom completed their labours in less than a fortnight's time. The eggs, which are oval in shape, and white, are incubated by the female alone. The FIRE HONEYSUCKERS (Æthopyga), the Indian representatives of the above group, are recognisable by the comparative thinness of their short but distinctly curved beak. In their wings the fourth quill exceeds the rest in length; the tail is wedge-shaped at its sides, and furnished with two long and slender feathers in its centre. The plumage of the male is enlivened by brightly-tinted stripes on the cheeks, while that of the female is sombre, and almost of uniform tint. THE CADET. The CADET (Æthopyga miles), one of the most beautiful members of this family, is blood-red on the back; the throat and upper part of the breast are of a somewhat paler crimson; the top of the head is violet, with a bright, metallic, green lustre. The nape is deep olive-yellow, and the belly pale greenish yellow; a steel-blue line, that becomes gradually broader, passes from the corners of the mouth to the sides of the neck; the quills are brown, edged with olive; the two centre tail-feathers The Cadet inhabits the northern and eastern parts of India, and is often met with in the Himalayas at an altitude of 2,500 feet above the level of the sea. The BENT-BEAKS (Cyrtostomus) are distinguishable by their very decidedly curved beak, which equals the head in length, is blunt at its margins, and slightly incised towards its very sharp tip; the tarsus is comparatively high, the tail short and rounded, and the wings, in which the fourth and fifth quills are the longest, of moderate size. The plumage is of an olive-green on the upper parts of the body, and brightly coloured in the region of the throat. THE AUSTRALIAN BLOSSOM RIFLER. The AUSTRALIAN BLOSSOM RIFLER (Cyrtostomus Australis) is olive-green on the back, and of a beautiful bright yellow on the under side; the throat and upper breast are steel-blue. A short yellow streak passes over the eyes, and beneath this runs a long line of deeper shade; the eye is chestnut-brown, and the beak and feet black. The female is of an uniform yellow on the under side. According to Gould, the body of this species measures four inches and three-quarters, the wing two inches and one-eighth, and the tail two inches and a half. "This pretty bird," says Macgillivray, as quoted by Gould, "appears to be distributed along the whole coast of Australia, the adjacent islands, and the whole of the islands in Jones's Straits. Although thus generally distributed, it is nowhere numerous, seldom more than a pair being seen together. Its habits resemble those of the Ptilotes, with which it often associates, but still more closely those of the Myzomela azura; like those birds, it resorts to the flowering trees, to feed upon the insects which frequent the blossoms, especially those of a species of Sciodophyllum. This singular tree, whose range on the north-eastern coast and that of the Australian Sun Bird appears to be the same, is furnished with enormous spike-like racemes of small scarlet flowers, which attract numbers of insects, and thus furnish an abundant supply of appropriate food. The Blossom Rifler is of a pugnacious disposition, as I have more than once seen; it drives away and pursues any visitor to the same tree. Perhaps this disposition is only exhibited during the breeding season. The nests we found at Cape York were pensile, and attached to the twig of a prickly bush; one, measuring seven inches in length, was of an elongated shape, with a rather large opening on one side, close to the top; it was composed of shreds of Melaleuca bark, a few leaves, various fibrous substances, rejectamenta of caterpillars, &c., and lined with the silky cotton of the Bombyx Australis. The eggs were pear-shaped, mottled with dirty brown, on a greenish grey ground. Another nest, found at Mount Ernest, Jones's Straits, differs from those seen in Cape York, in having over the entrance a projecting fringe-like hood, composed of the panicles of a delicate grass-like plant. It contained two young birds, and I saw the mother visit them twice in an interval of ten minutes. She glanced past like an arrow, perched at once on the nest, clinging to the lower side of the entrance, and looked round very watchfully for a few seconds before feeding the young, after which she disappeared as suddenly as she arrived." The SPIDER-EATERS (Arachnothera) are short, compactly-built birds, with extraordinarily long and often strangely-formed beaks, which in most species are very decidedly curved and delicately incised at the margins. The nostrils are covered with a skin, and only open inferiorly, The Spider-eaters usually frequent the most shady retreats in their favourite woods, and but rarely ascend the branches to more than fifteen or twenty feet from the ground. In the Sunda Islands they are principally met with in the coffee plantations, the brushwood that skirts the mountains, or in the thickets of trees and shrubs that surround the villages. In all these situations they are numerous, and are constantly to be seen as they flit from flower to flower in search of the insects and honey upon which they subsist. Small spiders are said to be eagerly devoured by all the members of this family, hence their name of Arachnothera. The flight of the Spider-eaters, which is extremely rapid, and in many respects like that of the Woodpecker, is observed by the natives with a superstitious attention, fully equalling the reverence paid by the Romans to the predictions drawn by their augurs from a similar source. The HALF-BILLS (Hemignathus) are a group of Spider-eaters that are easily recognisable by the strange formation of their beak; the upper mandible terminates in a sharp point, and is always much longer than the under portion of the bill, sometimes twice its length. The toes, also, are comparatively long, and the foot short. The plumage is usually green upon the back, and of a yellowish tint beneath. All the members of this group inhabit Oceania. THE BRILLIANT HALF-BILL. The BRILLIANT HALF-BILL (Hemignathus lucidus), one of the most beautiful members of this group, is olive-green upon the entire mantle, shading into grass-green on the top of the head and at the edges of the wings. A stripe over the eyes, and the sides of the head and throat are orange-red; the breast is bright yellow, the belly of a paler shade, and its lower portion greenish grey. In young birds the back and region of the eye are olive-green, the under side light greenish grey, and the belly pale yellow. This species is six inches long, but of this measurement one inch and three-quarters belong to the tail, and one inch and a quarter to the beak; the lower mandible does not exceed eight lines in length. We are without particulars as to the life of this bird, except that it inhabits the Pisang plantations. The HANGING BIRDS (Arachnocestra) are recognised by the great length of their slightly-curved beak, the base of which is as broad as it is high; the upper mandible is delicately incised, and the entire bill of almost equal thickness, only tapering gently towards the extremity; the legs are slender, the toes long, and the wings (in which the fourth, fifth, and sixth quills exceed the rest in length) of moderate size; the tail is short and rounded. THE TRUE HANGING BIRDS. The TRUE HANGING BIRDS (Arachnocestra longirostris) are olive-green on the back, and sulphur-yellow on the under side; the throat and upper breast are white, the quills and tail-feathers deep brown, the former edged with olive, and the three outer tail-feathers tipped with white; the beak and THE HANGING BIRD (Arachnocestra longirostris). These birds frequent banana plantations, and usually betray their presence by their shrill chirping cry. Were it not for the constant repetition of their note they would rarely be observed, as the hues of their plumage render it almost impossible to detect them among the foliage. We learn from Bernstein that their manner of building is very remarkable. The oval-shaped nest, some six or seven inches long, and three or four inches broad, is attached by threads to a large leaf, in such a manner that the latter forms the fourth side. Fine grass and fibres are employed for the interior, and half-decayed leaves, of which little more than the fibrous portion remains, are used for the outer wall, so that, when completed, the curious structure has rather the appearance of a substantial spider's web than of a bird's nest. The entrance is at one end. The eggs, two in number, are pure white, spotted with reddish brown at the broad extremity. The HONEY-EATERS (Meliphaga) have a long, slender, slightly-curved beak, the upper mandible of which extends considerably beyond the lower portion. The feet are strong but moderate-sized, and furnished with powerful hinder toes; the wing, also moderate, is rounded, its fourth quill being the longest; the tail varies in its dimensions, but is usually rounded at its extremity; the nostrils are concealed by a cartilaginous skin; the gape is narrow, and the tongue provided with a tuft of delicate fibrous bristles at its tip. The stomach is very small, and but slightly muscular. The plumage, which differs little in the two sexes, varies considerably in different species. In some it is thick, variegated, and much developed in the region of the ear, in others smooth, compact, and of almost uniform colour. All the Honey-eaters are of a lively and restless disposition, and exhibit the utmost activity both when running upon the ground or climbing amongst the branches; in the latter case, especially, their movements are extremely agile. They are constantly to be seen hanging head downwards from the twigs, whilst engaged in busily searching under the leaves for insects, and in extracting honey from the flowers. Some species fly well, and disport themselves freely in the realms of air, whilst others are incapable of continuing their undulatory flight for more than a short distance. The voice of all is rich and varied, indeed, some members of the group may be regarded as really good singers. Few species are social in their habits; they keep together only in pairs, even when of necessity compelled to take up their abode near each other. Towards man they show the utmost confidence, and come freely down into streets and dwellings; indeed, they exhibit no timidity even towards the more formidable of the feathered kind. Instances have been frequently recorded in which they have boldly opposed Crows, Falcons, and other large birds. Their nests are variously constructed, and the number of eggs is always small. The TRUE HONEY-EATERS (Myzomela) are small birds, with delicate, much curved beaks, powerful feet, and moderate-sized wings and tail. The latter is either straight or slightly incised at its extremity. The plumage is remarkable for its brilliancy. THE RED-HEADED HONEY-EATER. The RED-HEADED HONEY-EATER (Myzomela erythrocephala) is a beautiful species, bright scarlet upon the head, throat, and rump; the tail and a band upon the breast are chocolate-brown; the lower breast and belly are brownish yellow, the eye is reddish brown, the beak olive-brown, and the foot olive-grey. The female is brown above, and light fawn-colour on the under side. The length of this species is four inches and a half. The wing measures two inches and a quarter, and the tail one inch and three-quarters. This magnificent little bird frequents the groves and groups of almond-trees that abound in the northern parts of Australia, and enlivens its favourite haunts as much by the briskness and activity of its movements as by the brightness of its plumage. Its voice is sharp and twittering. We are entirely without particulars of the manner in which incubation is carried on. The TUFTED HONEY-EATERS (Ptilotis) are remarkable for the unusual development of the feathers in the region of the ear. Their body is elongate, their wings short, and tail long. The strong, slightly-curved beak is short, and the foot of moderate size. THE YELLOW-THROATED TUFTED HONEY-EATER. The YELLOW-THROATED TUFTED HONEY-EATER (Ptilotis flavigula) is yellowish green on the back, wings, and tail. The dark grey under side glistens with a silver sheen; the belly and sides are pale olive, the top of the head dark grey, and the throat bright yellow. The feathers that compose the ear-tufts are tipped with yellow, and the outer web of the quills is deep brown. The eye is brown, the beak black, and the foot lead-grey; the gullet and tongue are of a brilliant orange-red. The length of this bird is eight inches; the wing measures four inches and a half, and the tail four inches and a quarter. "This fine and conspicuous species," says Gould, "is abundant in all the ravines around Hobart Town, and is very generally spread over the whole of Van Dieman's Land, to which island I believe it to be exclusively confined. It is very animated and sprightly, extremely quick in its actions, elegant in its form, and graceful in all its movements; but as its colouring assimilates in a remarkable The BRUSH WATTLE BIRDS (MelichÆra) are recognisable by their powerful body, strong and slightly curved beak, comparatively short foot, short rounded wing, and long, wedge-shaped, tapering tail. THE TRUE BRUSH WATTLE BIRD. The TRUE BRUSH WATTLE BIRD (MelichÆra mellivora) is deep brownish grey on the back, each feather having a white stripe in the centre. The feathers on the throat and breast are brown, tipped with white; the rest of the under side appears lighter than the back, owing to the greater size of the white shaft-stripe. The upper quills are chestnut-brown on the inner web, and the rest brown tipped with white, as are the tail-feathers. The eye is grey, the beak black, and the foot brown. This species is about eleven inches long; the wing measures four inches and a quarter, and the tail five inches and one-sixth. These birds inhabit all such parts of Tasmania, New South Wales, and South Australia as offer them the shelter of their favourite Banksias. Everywhere they are numerous, and display the utmost confidence and fearlessness towards man. In disposition they are lively, active, and so pugnacious as to live in a state of constant warfare with all their feathered companions. "The Brush Wattle Bird," says Gould, "is a bold and spirited species, evincing a considerable degree of pugnacity, fearlessly attacking and driving away all other birds from the part of the tree on which it is feeding, and there are few of the Honey-eaters whose actions are more sprightly and animated. During the months of spring the male perches on some elevated branch, and screams forth its harsh and peculiar notes, which have not unaptly been said to resemble a person in the act of vomiting; whence the Australian name of 'Goo-gwar-ruck,' in which the natives have endeavoured to imitate these very singular sounds. While thus employed, it frequently jerks up its tail, throws up its head, and distends its throat, as if great exertion were required to force out these harsh and guttural sounds. The Banksias are in blossom during the greater portion of the year, and the early flower, as it expands, is diligently examined by the Wattle Bird, which inserts its long feathery tongue into the interstices of THE POE, OR TUI. The POE, or TUI (Prosthemadera circinata), is readily distinguished by the two remarkable tufts of feathers that decorate each side of the throat; in other respects its formation closely resembles that of its congeners. The coloration of the plumage is principally of a deep metallic green, which appears black in some lights, and in others shines like bronze. The back is umber-brown, but glistens with the same varying shades. A white line passes over the shoulders, and the long feathers on the nape are enlivened by white streaks upon the shafts. The strange tufts on the sides of the throat to which we have alluded are pure white, and form a dazzling contrast to the dark plumage by which they are surrounded. The belly is deep umber-brown; the quills and tail-feathers black, very glossy and resplendent above, and quite lustreless on the lower side. This species is twelve inches long. The wing measures five inches and a half, and the tail four inches and a half. Layard tells us that of all the feathered inhabitants of the New Zealand forests the Poe is most certain to attract the notice of the traveller, as it flutters noisily from branch to branch, or sails in airy circles over the tree tops. It is not uncommon to see eight or ten of these birds at a time turning somersaults as they circle after each other, or rise and sink with outspread wings and tail, until at last they return to seek repose after their gambols under the sheltering branches of the trees. The Poe has been frequently described as the most wonderful of songsters, and some writers have gone so far as to declare that its performance far exceeds that of the Nightingale, both in beauty of tone and clearness of execution. Such accounts as these are, in our opinion, much exaggerated, though we admit that it certainly ranks with the finest songsters inhabiting Australia. The food of the Poe, we are told, consists of insects, in search of which it exhibits a very restless activity. It also devours berries and earthworms. This species possesses a most wonderful talent for imitating the notes of all the feathered inhabitants of the woods; hence it is sometimes called the Mocking Bird. In confinement it also learns to mimic other sounds, such as the noises of dogs, cats, or poultry, and readily pronounces long sentences with great correctness. The FRIAR BIRDS (Tropidorhyncus) are recognisable from all their congeners by a knob at the base of the upper mandible, a bare place on the head and throat, and the long feathers that adorn the nape or breast. The tongue is provided at its extremity with a double brush-like appendage. THE "LEATHERHEAD." The "LEATHERHEAD" (Tropidorhyncus corniculatus) is greyish brown on the back and brownish grey upon the under side, a long lancet-shaped feather on the breast, and the chin-feathers, are of a pure glossy white, delicately spotted with brown; the tail is tipped with white. The eye is red, but turns brown after death; the beak, and some bare places on the head, are of silky blackness, and the feet lead-grey. The female is smaller than her mate, and the young are distinguishable from the adult birds by the inferior size of the knob on the beak and of the breast-feathers; the bare places on the head are also smaller. This species is about twelve inches long, the wing measures five inches and three-quarters, and the tail four inches and two-thirds. Gould tells us that in New South Wales these birds are very common during the summer, and are especially numerous in the thick brushwood near the coast. Their undulatory flight is strong, and their movements amongst the branches nimble and adroit; it is by no means uncommon to see them hanging head downwards from a branch to which they attach themselves solely by one of their powerful claws; such formidable use, indeed, do they make of these sharp weapons, that he who unwarily seizes a wounded bird is sure to receive a series of deep and really painful wounds in repayment of his temerity. THE POE, OR TUI (Prosthemadera circinata). The strange cry of this species has been supposed to resemble the words, "Poor soldier," "Pimlico," and "Four o'clock," while the bare places on its head have procured for it the names of "Monk," "Friar," and "Leatherhead." Figs, berries, insects, and the pollen from the gum-tree blossoms constitute its favourite and principal means of existence. At the approach of the breeding season, which commences about November, the males become more than usually active and bold, chasing and doing battle with even the most formidable of their feathered brethren should they intrude upon the privacy of the brooding female. The comparatively large and cup-shaped nest is roughly formed of bark, twigs, and wool; the interior lined with more delicate materials. This structure is generally suspended from an upright branch of a gum or apple tree (Angophora), and is often found at but a few feet from the ground. In the well-wooded plains of Aberdeen and Yarrund, on the upper part of the Hunter, this species breeds in such numbers that the nests may almost be The HOOPOES (Upupa) may be regarded as the most aberrant of the Tenuirostral group. They are moderately large, and slenderly formed; their beak is long, slender, higher than it is broad, and in some species much curved; the small, oval, and open nostrils are situated immediately beneath the feathers that cover the brow; the strength of the foot varies considerably; the wings (in which the fourth and fifth quills are the longest) are much rounded; the tail, formed of ten feathers, is either short and straight at its extremity or long and graduated. The compact and variegated plumage differs considerably as to its coloration, and but little variety is observable between the two sexes. THE HOOPOE. The COMMON HOOPOE (Upupa epops) is recognisable by its elongate body; long, slender, slightly curved, and pointed beak (which is much compressed at its sides); and short powerful foot armed with blunt claws. The wing is decidedly rounded; the tail of moderate size, composed of broad feathers, and straight at its extremity. The soft, lax plumage, which is prolonged into a crest on the top of the head, is much variegated, and almost alike in the various species with which we are acquainted. Reddish brown of a more or less lively hue usually predominates in its coloration, while the wings and tail are striped with white. In the Common Hoopoe the upper portion of the body is of reddish brown, variegated with black and yellowish white on the middle of the back, and on the shoulder and wings. The crest is of a deep reddish yellow, tipped with black; the under side is bright reddish yellow, spotted with black on the sides of the belly; the black tail is striped with white about its centre. All the colours in the plumage of the female are duller than in that of her mate. The young are recognisable by the comparative smallness of their crest. The eye is deep brown, the beak greyish black, and the foot lead-grey. The length of this species is about ten and its breadth eighteen inches. The wing measures five, and the tail four inches. The greater portion of Europe, Northern Africa, and Central Asia are inhabited by these birds, which are specially numerous in the more southern portions of those regions, and instances are recorded of stragglers having been seen as far north as the Loffoden Isles. In some of the central provinces of Europe they appear about the end of March, and leave again in pairs, or small parties, at the commencement of autumn. Such as inhabit North-eastern Africa do not migrate, but merely wander at certain seasons over the surface of the country. In Southern Europe these birds frequent the vineyards, but in North-eastern Africa they prefer the immediate vicinity of towns and villages, and render great benefits to the inhabitants by assisting the Vultures, whose proceedings we have already described, in their revolting but most valuable labours. Anything like sociability is unknown to this bird; each lives for its mate or its family alone, and carries on a constant warfare with all its neighbours. Strange to say, however, if taken young from the nest they soon become extraordinarily tame, and learn to obey and follow those who feed them with all the fidelity and devotion of a favourite dog. Carrion, beetles, larvÆ, caterpillars, ants, and many other kinds of insects are devoured by the Common Hoopoe in large numbers, its long beak enabling it to search for its victims in any hole or crevice into which they may have crept. Large beetles are killed by repeated blows, and by crushing them against the ground until the wings and feet have been broken off. The morsel is then tossed aloft and dextrously caught and swallowed. The young birds are at first unable to perform this rather difficult feat, and, therefore, require to be fed by those who may wish to rear them. It would appear that but little care or fastidiousness is exhibited in selecting a spot suitable for building their nests: trees, fissures in walls, houses, or holes in the The TREE HOOPOES (Irrisor) inhabit the forests of Africa, and are recognisable by their slender body, long beak, short foot and wing, and long tail. The slightly-curved beak has a ridge at its margin, and is compressed at its sides. The powerful tarsus is much shorter than the centre toe, which, like the rest, is armed with a strong hooked claw. The fourth and fifth quills of the rounded wing exceed the rest in length; and the broad tail is much graduated. Those species with which we are familiar inhabit the forests of Central and Southern Africa, and pass their lives exclusively upon trees. THE RED-BEAKED TREE HOOPOE. The RED-BEAKED TREE HOOPOE (Irrisor erythrorhyncus). The prevailing colour of this species is a beautiful metallic blue, shimmering with dark green and purple. The inner web of the first three quills is decorated by a single white spot, whilst the six next in order have two white spots. The three first tail-feathers are similarly adorned, and are also marked with white near the tip. The eye is brown, and the beak and foot bright red. The female is smaller, and her plumage less glossy. The young are deep green, nearly black, and almost lustreless. This species is from seventeen to eighteen inches long, and eighteen inches and a half broad. The wing measures six, and the tail nine inches. According to our own observations these beautiful birds principally inhabit the forests of North-eastern Africa, and are usually met with hopping or climbing incessantly from tree to tree, or bough to bough, in parties of from four to ten. These parties exhibit extraordinary unanimity in their manner of proceeding, and in all their movements seem to be playing an active game of follow-my-leader. Should one member of the little society suspend itself from a branch, all the rest immediately do the same; and even when uttering their cry as they rise into the air, the sounds are often so simultaneous that it is almost impossible to distinguish the individual voices. Ants and, according to some authorities, various kinds of insects, constitute their principal food. Few birds exhibit such strong attachment to their companions as we have frequently observed amongst groups of Tree Hoopoes; it is not uncommon for them to remain close together as though for mutual defence until repeated shots from the hunter's gun have brought one of the party to the ground, when the rest come rushing down, flapping their wings and uttering loud cries as they settle on the branches depending over the spot on which the victim lies. Despite the shortness of their legs, they run over the ground with tolerable ease. Their flight alternates between a gentle gliding motion and a series of rapid strokes with the pinions. Le Vaillant tells us that the female deposits her bluish green eggs, from four to six in number, at the bottom of a hole in a tree, and is assisted in the labour of incubation by her mate. The TREE-CLIMBERS (Anabata) constitute a family of South American birds, with slender bodies, short wings, and long tails. Their straight or but slightly curved beak is strong, and of the THE HOOPOE (Upupa epops). The BUNDLE-NESTS (Phacellodomus) are recognisable by their short, almost straight beak, which is much compressed, and very slightly hooked towards its tip. The tarsi are high and strong; the wings rounded; and the broad tail formed of narrow, soft feathers. THE RED-FRONTED BUNDLE-NEST, OR CLIMBING THRUSH. The RED-FRONTED BUNDLE-NEST, or CLIMBING THRUSH (Phacellodomus rufifrons), is of a light brownish greenish grey on the upper parts of the body, and light brownish white on the under side. The quills are greyish brown, with a reddish gloss on the outer web; the brow is deep rust-red, and a stripe over the eyes pure white. The eye is grey, the upper mandible dark greyish brown, and the lower one whitish grey. The foot is pale blueish grey. This species measures six inches and a quarter, the wing two inches and a quarter, and the tail two inches and a half. THE RED OVEN BIRD (Furnarius rufus). The Prince von Wied tells us he only met with these elegant little birds upon the arid interior highland tracts of Geroes and Bahia, where they inhabited the open country, and passed their time in hopping or flying from one bush or tree to another. As regards its nidification, the Prince von Wied remarks, "I found the nests of the Phacellodomus rufifrons about February; they were usually suspended on the low, slender branches of high trees. Those I saw are best described as large oval bundles, often more than three feet long, and formed of thin twigs heaped together and interwoven with each other, or fastened together by a variety of materials. The interior was filled with small bundles of moss, hair, wool, or fibres interlaced, so as to form a warm and compact lining. The small round hole that serves as an entrance is situated at the bottom of this suspended mass, so that the birds ascend from below into their huge domicile. Year by year these nests are added to and enlarged until at last it is not uncommon to find that they have so increased in size as to render it a difficult task for a man to stir one of them. On opening a nest of this description a row of chambers is seen, under the one last made." These ancient apartments are, we believe, frequently employed as The OVEN BIRDS (Furnarius) possess a moderately strong beak, either quite straight or slightly curved, compressed at its sides, and almost equalling the head in length; the blunt wing is of medium size, its third quill is the longest, while its first is considerably, and its second slightly shortened; the short tail is composed of soft feathers; the tarsus is high, and the toes strong; the claws are somewhat hooked, but only the first is of any considerable size. These birds frequent both open woodlands and inhabited districts; they live for the most part on the ground, as their powers of flight and climbing are very limited. Their voice is loud, harsh, and peculiar. The strange nests built by the members of this group, and from which their name is derived, have been described by Azara, the Prince von Wied, Burmeister, Darwin, and other writers. "After passing over the lofty chain of mountains that separate the well-wooded coasts of Brazil from the Campos, travellers are astonished at beholding large, melon-shaped masses of clay standing erect upon the branches of the high trees surrounding the settlers' houses. Were it not for the regularity of their size and shape, a stranger would at once pronounce these masses of clay to be nests built by the termite ants. On closer inspection of one of these the eye detects an oval-shaped hole at the side, and a little patience is rewarded by a sight of the actual inhabitant of this most remarkable nest as he slips in and out of the entrance to his strange abode. This bird, known to us as the Furnarius rufus, is called the JoÃo de Barro, or Clay Jack, by the Brazilians." We learn from Darwin that these nests are also placed in such exposed situations as the top of a post, a bare rock, or on a cactus, and are composed of mud and bits of straw. The strong, thick walls in shape precisely resemble an oven, or a depressed bee-hive. The opening is large, and directly in front; within the nest there is a partition, which reaches nearly to the roof, thus forming a passage or antechamber to the true nest. THE RED OVEN BIRD. The RED OVEN BIRD (Furnarius rufus) is about seven inches long and ten and a half broad; the wing measures three inches and three-quarters, and the tail three inches. The plumage is principally of a reddish yellow; the top of the head brownish red, and the quills brown; the under side is of a lighter tint, and the throat pale white; a bright reddish yellow stripe passes from the eyes to the back of the head; the quills are grey, the primaries edged with pale yellow towards their base, and the tail-feathers yellowish red; the eyes are yellowish brown, the beak brown, except at the whitish base of the lower mandible; the foot is also brown. These strange birds live in pairs, and but rarely associate, even in small parties. Their food consists of insects and various kinds of seeds, the former, according to Burmeister, being always obtained from the surface of the ground, over which they run and hop with great facility. Nor are their movements less adroit amongst the branches, from whence their most peculiar cry is constantly to be heard as they disport themselves from bough to bough. These birds are regarded with great respect by the Brazilians, on account of a very strange but prevalent idea that they never proceed with their building operations on the Sabbath, a superstitious fancy that we need hardly say has been frequently disproved, but has no doubt arisen from the unusually short time required by this species to complete its remarkable and elaborate home. "The nest of the Red Oven Bird," says Burmeister, "is usually constructed upon the branch of a tree, and occasionally upon house-tops, steeples, or similar situations. Both male and female unite in the labour of building, and form their nests of round pellets of mud, working each pellet The GROUND WOODPECKERS (Geositta) are birds with slender bodies, long, pointed wings, and short incised tails; the slightly curved beak is triangular at its base, and nearly equals the head in length; the legs are of medium height, the outer toes short, and the claws small. THE BURROWING GROUND WOODPECKER. The BURROWING GROUND WOODPECKER (Geositta cunicularia) is of a deep brown on the upper portions of the body and wings; the under side is pale brown, the throat whitish, breast spotted and striped with black, and the belly rust-red. The region of the eye is pale red, the shoulder-feathers have light edges, and the exterior quills are bordered and tipped with blackish brown, and shaded with red upon the inner web. The eye is brown, the beak whitish at its base and black towards its tip; the feet are blackish brown. According to Kittlitz these birds inhabit the barren plains of Chili and Patagonia, and are met with on the Bolivian Cordilleras to a height of from 3,500 to 4,500 feet above the level of the sea. We learn from the same authority that in its general habits the Geositta cunicularia closely resembles the Common Lark. "The Casaeita, as this bird is called by the natives," says Darwin, "builds its nest at the bottom of a narrow cylindrical hole, which is said to extend horizontally to nearly six feet under ground, in any low bank of sandy soil by the side of a wood or stream. Here, at Bahia Blanca, the walls of those I have seen are built of hardened mud. I noticed that a bank that enclosed the courtyard of the house where I lodged was penetrated by round holes in a score of places. On asking the owner the cause of this, he explained that they were made by the Casaeitas, several of which I afterwards saw at work. It is strange that though the birds were constantly flitting over the low wall they were evidently incapable of forming an idea as to its thickness, otherwise they would not have made so many vain attempts. I do not doubt that each bird as it came to daylight on the opposite side was greatly surprised at the marvellous fact." Gray tells us that this species is extremely tame, and almost constantly in motion. The stomachs of such as he examined contained the remains of beetles; whilst Kittlitz mentions having only found seeds and small stones. At certain seasons the call is a shrill, tremulous note. The STAIR-BEAKS (Xenops) are a group of Brazilian birds, possessing a very peculiar formation of beak, the lower mandible being graduated upwards, whilst the upper portion of the bill is quite straight. The tail is formed of soft, rounded feathers, and the feet are powerful. We learn from the Prince von Wied that the members of this group associate in pairs, or small parties, and lead a very quiet, retired life within their native forests. Their food consists principally of insects, and whilst in search of these they tap upon the bark of the tree after the manner of the Woodpecker. According to our own experience they will also eat some kinds of nuts. The nest is usually placed in THE HAIRY-CHEEKED STAIR-BEAK. The HAIRY-CHEEKED STAIR-BEAK (Xenops genibarbis), an inhabitant of the Brazilian forests, is olive-brown on the upper parts of the body, greyish brown beneath, and white on the breast; a yellowish white line passes over the eyes, and there is a white patch behind the ear; the wings are striped with two shades of brown; the centre tail-feathers are reddish brown, the rest become deeper in shade towards the exterior; the outermost are almost black, spotted with rust-red. The length of this species is about four inches; the wing measures two inches, and the tail one inch and a half. THE HAIRY-CHEEKED STAIR-BEAK (Xenops genibarbis). Numerous specimens of these birds were captured by Burmeister in the vicinity of Neufreiburg, where they came even into his garden, and ran gaily along the branches like Tree Creepers. The NUTHATCHES (Sitta) are recognisable by their very compact body, moderate beak and tail, long wings, and powerful feet. The strong, hard beak is straight above, but bulges outwards below, and is very sharply pointed at its extremity; the nostrils are round, situated beneath the brow, and covered with short hairs. The tarsi are short and the toes long, the inner and centre toes being only slightly connected, while the exterior and centre toes are united as far as the first joint; the large pointed nails are much hooked; the broad, blunt wing, in which the third and fourth quills exceed the rest in length, is soft and flexible; the short, broad tail is formed of twelve weak feathers, so pliable in texture as to render that member quite useless for climbing. The sexes are almost alike in colour, the plumage of both being usually of a blueish grey above and brownish red beneath; the young THE COMMON NUTHATCH (Sitta cÆsia). THE COMMON NUTHATCH. The COMMON NUTHATCH (Sitta cÆsia) is deep grey on the mantle, and reddish yellow on the under side; a black stripe passes across the eyes to the nape; the chin and throat are white, the sides and lower tail-covers reddish brown, and the quills blackish grey, with light borders (those at the exterior are white at the root); the centre tail-feathers are blueish grey, the rest deep black, marked with blueish grey at the tip; those at the exterior are also decorated with white spots. The eye is brown, the beak light grey above and deep grey on its lower portion, and the foot greyish yellow. This species is six inches long, and ten broad; the wing measures three inches and a quarter, and the tail one inch and two-thirds. The female is distinguished from her mate by her inferior size, the comparative paleness of her under side, and the narrowness of the black line across the eyes. The Sitta EuropÆa is a very similar species, also inhabiting Europe. These birds are met with in all parts of our continent, from Jutland to the most southern latitudes, and are usually to be seen in pairs or small parties. Although they by no means avoid the society of man, they principally frequent woods and forests, but leave these retreats during the autumn, to wander for a time over the surrounding country. Insects, spiders, seeds, and berries constitute the principal food of the Nuthatches, and they also occasionally swallow gravel or small stones, in order to assist digestion. The eggs, from six to nine in number, are laid about May; these are white, marked and spotted with deep red. The female alone broods, and the eggs are hatched within a fortnight. Both parents assist in the labour of instructing and tending the little family, and rear them principally upon caterpillars. The young remain in the nest until fully fledged, and do not begin life on their own account until after the moulting season. THE SYRIAN NUTHATCH. The SYRIAN NUTHATCH (Sitta Syriaca) is somewhat larger than the species above described, from which it also differs in its mode of life and habits. The upper parts of the body are greyish blue, and the under side partially of a yellowish shade; the throat, a large portion of the breast, and the centre of the belly are white; the tail is grey, spotted with yellowish brown on the inner web of the exterior feathers. This species, which is somewhat larger than the bird last described, is commonly met with in Greece, and is also found in Syria, and on the lofty mountains between Bosnia and Dalmatia. Everywhere it exclusively frequents rocky heights, ascending and descending the most precipitous declivities with the utmost facility. It never enters forests, but occasionally seeks shelter in detached clumps of trees. Insects, seeds, and berries afford it the means of existence, and when in quest of these it displays activity and cleverness fully equalling its congeners. The strange, penetrating cry of the Syrian Nuthatch closely resembles a burst of shrill laughter. Muhle tells us that the nest is constructed in a nook in some rock, so situated that it is warmed by the rays of the sun, either in the morning or at noon. The nest itself is about eleven inches long, and carefully formed of clay; the entrance passage sometimes terminates in a cavity, warmly lined with different kinds of hair. The exterior wall, according to Muhle, is frequently decorated with the wings of some species of beetles. The eggs, usually eight or nine in number, have a white shell, spotted with red, and are laid about May. The female is so devoted to her young that she may be taken by hand while engaged in the duty of incubation. The CREEPERS (Sittella) inhabit New Holland, and are distinguishable from the members of the group above described by their awl-shaped beak, which is much compressed at its sides, and notched at the extremity of the upper mandible. The second and third quills in the wing are the longest, and extend as far as the end of the short even tail. As regards their general habits, these birds closely resemble the other members of their family; the nests, however, are entirely different, both as to position and structure. THE BONNETED CREEPER. The BONNETED CREEPER (Sittella pileata), a species inhabiting South-western Australia, is black on the top of the head, greyish brown on the nape and back, and blackish brown on the wings; the brow, a stripe over the eyes, the throat, breast, and centre of the belly are all white, the two latter shaded with greyish brown toward the side; the quills are blackish brown, with a reddish brown patch in their centre, and a greyish brown tip. The eye is yellowish brown, the beak yellow at its base and Gould tells us that these Creepers exhibit great facility in climbing and descending the branches of trees, and are usually seen frequenting their favourite haunts in small parties. Although endowed with very considerable powers of flight, they rarely employ their wings, except when desirous of attaining a neighbouring tree. Their cry is a short, weak, piping note. The small nest, which is usually placed upright on the foot of a branch, is smoothly and artistically formed of strips of bark, fastened together by spiders' webs. Incubation commences in September. The eggs, three in number, are white, marked with circular green spots. The WALL CREEPERS (Tichodroma) are recognisable by their compact body, short neck, large head, and very long, thin, and almost rounded beak, which is slightly curved and pointed at its tip. The feet are strong, the toes slender, and armed with large hooked and pointed claws. The first quill of the small, rounded wing is very short, and the fourth or fifth longer than the rest; the short tail is formed of soft, broad feathers, rounded at their tips. The lax, silky plumage is usually bright in hue, but varies in its coloration at different seasons. The tongue, which resembles that of the Woodpecker, is three-quarters of an inch long, sharp at its extremity, and furnished with numerous bristle-like hooks. THE ALPINE OR RED-WINGED WALL CREEPER. The ALPINE or RED-WINGED WALL CREEPER (Tichodroma muraria) is principally of an ash-grey tint; the region of the throat is black in winter and white in summer; the wings and tail are mostly black; but all the quills of the former, from the third to the fifteenth, are of a bright red towards the base, as are the smaller shoulder-feathers, and a narrow border on the outer web of the large wing-covers. The quills are decorated with white or yellow spots on the inner web, and the tail-feathers are bordered with white; the eye is brown; the beak and foot are black. This species is six inches and one-third long, and ten inches and a half broad; the wing measures three inches and a half, the tail two inches and a quarter; the beak is from eighteen to twenty lines long. This interesting bird is very commonly met with upon the Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines, Balkan, Carpathian, and other mountains. RÜppell saw it on the Altai and Abyssinian ranges. Jerdon tells us that it is common on the Himalayas, and is also found in Cashmere and Afghanistan. "This bird," writes Jerdon, "is found throughout the Himalayas, from whence it descends in winter to the Alpine parts of the Punjab. It is also found in Cashmere, Afghanistan, and the southern parts of Europe. I saw it frequently near Darjeeling, but only in the winter, at a height of from 2,500 to 5,000 feet or so. I first met with it in a tea plantation at Kursim, hunting along some small, bare ravines that the heat of the sun had made in the ground, and occasionally on the bank of a road. I have also seen it on a rock by the wayside, and on perpendicular cliffs along some of the rivers. It looks very beautiful when flitting about, the fine red on its wings fully displayed; and, indeed, has the appearance rather of a butterfly than a bird. Such specimens as I have examined had eaten spiders and coleoptera." This species has no call-note. In Europe it descends from the Alps, and is found on walls of old buildings, whence the name given by LinnÆus. It is stated to breed in clefts and holes of rocks, and in old buildings. The eggs, we are told, are of a fine bright red. The smallest of the Climbing Birds may be conveniently divided into two groups, the TREE CREEPERS and TREE PeCKERS. The TRUE TREE CREEPERS (Certhia) are very small and slender, with delicate, sharply THE ALPINE WALL CREEPER (Tichodroma muraria). The TREE PECKERS are more powerfully formed than the above-mentioned birds. Their beak is comparatively long, more or less curved, and very sharply pointed at its tip; the feet are short, the toes long, armed with high, sharp, and much-curved claws; the wing, in which the third or fourth quill is the longest, is pointed; the long, stiff tail usually terminates in two points; the plumage is of a uniform tint on the back, but variegated on the under side; the tongue is horny at its tip. The above groups resemble each other so closely in their habits that one description will suffice for them both; and, to avoid confusion, we shall combine them under the general name of— TREE CLIMBERS (Scandentes). The Tree Climbers pass their time within the shelter of their native woods, keeping together in pairs or families; some species, however, associate with other birds, THE COMMON TREE CREEPER. The COMMON TREE CREEPER (Certhia familiaris) is of a deep grey, spotted with white, the under side being entirely of pure white; the bridles and rump are brownish grey, the latter shaded with yellowish red; a white stripe passes over the eyes. The quills are deep brownish grey, and all except the first are tipped with white, and have a whitish yellow line across the centre; the tail-feathers are brownish grey, those at the exterior edged with light yellow. The eye is dark brown, the upper mandible black, and the lower portion of the beak reddish grey, as is the foot. The length of this species is five, and its breadth seven inches; the wing measures two inches and one-third, and the tail two inches and one-sixth. THE COMMON TREE CREEPER (Certhia familiaris). The Common Tree Creeper is an inhabitant of the woodland districts and orchards of Europe and Siberia, and is frequently found at a considerable elevation on such mountains as are not entirely destitute of trees. Like other members of its family, it remains within a certain limited tract during the breeding season, and after that period wanders over the surrounding country in company with Titmice, Woodpeckers, and other birds. Its flight is rapid, but unsteady; and during the greater part of the year it is restricted to the slight effort required to pass from one tree to another. Upon the ground its movements are extremely awkward; it is only among the branches that it displays the During the summer the temperament of the Tree Creeper is joyous and brisk, but wintry weather soon renders it dull and uneasy. No doubt this very visible discomfort arises in some measure from the impossibility of keeping its feathers in the neat, trim state in which it delights at other seasons of the year. Holes and fissures are usually employed by this species, both for building purposes and as sleeping places. The nest, which varies considerably in size, is formed of dry twigs, grass, leaves, straw, or bark, woven together with spiders' webs, and lined with feathers and fibres of various kinds. The chamber of the young is round and deep, and so compactly and neatly finished off as to render it a real work of art. The brood consists of eight or nine white eggs, spotted with red, and deceptively like those of the Titmouse. Both parents assist in the labour of incubation, and feed their hungry family with great devotion. The young usually remain for a long time in the nest, but if alarmed will scramble out, and hurry along the branches to some safe retreat, even before they are fully fledged. The female lays twice during the summer, the first time about April, and again in June. The second brood rarely consists of more than from three to five eggs. THE SABRE-BILL. The SABRE-BILL (Xiphorhynchus trochilirostris) is readily known by its unusually long, slender, sickle-shaped beak, and short tail. The wings, in which the fourth quill is the longest, are also comparatively short, and the legs are slender. The tongue is short, and broad at its tip. The plumage is of a dull olive-brown, streaked with yellowish white on the head, throat, and breast; the wings and tail are deep reddish brown; the eye is brown, the beak reddish brown, and the foot of a dull brownish hue. This species is nine inches and a half long, and eleven and a quarter broad; the wing measures three inches and three-quarters, the tail three inches and a quarter, and the beak two inches and one-third. "I found this strange bird," says the Prince von Wied, "in the vast, unbroken forests that extend from Ilheos to Bahia, where it lives in pairs upon the trees from which it gathers the insects and beetles upon which it subsists." THE WOODPECKER TREE-CHOPPER. The WOODPECKER TREE-CHOPPER (Dendroplex picus) is recognisable by its straight, pointed beak, which is much compressed at its sides, and furnished with a high sharp ridge at its culmen. The wing is comparatively short, the tail long, and the foot large. The plumage is entirely of a reddish brown, the feathers on the head, throat, and breast being enlivened by broad white patches, surrounded by a greyish brown margin. This bird is eight inches long; the wing measures four and the tail three inches. The Dendroplex picus is found over almost the whole of South America, and everywhere frequents the primitive forests, obtaining its food from the bark of trees, after the manner of the True Woodpeckers. At the conclusion of the breeding season it quits its native fastnesses with its companions, and ventures freely down, even near the abode of man. The voice is clear, but confined to one note. The eggs are laid in the holes of trees. The WOODPECKERS (Picida), the last group of the tree-climbing races, possess a slender body and powerful peak, which is usually straight, conical, and furnished with a sharp ridge at its The Woodpeckers both roost and breed in hollow trunks, or holes in trees, enlarged to the requisite size by the aid of their strong, sharp mandibles. The eggs, which are smooth, glossy, and white, vary considerably in number; they are deposited upon a bed of chips, or dÉbris, placed at the bottom of the hole selected for their reception. The BLACK WOODPECKERS (Dryocopus) comprise the largest and most powerful of the race, and are at once recognisable by the crest that adorns their head, and the prevalence of black in the coloration of their plumage. America must be regarded as the central home of these birds, as there several kinds inhabit every latitude; whilst, in the Eastern Hemisphere, but one species is met with in Europe, and few are found even in India. THE EUROPEAN BLACK WOODPECKER. The EUROPEAN BLACK WOODPECKER (Dryocopus martius) has the plumage of a uniform black, with the exception of the top of the head, which is of a bright crimson; in the female the bright feathers are limited to a small patch at the back of the head. The eye of both sexes is pale yellow, the beak pearl-grey, tipped with blueish grey, and the foot lead-colour. The young closely resemble the adult birds. This species is from seventeen to eighteen inches long, and twenty-eight to twenty-nine broad. The wing, in which the fifth quill is the longest, covers two-thirds of the tail, which measures from six inches to six inches and a half; the tarsus is almost entirely covered with feathers, and exceeds the centre toe and claw in length. The strong beak is broader than it is high, and straight at its culmen. Although all the wooded tracts of Europe, from sixty-eight degrees north latitude as far as Greece and Spain, are inhabited by the Black Woodpecker, it is seldom met with in England, and is but rarely seen in Holland. It also frequents Asia, as far as the northern side of the Himalayas. Everywhere fir and pine forests are its favourite resorts, even when these extend over mountain THE WOODPECKER TREE-CHOPPER (Dendroplex picus). The Black Woodpecker is shy and retiring in its habits, and, if approached, studiously conceals itself from observation by creeping round the tree or branch on which it happens to be at work. Its food is obtained by perforating the bark or searching the fissures of trees, a process which it performs with great dexterity, the tail being habitually employed as a means of support whilst climbing. The night is passed in holes in the trunk of some old tree; and in a cavity of this description the glossy white eggs are also deposited. We learn from Temminck that the Black Woodpecker lays three eggs; and that when other food is scarce it will eat seeds or berries. Its voice somewhat resembles a harsh, loud laugh. The GIANT WOODPECKERS (Campephilus), a group comprising the largest members of the family, inhabit America. These birds are characterised by their powerful body, large head, and long, thin neck. Their beak is long, straight, and strongly formed; their feet muscular, and the tarsi unfeathered. Of the toes, the outermost of the hinder pair exceeds the rest in length. The wings and tail are long, the third and fourth quills of the former being the longest. The plumage is black, marked with white. The feathers on the head form a crest, which in the male is of considerable size, and of a red colour. THE EUROPEAN BLACK WOODPECKER (Dryocopus martius). Two species of Giant Woodpeckers are worthy of special notice, named respectively the IMPERIAL and the IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKERS. THE IMPERIAL WOODPECKER. The IMPERIAL WOODPECKER (Campephilus imperialis) is almost entirely black. A stripe on the shoulders, the tip of the hinder quill, and the lower wing-covers are white, the latter spotted with black on the exterior edge; the crest of the male is scarlet, and that of the female black. This species is above twenty-five inches long; the wing measures twelve and the tail nine inches. THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER. The IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER (Campephilus principalis) is also black; and the centre as well as the hinder quills are white; the lower wing-covers are striped with black; and the white lines on the shoulder extend to the sides of the head. The eye is bright yellow, the beak as white as ivory, and the foot greyish blue. This bird is twenty-one inches long, and thirty broad; the wing measures ten inches and a half, and the tail seven inches and a quarter. The Imperial Woodpecker inhabits the mountain tracts of California, as far as the boundaries of Mexico, whilst the Ivory-beak frequents the forests that extend along the Mississippi to the Ohio. We are but little acquainted with the habits of the first-mentioned bird, but are indebted to Audubon for a most graphic description of the life and habits of the Ivory-beak. "The Ivory-billed Woodpecker," says that writer, "confines its rambles to a comparatively small portion of the United States. Descending to the Ohio, we met with this splendid bird for the first time near the confluence of that river and the Mississippi; after which, following the windings of the latter, either towards the sea or in the direction of the Missouri, we frequently observe it. On the Atlantic coast, North Carolina may be taken as the limit of its distribution, though individuals are occasionally seen in Maryland. To the west of the Mississippi it is found in all the dense forests bordering the streams which empty their waters into that majestic river, from the very declivities of the Rocky Mountains. The lower part of the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi are, however, the favourite resorts of this bird; and in these States it constantly resides, breeds, and passes a life of peaceful enjoyment, finding a profusion of food in all the deep, dark, and gloomy swamps dispersed over them. I wish, kind reader, that it were in my power to present to your mind's eye the favourite resort of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Would that I could describe the extent of those deep morasses, overshadowed by millions of gigantic dark cypresses, spreading their sturdy moss-covered branches as if to admonish intruding man to pause and reflect on the many difficulties he must encounter should he persist in venturing farther into their almost inaccessible recesses, extending for miles before him, where he would be interrupted by huge projecting branches, here and there the massive trunk of a fallen and decayed tree, and thousands of creeping and twining plants of numberless species! Would that I could represent to you the dangerous nature of the ground, its oozing, spongy, miry condition, although covered with a beautiful, but treacherous carpeting, composed of the richest mosses, flags, and water-lilies, no sooner receiving the pressure of the foot than it yields, and endangers the very life of the adventurer; whilst here and there, as he approaches an opening that proves merely a lake of black, muddy water, his ear is assailed by the dismal croaking of innumerable frogs, the hissing of serpents, or the bellowing of alligators! Would that I could give you an idea of the sultry, pestiferous atmosphere, that nearly suffocates the intruder during the meridian heat, in those gloomy and horrible swamps! "The flight of the far-famed Ivory-billed Woodpecker is graceful in the extreme, although seldom prolonged to more than a few hundred yards at a time, unless when it has to cross a large river, which it does in deep undulations, opening its wings at first to their full extent, and nearly closing them to renew the propelling impulse. The transit from one tree to another, even should the distance be as much as a hundred yards, is performed by a single sweep; the bird appears as if merely swinging itself from the top of the one tree to that of the other, forming an elegantly-curved line. At this moment all the beauty of the plumage is exhibited, and strikes the beholder with pleasure. It never utters any sound whilst on the wing, except during the love season; but at all other times no sooner has this bird alighted than its remarkable voice is heard at almost every leap that it makes whilst ascending against the upper parts of the trunk of a tree or its highest branches. Its notes are clear, loud, and rather plaintive; they are heard at a considerable distance, perhaps half a mile, and resemble the false, high note of a clarionet. They are repeated three times in succession, and may be represented by the syllables 'Pait, pait, pait.' These are heard so frequently that the bird spends few minutes of the day without uttering them; and this leads to its destruction, not because, as some suppose, this species is a destroyer of trees, but because it is a beautiful bird, and the rich scales attached to its upper mandible form an ornament for the war-dress of the Indians, or for the shot-pouch of the hunter or squatter. "The food of this species consists principally of beetles, larvÆ, and large grubs; no sooner, however, are the grapes of our forests ripe than they are eaten by the Ivory-billed Woodpecker with great avidity. This bird seldom comes near the ground, but prefers the tops of the tallest trees. Should it, however, discover the half-standing, broken shaft of a large, dead tree, it attacks it in such a manner as nearly to demolish it in the course of a few days. I have seen the remains of some of these ancient monarchs of our forest thus excavated, and that so singularly that the tottering fragments of the trunk appeared to be merely supported by the great pile of chips by which its base was surrounded. The strength of this Woodpecker is such that I have seen it detach pieces of bark seven or eight inches in length at a single blow of its powerful beak; and by beginning at the top branch of a dead tree tear off the bark to an extent of twenty or thirty feet in the course of a few hours, leaping downwards with its body in an upright position, tossing its head to the right and left, or leaning it against the bark to ascertain the precise spot where the grubs were concealed, and immediately after renewing its blows with great vigour, all the while sounding its loud notes, as if highly delighted. This species generally moves in pairs. The female is always the most clamorous and the least shy. Their mutual attachment is, I believe, continued through life. Except when digging a hole for the reception of their eggs, these birds seldom, if ever, attack living trees for any other purpose than that of procuring food, in doing which they destroy insects that would otherwise prove injurious to the trees. I have frequently observed the male and female retiring to rest for the night into the same hole in which, long before, they had reared their young. "The Ivory-billed Woodpecker nestles earlier than any other species of its tribe. I have observed it boring for that purpose in the beginning of March. The hole, I believe, is always made in the trunk of a live tree, and at a great height. The birds pay great attention to the situation of the tree and the inclination of its trunk, because they prefer retirement, and because they are anxious to secure the aperture against the entrance of water during beating rains; to prevent such a calamity, the hole is generally dug immediately under the junction of a large branch with the trunk. It is first bored horizontally for a few inches, and then directly downwards. The average diameter of the different nests I have examined was about seven inches within, although the entrance, which is perfectly round, is only just large enough to admit the bird. Both birds work most assiduously at this excavation, one waiting outside to encourage the other whilst it is engaged in digging, and when the IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER (Campephilus principalis). Plate 22. Cassell's Book of Birds PTILOGONYS ARMILLATUS ____ WHISKERED FANTAIL (Life size) (Swainson) "The first place I observed the bird at," says Wilson, "when on my way to the South, was about twelve miles north of Wilmington, in North Carolina. Having wounded it slightly in the wing, on being caught it uttered a loudly-reiterated and most piteous note, exactly resembling the violent crying of a young child, which terrified my horse so much as nearly to have cost me my life. It was distressing to hear it. I carried it with me under cover to Wilmington. In passing through the street its cry surprised every one within hearing, particularly the females, who hurried to the doors and windows with looks of alarm. I drove on, and on arriving at the piazza of the hotel where I intended to put up, the landlord came forward and a number of other persons, all equally alarmed at what they heard. This alarm was greatly increased by my asking whether they could find accommodation for THE RED-HEADED BLACK WOODPECKER (Melanerpes erythrocephalus). The head and bill of this species are held in great esteem, as a sort of charm or amulet, by many tribes of the American Indians, who ornament their belts with them; and Europeans eagerly purchase them as curiosities. When wounded, this Woodpecker generally ascends the nearest tree in a spiral direction, till it attains the topmost branches, where it hides; but if intercepted and laid hold of, it defends itself desperately, both with its beak and claws, inflicting severe lacerations. The BLACK WOODPECKERS (Melanerpes) are less remarkable for their size than for the beauty of their plumage. In these birds the body is powerful, the head large, and the neck short. The beak is straight, broader than it is high at the base, its upper mandible is arched, and its margins turned inwards; the distinguishing characteristics of the bill, however, are the four small parallel ridges that commence at the nostrils, and extend as far as the centre of the beak. The tarsus equals the reversible toe and its claw in length; the fourth and fifth wing-quills are of equal size, and longer than the rest; the tail is much rounded; and a small space around the eyes is quite bare. Black, red, and white predominate in the coloration of the plumage. All the various members of this group inhabit North and South America. THE RED-HEADED BLACK WOODPECKER. The RED-HEADED BLACK WOODPECKER (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) is of a bright red colour on the head and neck. The mantle, wings, and tail are of a jetty blackness; the hinder quills, rump, and under side pure white. The eye is brown, the beak and feet blueish black. The female is smaller and less brightly coloured than her mate. In the young the head, throat, mantle, and breast are of a greyish brown, marked with blackish brown, crescent-shaped spots. The exterior quills are blackish brown, the inner ones reddish white, striped with blackish brown towards the tip; the tail-feathers are deep brownish black. This species is nine inches long and seventeen broad; the wing measures four inches and five-sixths, and the tail two inches and three-quarters. "The Red-heads," says Audubon, "may be considered as residents of the Northern States, inasmuch as many of them remain in the southern districts during the whole winter, and breed there in summer; the greater number, however, pass to countries farther south. Their migration takes place at night, is commenced in the middle of September, and is continued for a month or six weeks. They then fly high above the trees, far apart, like a disbanded army, propelling themselves by reiterated flaps of the wing at the end of each successive curve which they describe in their flight. The note which they emit at this time is different from the usual one—sharp and easily heard from the ground, although the birds may be out of sight; this note is continued as if it were necessary for keeping the straggling party in good humour. At dawn of day the whole alight on the tops of the dead trees about the plantations, and remain in search of food until the approach of sunset, when they again, one after the other, mount the air and continue their journey. "With the exception of the Mocking Bird, I know no species so gay and frolicsome; indeed, their whole life is one of pleasure. They find a superabundance of food everywhere, as well as the best facilities for raising their broods. They do not seem to be much afraid of man, although they have scarcely a more dangerous enemy. When alighted on a fence-stake by the road or in a field, and one approaches them, they gradually move sidewise out of sight, peeping now and then to discover your intention; and when you are just close and opposite, lie still until you are past, when they hop to the top of the stake and rattle upon it with their bill, as if to congratulate themselves upon the success of their cunning. Should you approach within arm's length, the Woodpecker flies to the next stake from you, bends to peep and rattle again, as if to provoke you to a continuance of what seems to him excellent sport. No sooner are the cherries ripe than these birds attack them; and I may safely say that a hundred have been shot on one tree during a single day. Pears, peaches, apples, figs, mulberries, even peas are also thus attacked. They have another bad habit—that of sucking the eggs of small birds, and are often successful in entering the pigeon-houses; the corn as it ripens is laid bare by their bill, when they feed on the top parts of the ear. All this while the Red-heads are full of gaiety. No sooner have they satisfied their hunger than small parties of them assemble in the tops and branches of decayed trees, from which they chase different insects, launching after them for eight or ten yards, "It is seldom that a nest newly perforated by these birds is found, as they generally resort to those of preceding years. These holes are found often to the number of ten or a dozen in a single decayed trunk. So few green or living trees are perforated for this purpose by this species that I have never myself seen a single instance. In Louisiana and Kentucky the Red-headed Woodpecker rears two broods every year, in the middle districts more generally only one. The female lays from two to six eggs, which are pure white and translucent, sometimes in holes not six feet from the ground, sometimes as high as possible. The young birds have the upper part of the head at first grey; but towards autumn the red begins to appear. During the first winter the red is richly intermixed with grey, and at the approach of spring scarcely any difference is perceptible between the sexes. The flesh of the Red-head is tough, and smells so strongly of the ants and other insects on which it feeds as to be scarcely eatable. In Kentucky and the Southern States many of these birds are killed in the following manner:—As soon as they have begun to visit an apple or cherry tree a pole is placed along the trunk, passing up among the central branches, and extending six or seven feet beyond the highest twigs. The Red-head alights by preference on the pole, and while its body is close to it a man standing beneath gives the pole a smart blow with the head of an axe, on the opposite side to that on which the Woodpecker is, when, in consequence of the sudden violent vibration produced in the upper part, the bird is thrown off dead." "So common are these birds," says Wilson, "that wherever there is a tree of the wild cherry covered with ripe fruit there you see them busy amongst the branches; and in passing orchards you may readily know where to find the sweetest apples by observing those trees on or near which a Red-head is skulking; for so excellent a connoisseur is he in fruit that wherever an apple or pear tree is found broached by him it is sure to be the ripest and best flavoured. When alarmed at his work he secures a fine one by striking his bill deep into it, and bears it off into the woods. "Notwithstanding the care," continues the same writer, "which this bird, in common with the rest of the genus, takes to place its young beyond the reach of enemies, within the hollows of trees, there is one deadly enemy against whose depredations neither the height of the tree nor the depth of the cavity is the least security; this is the black snake (Coluber constrictor), who frequently glides up the trunk of the tree, and, like a skulking savage, creeps into the Woodpecker's peaceful abode, devours the eggs and helpless young, in spite of the cries and flutterings of the parents, and, if the place be large enough, coils himself up in the spot they occupied, where he will often remain for several days. The eager school-boy, often hazarding his neck to reach the Woodpecker's hole, at the triumphant moment when he thinks the nestlings his own, strips his arm, launching it down the cavity, and grasps what THE ANT-EATING BLACK WOODPECKER. The ANT-EATING BLACK WOODPECKER (Melanerpes formicivorus) is an inhabitant of California and Mexico. Its body is black; the brow, a spot on the exterior quills, the anterior border of the hinder quills, and the rump are white; the top of the head as far as the nape is light red; the throat and a band upon the breast are black; the region of the throat is relieved by the sulphur-yellow feathers, by which the black portion is surrounded; the back and sides are streaked longitudinally with white; the eye is yellow, the beak and feet are black. This species is nine inches long; the wing measures five inches and a quarter, and the tail two and a quarter. "The Melanerpes formicivorus," Hermann tells us, "is the noisiest and most numerous of all the Woodpeckers inhabiting California. During the summer these birds are constantly to be seen chasing their insect prey about the topmost branches of the trees, and in autumn are equally busy in laying up a store of acorns against the approach of winter. This is accomplished by boring a series of holes in the trunk of a tree, into each of which an acorn is so firmly introduced as to render its extrication a work of difficulty. An oak or pine tree thus pierced often presents the appearance of being studded with a multitude of bronze nails." The VARIEGATED WOODPECKERS (Picus) constitute a group of small or moderate-sized and compactly-built birds. Their straight beak almost equals the head in length, and is as broad as it is high at the base; the toes are short, and in some species but three in number; in the wing the third quill is the longest; and the tail is conical. The plumage is black, marked with white, and enlivened in some parts by an intermixture of red or yellow. The various members of this group inhabit all those parts of the earth frequented by their congeners, with the exception of Central and Southern Africa. THE GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER. The GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER (Picus major) is black upon the upper portion of the body, of a dull yellowish grey beneath, and the brow indicated by a yellow line. The cheeks, a line on the sides of the throat, the large spots on the shoulders, and some irregular markings on the wings are all white; the back of the head and lower part of the belly are light red; and a black line passes from the base of the beak to the nape. The female is without the red upon the nape; and in the young the top of the head is bright red. The eye of all is brownish red, the beak light grey, and the foot greenish grey. These well-known birds inhabit the whole of Europe and Siberia, as far as Kamschatka. Woods, forests, and plantations of all kinds are their principal resorts, and they especially delight in fir or pine trees. In these localities each bird appropriates a certain district as its own particular domain, and within this boundary no intruder is permitted to forage; for no sooner does the vigilant proprietor hear the bony tap that indicates a close inspection of his hunting-ground than he sallies forth and encounters the unwelcome visitor, chasing it from tree to tree, until it is glad to retire in search of more hospitable quarters. Nuts and the seeds from fir and pine cones are largely consumed by these birds, who exhibit the utmost adroitness in extricating the latter from their hard covering. This species, which is found throughout the British Isles, though less common than the Green Colonel Montague gives the following instance of the devotion of the female of this species for her young:—"It was with difficulty that the bird was made to quit her eggs; for, notwithstanding a chisel and mallet were used to enlarge the hole, she did not attempt to fly out until the hand was introduced, when she quitted the tree at another opening." The eggs, from five to seven in number, are pure glossy white. THE HARLEQUIN WOODPECKER. The HARLEQUIN WOODPECKER (Piculus minor), as the least of all European Woodpeckers is called, differs from its congeners in the comparative shortness of its slightly conical beak, rounded tail, and the very peculiar coloration of its plumage. In the male the brow is yellowish grey, the crown of the head bright red, the upper part of the back entirely black, and the lower portion white, streaked with black; the whole of the wings are striped black and white, and relieved by a black line that passes along the sides of the neck, which it thus divides from the grey belly, which is longitudinally streaked with black at its sides. The centre tail-feathers are black, and those at the exterior of a whitish hue, striped with black. The female is without the red patch on the head; the young resemble the mother, but are somewhat duller in their hues. In all the eye is yellowish brown or fiery red, the beak lead-grey, with black tip and culmen, and the foot dark grey. This species is six inches long, and from eleven to eleven inches and a half broad; the wing measures two inches and three-quarters, and the tail two inches and a quarter. The habitat of the Harlequin Woodpecker extends over the whole of Europe and Central Asia, and it is, we believe, occasionally seen in North-western Africa. Like its congeners, it does not migrate, but only quits its native woodlands to wander over the face of the country during the spring and autumn. At other seasons it keeps strictly within the limits of a certain spot selected as a home, and which invariably contains a large hollow tree suitable as a sleeping-place. "In England," says Mr. Gould, "this small Woodpecker is far more abundant than is generally supposed. We have seldom sought for it in vain wherever large trees, particularly elms, grow in sufficient numbers to invite its abode. Near London it is very common, and may be seen by an attentive observer in many of the parks in the neighbourhood. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker appears to perform a certain daily round, traversing a given extent of district, and returning to the same spot whence it began its route. In its actions it is very lively and alert. Unlike the Large Woodpecker, it frequents the smaller and more elevated branches, which it traverses with the utmost ease and celerity. Should it perceive itself noticed it becomes shy, and retires behind the branches; if, however, closely engaged in searching for food it sometimes is so absorbed as to allow itself to be closely approached without suspending its operations. When spring commences it becomes clamorous and noisy, its call being an oft-repeated note, so closely resembling that of the Wry-neck as to be Naumann tells us that as this bird retires to rest later than many of the other feathered inhabitants of its favourite groves or orchards, many and fierce battles ensue before it can obtain possession of the particular hole it desires, as Titmice or Sparrows also prefer a warm, snug nook, and are by no means disposed to resign quietly in favour of the would-be intruder. In these encounters, however, might usually overcomes right, and a series of very pointed arguments, in the shape of repeated taps and pecks from the enemy's strong beak, eventually compel the weaker bird to seek a night's lodging elsewhere. The movements of the Harlequin Woodpecker are brisk and active, and as regards its climbing powers it fully equals any member of its family already described. Towards men it exhibits the utmost confidence, but lives in a state of almost perpetual warfare with its feathered companions. During the breeding season, which commences in May, the male makes himself very conspicuous by the constant utterance of his shrill monotonous cry and his restless activity in contending with supposed rivals, or in his struggles to keep off the inroads of other males upon his chosen nesting-place. This latter spot is always at a considerable height from the ground, in an old oak or lofty fruit tree, whose decayed trunk can be readily penetrated by the beaks of the building pair. The recess bored for the reception of the young is six inches deep, and is entered by an aperture as perfectly circular in form as if it had been cut with a centre-bit. Many of these holes are frequently commenced and abandoned before the requirements of the fastidious parents are satisfied. The brood consists of from five to seven brilliantly white eggs, occasionally sparsely sprinkled with fine red spots. The young are hatched within a fortnight by the united exertions of both birds, and are nourished and tended for a considerable time after they have left the nest. The food of this species appears to consist exclusively of insects, as even during the winter months we have found nothing else in its stomach. Ants, spiders, beetles, and insects' eggs it consumes in enormous quantities, and renders inestimable service to the gardener by the countless hosts of destroying insects which it gleans from fruit-trees of every description. Bechstein gives the following account of an attempt to tame the Picus medius, a closely-allied species. "I have," he says, "seen one of these Woodpeckers, which was reared by a lady and seemed much attached to her; it had learned to leave its cage and return, knocking hard at the window if shut out. It was very amusing to see it climbing nimbly over its mistress till it had reached her mouth. It then asked her, by light strokes of the wing, for the food she was accustomed to give it; this was generally a little meat. It disappeared one day, without any one knowing what had befallen it." THE THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. The THREE-TOED WOODPECKER (Apternus tridactylus), as the most striking of all the European members of this family is called, represents a group recognisable by their straight beak, which is broader than it is high, and equals the head in length. All the three toes are shorter than the tarsus; of these the outermost is the smallest, and the two others of equal length. In the wing the fourth quill is the longest. The centre feathers of the conical tail are furnished with very stiff shafts, and sharply pointed at their tip. The upper portions of the body are black, and the under side dirty white; the brow black, spotted white, and the crown of the head pale golden yellow. A white line, more or less marked with black, passes from the eyes to the middle of the back; the bridles and a second line that terminates at the throat are black; as are the markings on the sides of the belly. The quills and exterior tail-feathers are black, striped with white, and the centre tail-feathers entirely black. The eye is pearl-grey or silver-white, the beak light grey, tipped with black, and the foot dark It is at present undecided whether all such of these birds as inhabit Europe are to be regarded as identical; but if it be so the habitat of this species extends over a large portion of both the European and Asiatic continents. In the northern parts of Europe it is met with in the course of its wanderings as far north as sixty degrees north latitude, and is by no means rare; in Scandinavia, Finland, and Russia it is especially numerous, and in the country about the mouth of the Amoor is one of the commonest of birds. North America also possesses a deceptively similar or identical species. Everywhere it frequents well-wooded mountain regions, and closely resembles the Common Variegated Woodpecker in all the various particulars of its habits, movements, and means of subsistence. It is active and restless in its habits, and generally occupies the topmost branches of the trees. Its cry is loud and shrill, somewhat resembling that of some small quadruped when in great pain. Towards noon it is silent, and retires to rest in a quiet spot. Its rapid, gliding, and undulating flight is always accompanied by a succession of loud notes. The nest is usually from twenty to twenty-four inches deep, and is bored in the trunk of a sound tree. One brood of four to six pure white eggs is laid in the season. The GREEN WOODPECKERS (Gecinus) are readily known by the large size of their elongate body, their slightly conical and curved beak, and short powerful foot, furnished with four toes. The wing, in which the fourth and fifth quills are the longest, is rounded at its extremity, the tongue is of unusual length, and the plumage principally green, of a pale shade on the under side, and marked with undulating lines; the head is occasionally adorned with a brightly-coloured crest. THE GREEN WOODPECKER. The GREEN WOODPECKER (Gecinus viridis) is bright green on the upper portions of the body, and pale greyish green on the under side; the face is black, the top of the head and nape greyish blue, shaded with bright red; the wing is light yellow; a line on the cheeks of the male is red, in the female black. The quills are pale brownish black, spotted with yellowish or brownish white, and the tail-feathers pale greyish green, striped with black. The eye is blueish white, the beak dull grey tipped with black, and the foot greenish grey. The young are greyish green, spotted with white on the mantle, and whitish grey spotted with black on the under side; the eye is dark grey. The length of this bird is twelve and its breadth twenty inches; the wing measures seven and the tail four inches and a half. The Green Woodpecker frequently seeks its insect food upon the ground. This species is met with over the whole of Europe; but though common in the wooded districts of England and Scotland, it is very rare in Ireland. "Nature," says Mudie, in speaking of this species, "has appointed the Woodpeckers conservators of the wood of old trees, furnished them admirably for their office, and so formed their habits that an ancient tree is an Eden for them, fraught with safety, and redolent of fatness and plenty. So exquisitely are they fitted for their office that the several species vary in tint with the general colour of the trees that they select; if they exhibit an alternation of green moss, yellow lichen, and ruby-tinted cups, with here and there a spot of black, then this, the Green Woodpecker, comes in charge; but if they are covered with the black and white lichens of the Alpine forest, we may look for the spotted race upon the bark. When the renovation of the spring begins to be felt through all nature, the Woodpecker creeps from his hole and tries the trunk till he comes to a hollow place, and THE GREEN WOODPECKER (Gecinus viridis). The CUCKOO WOODPECKERS (Colaptes) comprise several species at once recognisable by their decidedly curved beaks and variegated plumage. THE GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER. THE GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER (Colaptes auratus). The GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER (Colaptes auratus) has a long, broad, curved beak, which is compressed at its tip; the tarsus is considerably longer than the exterior toe, and in the wing the fourth and fifth quills exceed the rest in length. All the shafts of the pinion and tail-feathers are bright yellow or red. Upon the back the plumage is of a dull reddish brown, striped with black; the head and nape are grey, the former adorned with a crescent-shaped scarlet patch; the rump is white; the upper tail-covers are yellowish white, the sides of the head and throat greyish red, and the bridles and a streak upon the lower throat black; the rest of the under side is white, spotted with black. The quills are sulphur-yellow, and the tail-feathers bright yellow, with dark tips. The female is without the black cheek-stripes. The body is twelve inches and a half long and sixteen broad; the wing measures six inches and the tail four inches and a half. This species, which is common in all parts of the United States, where it is known by the name of the Flicker (that word being supposed to resemble its cry), has been described at great length by Audubon. "The flight of these birds," says that graphic writer, "is strong and prolonged; they propel themselves by numerous beats of the wings, with short intervals of sailing. Their migrations are carried on at night, as is known by their note and the whistling of their wings. When passing from one tree to another on wing, they fly in a straight line until when within a few yards of the spot where they intend to alight, when they suddenly raise themselves a few feet and fasten themselves to the bark by their claws and tail. If they intend to settle on a branch they do not previously rise; and in either case no sooner has the bird alighted than it nods its head and utters its well-known note, 'Flicker.' It usually moves sideways on a small branch, keeping itself erect; and with equal ease it climbs by leaps along the trunks of trees or their branches, descends and moves sideways or spirally, keeping at all times its head upward and its tail pressed against the bark as a support. On the ground it also hops with great ease. Insects, seeds, berries, and fruit of various kinds constitute the principal food of these Woodpeckers. No sooner has spring returned than their voice is heard from the tops of high, decayed trees. Their note at this period is merriment itself, as it simulates a prolonged and jovial laugh, heard at a considerable distance. Several males pursue a female, and, to show the force of their love, bow their heads, spread their tails, and move sidewise, backwards, forwards, performing such antics as might induce any one witnessing them to join his laugh to theirs. The female flies to another tree, where she is closely followed by half a dozen of these gay suitors, when again the same ceremony is gone through. No fighting occurs, no jealousy seems to exist among them until a marked preference is shown for one, when the rest proceed in search of another female. Each pair proceeds to excavate the trunk of a tree and make a hole large enough to contain themselves and their young; they both work with great industry and apparent pleasure. Should the male be employed the female keeps close to him, and seems to congratulate him on every chip he throws in the air. They caress each other on the branches, climb about and around the tree with delight, rattle with their bill against the top of the dead boughs, chase all their cousins, the Red-heads, defy the Purple Grakles to enter their nest, feed plentifully on insects, beetles, and larvÆ, cackling at intervals, and ere a week be elapsed the female has laid four or five eggs, with a pure, white, transparent shell." Their flesh is esteemed good by many sportsmen, and they are now and then exposed for sale in the markets of New York and Philadelphia. THE RED-SHAFTED OR COPPER WOODPECKER. The RED-SHAFTED or COPPER WOODPECKER (Colaptes Mexicanus), a very similar species, inhabiting the Southern States of North America, Texas, and Mexico, is of a light reddish brown on the top of the head and brow; the upper part of the back is greyish brown, with undulating black markings, and the lower portion white; the tail-feathers are greyish brown with bright orange shafts; the chin and throat are light reddish grey; the breast and belly somewhat deeper in shade, and spotted with black; the throat is encircled by a red collar, and the upper breast decorated with a black line; the chin is also indicated by a reddish line. The manners of this species much resemble those of the species last described; it is, however, shyer in its habits, and but rarely comes to the ground. In the breeding season the male birds display considerable animosity towards each other, and constantly utter a note resembling the word "Whitto, whitto, whitto." The nest is made in a tree-trunk, and it is not uncommon to hear the eager active couple hammering and bumping away like carpenters until a late hour in the evening. The eggs have a pure white shell. THE FIELD WOODPECKER. The FIELD WOODPECKER (Geocolaptes campestris) is an inhabitant of the South American prairies, and represents a group that, unlike those already described, seek their principal food, not upon the trunks of trees, but from the surface of the ground. The Field Woodpecker possesses a slightly-curved bill, of about the same length as the head; its wings are long, pointed, and powerful, their fourth quill longer than the rest; the strong tail is pointed, and the slender foot furnished with very delicate toes. The variegated plumage is not very brightly tinted; the crown of the head and neck are black; the cheeks, throat, and upper breast golden yellow; the back and wings pale yellow, striped with blackish brown; the lower portion of the back, the breast, and belly are whitish yellow, each feather having black markings; the quills are greyish brown, with gold-coloured shafts, the primaries striped with white on the inner web, and the secondaries on both webs. The tail-feathers are blackish brown, those at the exterior streaked with yellow on the outer, and those in the centre on the inner web. The female is somewhat paler in hue than her mate. The eye is bright red, the beak blackish grey, and the foot dull grey. The SOFT-TAILED WOODPECKERS (Picumnus) constitute a group of very small birds, with long, straight, conical beaks, which are pointed at the tip. The shape of the leg and claw resembles that of the True Woodpecker. The short wings, in which the fourth and fifth quills are the longest, are very blunt and rounded; the tail is composed of twelve soft, rounded feathers, the outermost of which are very short; the plumage is soft, and its feathers few and of unusual size. Most of these birds inhabit South America; Africa possesses one and India three species. We are almost entirely without reliable particulars as to their habits. THE DWARF WOODPECKER. The DWARF WOODPECKER (Picumnus minutus) is greyish brown on the mantle; the under side is white, streaked with black; the crown of the head is black, delicately sprinkled with white; the brow of the male is red, that of the female is of the same colour as the rest of the head; and the blackish brown quills are edged with yellow. The tail-feathers are black; those at the exterior have a broad white stripe on the outer, and those in the centre on the inner web. The eye is greyish brown, the beak lead-colour at its base and blackish at the culmen and tip, the foot is lead-grey. This small bird is only three inches and seven lines long and six inches broad; the wing measures one inch and ten lines, and the tail one inch. The Dwarf Woodpecker is met with in all the wooded tracts of coast from Guiana to Paraguay, and is frequently seen in the immediate vicinity of the houses. In summer it lives in pairs, in winter in small parties, that fly to a considerable distance over the surrounding coast. The WRY-NECKS (Yunx) inhabit the Eastern Hemisphere, and are recognisable by their slender body, long neck, small head, short blunt wing, in which the third quill is the longest, and a broad soft tail of moderate size. The short, straight, conical beak is pointed, and but slightly compressed at its sides; the foot is furnished with four toes placed in pairs; the plumage lax and soft, and the very protrusile tongue of thread-like tenuity. THE WRY-NECK. The WRY-NECK (Yunx torquilla) is of a light grey on the upper portion of its body, marked and spotted with a deeper shade; the under side is white, sparsely sprinkled with dark triangular spots; THE WRY-NECK (Yunx torquilla). The Wry-neck, so called from its strange manner of turning its head, so as to give its neck a twisted appearance, is commonly met with in England, but is rare in Scotland, and, according to Yarrell, has not been met with in Ireland. This species usually resorts to woodland districts, fields, and gardens. "When found in its retreat in the hole of a tree," says the last-mentioned writer, "it makes a loud hissing noise, sets up an elongated crest, and writhing its body and head towards each shoulder alternately, with grotesque contortions, becomes an object of terror to a timid intruder; and the bird, taking advantage of a moment of indecision, darts with the rapidity of lightning from a situation whence escape seemed impossible." Caterpillars and various insects, especially ants, constitute the principal food of these birds. Bechstein states that they will eat elder-berries. The young are easily tamed; and in France are often taken from one tree to another, with a string fastened round the leg, to search the bark for insects. Colonel Montague thus describes the manner in which a female of this species that he had tamed took its food:—"A quantity of mould with emmets and their eggs was given to it; and it was curious to observe the tongue darted forth and retracted with such velocity and such unerring aim that it never returned without an ant or an egg adhering to it, not transfixed by the horny points, but retained by a peculiar tenacious moisture provided for that purpose. While feeding, the body is kept motionless, only the head being turned from side to side; and the motion of the tongue is so rapid that an ant's egg, which is of a light colour, and therefore more conspicuous than the tongue, has the appearance of moving to the mouth by attraction, as the needle flies to the magnet. The bill is rarely used, except to remove the mould, in order to get more rapidly at the insects where the earth is hollow. The tongue is thrust into all the cavities to rouse the ants, and for this purpose the horny appendage is extremely serviceable as a guide to the tongue." The following interesting account of an attempt to drive a pair of these birds from the nesting-place they had selected is given by Mr. Salmon, in the Magazine of Natural History:—"I wished to obtain the eggs of the Wry-neck to place in my cabinet, and accordingly watched a pair very closely that had resorted to a garden in the village for the purpose of incubation. I soon ascertained that they had selected a hole in a decayed apple-tree for that purpose, the entrance to which was so small as not to admit my hand. The tree being hollow and decayed near the ground, I reached the nest by putting my arm upwards, and I found on withdrawing the nest that the underneath part of it was composed of moss and hair, having every appearance of being the deserted home of a Redstart; the upper part was made of dry roots. The nest did not contain any eggs, and I returned it by thrusting it up inside the tree. On passing the same way a week afterwards my attention was arrested by observing one of the birds leaving the hole; upon which I gently withdrew the nest, and was gratified to find it contained five most beautifully glossy eggs, the shells of which were perfectly white, and so transparent that the yolks shone through, giving them a delicate pink hue. I replaced the nest and visited it during the ensuing weeks, when, to my astonishment, I found that the birds had not deserted the hole, but the female had six eggs more, which I obtained by thrusting the nest up the tree. Next week I again visited the spot, and found that they still pertinaciously adhered to their domicile, having further laid four eggs more. I repeated the experiment, but not having an opportunity of revisiting the spot until ten days after, I thought at the time that the nest was abandoned, and was not undeceived till I again withdrew the nest, having taken the precaution of endeavouring to frighten off the old bird should she be within, which I found was the case; nevertheless she suffered me to pull the nest to the bottom of the tree before she attempted to escape. There were seven eggs slightly sat upon. It seems to me very extraordinary that the female should allow her nest to be disturbed five times, and the eggs (amounting to twenty-two) to be taken away at different periods within the month, before she finally abandoned the spot she had selected." HUMMING BIRDS.THE HUMMING BIRDS (Stridor), a family of most beautiful and fairy-like beings, inhabiting the Western Hemisphere, comprise some of the smallest members of the feathered creation. In these birds the beak is generally long, slender, straight, or curved, usually round, and sharp at the tip; the nostrils are basal, and covered with a large scale; the wings and tail are very variously formed, the latter being always composed of ten feathers; the very short tarsi are most delicately constructed; the long slender toes are covered with small scales, and either partially united or completely free from each other; the sharp-pointed claws frequently exceed the toes in length. The glorious plumage "Along the whole line of the Andes, which form as it were the backbone of America," writes Gould, in the valuable introduction to his magnificent work on the "TrochilidÆ," "at remarkably short intervals occur species of this family of birds of the greatest possible beauty, which are not only specifically but generically distinct from each other. Abundant as the species may be towards the northern and southern portions of the great chain of mountains, they vastly increase in number as we approach the equator. The equatorial regions teem with species and even genera that are not found elsewhere. Between the snow-line of the summit of the towering volcanoes and their bases many zones of temperature occur, each of which has it own especial animal and vegetable life. The Alpine region has its flora, accompanied by insects especially adapted to such situations; and attendant on these are peculiar forms of Humming Birds, which never descend to the hot valleys, and scarcely even to the cooler and more temperate paramos. Many of the higher zones of extinct and existing volcanoes have their own fauna and flora, even in the interior walls of ancient craters, wherever vegetation has gained a footing. Some species of Humming Birds have there, and there only, as yet been discovered. It is the exploration of such situations that has led to the acquisition of so many additional species of this family of birds, which now reach to more than 400. From Santa FÉ de Bogota alone many thousands of skins are annually sent to London and Paris. The Indians readily learn the art of preserving them, and as a certain amount of emolument attends the collecting of these objects they often traverse great distances for the purpose of procuring them. Districts stretching more than 100 miles away from Bogota are strictly searched, and hence it is that from these places alone we receive no less than seventy species belonging to this family. In like manner the residents of many parts of Brazil employ their slaves in preparing their skins for the European markets, and many thousands are annually sent from Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, and Pernambuco; the inmates of convents are also supplied with many of the more richly-coloured species for the manufacture of feather flowers. How numerous then must these birds be in their native wilds; and how wonderfully must they keep in check the peculiar kind of insect life upon which they feed!" In disposition the Humming Birds exhibit a fearlessness and courage quite out of proportion to the delicacy of their structure, and we might cite many instances of the fierce encounters in which they sometimes engage; we must, however, confine ourselves to an extract from Gosse's interesting little book on the birds of Jamaica. "The pugnacity of the Humming Bird has been often spoken of; two of the same species can scarcely suck flowers from the same bush without a rencontre. I once witnessed a combat between two which was prosecuted with much pertinacity, and protracted to an unusual length. It was in the month of April at Phoenix Park, near Savannah-la-Mer. In the garden were two trees of the kind called Malay apple, one of which was but a yard or two from my window. The genial influence of According to Gosse, the Vervain Humming Bird is the only species endowed with a song; this bird warbles very weakly but sweetly for ten minutes at a time during the spring months. The other members of this family at most indulge in a sharp shrill chirp, as they flit from one flower to another. The GIANT GNOMES (Eustephanus), the largest members of the family, are not conspicuous for the gaiety of their plumage. The structure of their long beak varies considerably; the foot is of moderate size; the wings either long and slender or broad and short; the tail, which is of medium length, is forked at its extremity. THE GIANT HUMMING BIRD. The GIANT HUMMING BIRD (Patagona gigas) is pale brown shaded with green on the upper portions of the body; the wings are greyish yellow; the head, upper breast, and back are marked with dark undulating lines; the wings and tail-feathers are dark brown, the latter enlivened by a green gloss. This species is two inches long. The Giant Humming Bird inhabits the southern parts of Western America, appearing also in the "Like others of its family," says Darwin, "it moves from place to place with a rapidity which may be compared to that of the syrphus among dipterous insects, or sphinxes among moths; but whilst hovering over a flower it flaps its wings with a very slow and powerful movement, totally different from that vibrating one common to most of the species which produces the humming noise. I never saw any other bird whose force of wing appeared (as in a butterfly) so powerful in proportion to the weight of its body. When hovering by a flower its tail is constantly expanded and shut, like a fan, the body being kept in a nearly vertical position. This action seems to steady and support the bird between the slow movements of its wings." THE GIANT HUMMING BIRD (Patagona gigas). "This largest of all Humming Birds," observes Gould, "is said to be a bold and vigorous flier, to be quick in all its actions, and to pass from flower to flower with the greatest rapidity; notwithstanding the breadth and volume of its wings, which would seem to be far better adapted for lengthened and continuous progress than for poising in the air, which the bird is in the constant habit of doing while visiting, with little choice, the summer flowers of the forest. It is stated that, unlike the other members of the family, it may frequently be seen perched on some small tree or shrub." Mr. Cumming states that in Chili the Patagona gigas is strictly migratory; it arrives from the THE SWORD-BILL HUMMING BIRD (Docimastes ensifer). THE SWORD-BILL HUMMING BIRD. The SWORD-BILL HUMMING BIRD (Docimastes ensifer) cannot possibly be mistaken for any other species, owing to the extraordinary size of the slightly-curved beak, which fully equals the entire body in length; the wing is short and broad, and the very decidedly forked tail of medium size. The entire mantle is of a beautiful mineral green; the head copper-red; the throat, centre of breast, and under side of a greenish bronze, which shades into light green at the sides. A small The GNOMES (Polytmus) are moderately large and powerfully built birds, with strong, medium-sized, and more or less curved beaks; the foot is furnished with short toes and long claws; the wings are slightly curved; the broad tail, which is scarcely longer than the closed pinion, has its two exterior feathers much shortened. The plumage is not remarkable for its brilliancy, being usually of a greenish or brownish shade above, and brown variously spotted beneath; the outer tail-feathers have light tips; the sexes are almost alike in colour. THE SAW-BILL. The SAW-BILL (Grypus nÆvius) is at once recognisable by its straight, powerful beak, which rises high at its base, and is twice the length of the head, and by its broad tail, the two outer feathers of which are short. Upon the back the plumage is of a pale metallic green, glowing with a reddish lustre; the brow and crown of head are dark brown; all the feathers on the mantle, except those on the wing-covers, are edged with reddish yellow; the sides of the neck are yellowish red; a narrow line that passes along the throat, the breast, belly, and rump are yellowish white, each feather striped with black; another pale reddish yellow line passes over the eyes; the quills are black, those at the exterior enlivened by a violet gloss; the centre tail-feathers are green and the outermost reddish yellow; the eye is dark brown; the upper mandible black, and the lower yellowish white; the foot is flesh-pink. The body is five inches and three-quarters long; the wing measures three inches, and the tail one inch and a half. "The Grypus nÆvius," says M. Deyrolle, "is common in all the provinces of Santa Caterina, in Brazil, but is more frequently met with in woody situations than elsewhere. Its flight is exceedingly noisy, very vigorous, and capable of being sustained for a great length of time, the bird rarely alighting. Its cry is so loud and piercing as to be heard above everything else, while it flutters round the flowers of various species of orchids, from which it obtains its principal nourishment." "In all probability," says Gould, "the serrations with which the cutting edges of both mandibles of this bird are furnished are expressly provided to enable it to capture with facility some peculiar kinds of insect food; perhaps spiders and small coleoptera. The nest sent to me by Mr. Reeves is precisely similar in size, form, and situation to those constructed by the members of the genus PhaËtornis, being of a lengthened, pointed form, composed of fine vegetable fibres and mosses, intermingled with which, especially on the lower part, are portions of dead leaves and pieces of lichen attached to the extremities of the leaves of apparently a species of palm." The velocity with which these Humming Birds glance through the air is extraordinary, and so rapid is the vibration of their wings, that their movement eludes the sight; when hovering before a flower, they seem suspended as if by some magic power. THE SICKLE-BILLED HUMMING BIRD. The SICKLE-BILLED HUMMING BIRD (Eutoxeres aquila) principally differs from its congeners in the sickle-shaped formation of its powerful beak and its conical tail. In this species the back is of a glossy greyish green; the head and a small crest by which it is adorned are brownish black, these feathers and those upon the rump being edged with brown; the under side is brownish black, marked on the throat with greyish yellow and on the breast with white spots; the quills are purplish brown, the exterior secondaries tipped with white. "It is evident," says Gould, "that the bill of this very rare and singular Humming Bird is adapted for some especial purpose, and we may readily infer that it has been expressly formed to enable this species to obtain its food from the deep and remarkably-shaped blossoms of the various orchidaceous and other plants, with curved, tubular flowers, so abundant in the country the bird inhabits, and for exploring which a bill of any other form would be useless." At present nothing is known of its habits. The SUN BIRDS (PhaËtornis) have a large, long head and slightly-curved beak. Their foot is small and delicate, with partially feathered tarsus and formidable claws; the tail, in which the centre feathers far exceed the rest in length, is long and conical. The plumage is dull, and the sexes alike in colour, the only difference observable being the formation of the tail. THE CAYENNE HERMIT. The CAYENNE HERMIT (PhaËtornis superciliosus) is about seven inches long; the wing measures two inches and one-third, and the tail two inches and two thirds. In this species the mantle is of a pure metallic green, and the under side reddish grey; the feathers on the back have reddish yellow borders; a pale reddish yellow line passes above and below the eye; the quills are brown, shaded with violet; the centre tail-feathers, which are twice the length of those at the sides, are of a dull metallic green, shading into black towards the white tip, and edged with reddish yellow; the upper mandible is black, and the lower half of the under one pale yellow; the feet are flesh-pink. The female has quieter plumage and a shorter tail; the latter is but slightly wedge-shaped, and fully two inches less than that of her mate. "The PhaËtornis superciliosus," says Gould, "is one of the commonest species of the genus, examples having been sent to Europe for at least the last hundred years. Its native countries are Guiana, Cayenne, and Surinam; its range is known to extend towards Brazil, as far as the confluence of the Amazon, but, as I believe, does not advance farther south than Bahia. Open trails covered with shrub or brushwood are the localities it most frequents." Wallace gives the following graphic description of the movements of the PhaËtornis and some nearly-allied species:—"I have distinctly observed them visit in rapid succession every leaf and flower on a branch, balancing themselves vertically in the air, passing their beak closely over the under surface of each leaf, and thus capturing any small insect that might be upon them. While doing this the two long feathers of their tail have a vibratory motion, serving apparently as a rudder to assist them in performing the delicate operation. I have seen others searching up and down stems and dead sticks in the same manner, every now and then picking off an insect, exactly as a Bush Shrike or Tree Creeper does"—with this exception, that the Humming Bird is constantly on the wing. They also capture insects in the true Fissirostral manner, and may often be seen perched on the dead twig of a lofty tree, the same station that is chosen by the Tyrant Flycatchers and Jacamars, and from which, like those birds, they dart off a short distance, and, after a few whirls and balancings, return THE SICKLE-BILLED HUMMING BIRD (Eutoxeres aquila). The MOUNTAIN NYMPHS (Oreotrochilus) are at once recognisable by the very peculiar formation of the wings, in which the shafts of the exterior quills are remarkably broad. The strong, high beak is of medium size, and the short tail almost straight at its extremity, only the outer feathers being slightly rounded. The magnificently-coloured and glossy plumage is blue or green upon the mantle, and of a lighter shade on the under side; the region of the throat is usually edged with the most glowing tints, and the exterior tail-feathers are often white. The sexes vary considerably in their coloration. THE CHIMBORAZIAN HILL-STAR. The CHIMBORAZIAN HILL-STAR (Oreotrochilus Chimborazo), one of the most magnificent members of this group, has a powerful body, long, thin, and slightly-curved beak, moderate-sized but strong wings, a broad rounded tail, formed of pointed feathers, and powerful feet, partially covered with down. The sexes differ considerably in appearance. The male is of a resplendent violet on the THE CHIMBORAZIAN HILL-STAR (Oreotrochilus Chimborazo). "This beautiful species," says M. Jules Bourcier, "is exclusively confined to the volcanic mountain, Chimborazo. Here, at an altitude where vegetation ceases, and near the eternal snows, it loves to dwell, the height of its range appearing to be governed by that of the chuquiraga, its favourite shrub, the flowers of which afford it an abundance of nectarian and insect food. It is solitary in its habits, and so pugnacious that it immediately offers battle to intruders on its haunts. The male perches on the extremity of the most elevated branch, and is rarely found near the female, which, unlike her mate, invariably perches near the ground, a circumstance that, combined with her The SABRE-WINGS (Campylopterus) are at once recognisable from the peculiar shape of the wing, which is broad, with the anterior quills strongly curved, their shafts, in adult birds, becoming suddenly dilated. The tail is large and blunt or broadly rounded at the end, and the powerful beak, which is half as long again as the head, but slightly curved, compressed at its sides, and broader than it is high. The legs are delicate, and the claws long. DE LATTREI'S SABRE-WING. DE LATTREI'S SABRE-WING (Campylopterus hemileucurus or Campylopterus De Lattrei) is of a deep blueish black on the head; the wing-covers, back, and rump are green; the quills dark purplish brown; the tail-feathers blueish black, shaded with green; a small white spot is placed above the dark eye; the beak is black, the foot dark brown. The head of the female is bronze-colour, the rest of the mantle glossy green, with a golden shade; the region of the throat and sides of the breast are greenish blue, and the under side grey, with a greenish gloss. This gaily-tinted bird inhabits Mexico and Central America. "Of all the members of the genus," says Gould, "this species is by far the largest and the most beautifully coloured. It is said to be the boldest of its race, and to be so extremely pugnacious that every bird venturing into the neighbourhood of its territory is furiously attacked and driven away. This peculiar feature in the habits of the race explains the use of the broad and powerful shafts of the primaries, which form so conspicuous a character in the males of the Campylopterus. This bird is strictly a Mexican or Central American species. M. de Lattrei, to whom we are indebted for its discovery, states that it is found in the forests of Jalapa during two months of the year only, that it is known by the name of the 'Luce-fleur-royal,' and that it feeds during the entire day, instead of during any particular hours. He adds that it selects a flowering shrub, which it never quits, and from which it chases with anger all the species of the family that may seem desirous of approaching it. On taking flight it utters a cry." "The large showy tail of this Humming Bird," says Mr. Salvin, "makes it one of the most conspicuous when on the wing. The females are especially abundant, their ratio to the males being as five to two." "This beautiful bird," says M. Montes de Oca, "which is generally known in Mexico by the name of the Royal Blue Myrtle-sucker, arrives in the vicinity of Jalapa, Coantepec, and Orizaba in considerable numbers during the months of October and November, and is mostly found feeding from a plant called marapan between the hours of seven and one o'clock. During this time it is seldom seen to alight, and then only for a very short time, but is constantly on the wing, flitting from flower to flower, describing segments of a circle in its flight, and sometimes almost touching the ground. For the remainder of the day very few are to be seen, and I think it probable that they visit the woods for certain kinds of mosquitoes, with which I have often found their stomachs well filled. The pugnacity of this species is very remarkable; it is very seldom that two males meet without an aËrial battle. The contest commences with a sharp, choleric shriek, after which, with dilated throats, the feathers of the whole of their bodies erected on end, and their tails outspread, they begin to fight with their bills and wings; the least powerful soon falls to the ground or flies away. The TRUE SABRE-WINGS (Platystylopterus) are recognisable by their comparatively great size and strength, and the unusual development of the shafts of the exterior quills; the tail is straight at its extremity; the beak short and powerful, and almost straight. THE FAWN-COLOURED SABRE-WING. The FAWN-COLOURED SABRE-WING (Platystylopterus rufus) is about five inches and a half long, and seven broad. In this species the mantle and central tail-feathers are of a bronze-like green, the under side brownish yellow, and the exterior tail-feathers brownish yellow with a black spot near the tip. This bird is an inhabitant of Guatemala. We are entirely without particulars as to its life and habits. The JEWEL HUMMING BIRDS (Hypophania) have a powerful and slightly-curved beak and small foot, in some instances covered with down; the wing, which somewhat resembles that of the Oreotrochilus, is sometimes short, sometimes long; in the otherwise short tail two of the feathers are generally much prolonged. THE CRIMSON TOPAZ HUMMING BIRD. The CRIMSONV TOPAZ HUMMING BIRD (Topaza pella), one of the most splendid species of this highly bedizened group, has the crown of the head and a line about the throat of velvety blackness; the rump is copper-colour, shading into rich deep red, and glistening with a golden light; the wing-covers are green; the throat is golden in some lights, emerald-green in others, glancing with the yellow radiance of the topaz; the quills are reddish brown; the centre tail-feathers, which project three inches beyond the rest, are chestnut-brown, and those at the exterior reddish brown. The female is principally of a greenish hue, with a red throat, and is far less resplendent than her mate. The length of this bird, including the long tail-feathers, exceeds eight inches. We learn from Gould that Cayenne, Trinidad, Surinam, and the fluviatile regions of the Lower Amazon are the native habitat of this gorgeous species, which may be regarded, not only as one of the gems of ornithology, but as one of the most beautifully-adorned species of the Trochilida. Mr. Waterton thus describes the Crimson Topaz in his "Wanderings:" "One species alone never shows his beauty to the sun; and were it not for his lovely shining colours you might almost be tempted to class him with the Goatsuckers, on account of his habits. He is the largest of all the Humming Birds, and is all red and changing gold-green, except the head, which is black. He has two long feathers in the tail, which cross each other, and these have gained him from the Indians the name 'Karabinite,' or 'Ara Humming Bird.' You never find him on the coast, or where the river is salt, or in the heart of the forest, unless fresh water be there. He keeps close by the side of woody fresh water rivers and dark lonely creeks; he leaves his retreat before sunrise to feed on the insects near the water; he returns to it as soon as the sun's rays cause a glare of light; he is sedentary all day long, but comes out again for a short time after sunset." The nest, represented in our woodcut, is deeply cup-shaped, the walls exceedingly thin, and the whole structure composed apparently of fragments of a species of fungus, very much resembling German tinder, bound together by cobwebs or some similar material. The two white eggs are about five-eighths of an inch in length. THE BLACK-CAPPED HUMMING BIRD. The BLACK-CAPPED HUMMING BIRD (Aithurus polytmus) has a short, slightly-forked tail, the two outer feathers of which are prolonged six inches beyond the rest. The male has a long tuft over each ear, and is velvety black on the crown of the head; the mantle is green; the under side glossy emerald-green, shading into blueish black on the belly and tail-covers; the quills are purplish black; the tail-feathers deep black, with a greenish shade towards the roots; the eye is deep brown, the beak bright red, tipped with black, and the foot brown; the male is ten inches long, and six broad; his wing measures two inches and three-quarters, and his tail seven inches and a quarter. The female, whose length does not exceed four inches and a half, with wings two inches and a quarter, and the tail one inch and seven-eighths long, is of a copper-green on the mantle, and white beneath; her sides are spotted with green. THE CRIMSON TOPAZ HUMMING BIRD (Topaza pella). "This Humming Bird," says Mr. Gosse, "is the gem of Jamaican ornithology. Its slender form, velvet crest, emerald bosom, and lengthened tail-plumes render it one of the most elegant members of its truly brilliant family. It is a permanent resident in Jamaica, and is not uncommonly seen at all seasons and in all situations. It loves to frequent the margins of roadsides, where it sucks the blossoms of the trees, occasionally descending, however, to the lower shrubs; and is abundant on the summits of the range of mountains known as the Bluefield Ridge. Behind these peaks, which The nests, which are most numerous in June, are placed in a great variety of situations; that described by Mr. Gosse was "principally composed of silk-cotton, very closely pressed, mixed with the still more glossy cotton of an asclepias, particularly round the edge, the seeds remaining attached to some of the filaments. On the outside the whole structure is quite covered with spiders' webs, crossed and recrossed in every direction, and made to adhere by some viscous substance, evidently applied after the web was placed, probably saliva. Little bits of pale green lichen and fragments of thin laminated bark are stuck here and there on the outside, by means of the webs having been passed over them. The whole forms a very compact cup, one inch and three-quarters deep without, and The WOOD-NYMPHS (Lampornis) possess a straight or moderately-curved beak, which is broad at its base and incised at its extremity; the long toes are armed with short, high, and very decidedly-hooked claws; the wings are slender, and the tail broad, rounded or slightly incised at its extremity. The sexes vary considerably in their coloration. THE MANGO HUMMING BIRD. The MANGO HUMMING BIRD (Lampornis mango) represents a group recognisable by their long, flat, broad, and curved beak, and by their short, rounded tail. In this species, which is about four inches and three-quarters long and seven inches and a half broad, with wing measuring two inches and three-quarters and tail one inch and a half, the entire mantle is of metallic green, glistening with a bright copper shade; the greyish black quills gleam with violet, and the centre tail-feathers, which are green shaded with red above, are blueish red beneath, and have a brilliant purplish black border; the exterior tail-feathers are entirely blueish red, with a similar edge. The throat, neck, breast, and upper part of the belly are of rich velvety black, shading into steel-blue at the sides; the lower portion of the belly is of copper-green. The beak of the adult is black, that of the young brown, and the foot black. The female is paler than her mate on the mantle, and white striped with black on the under side; her body is four inches and three-quarters long and seven and a half broad; the wing measures two inches and three-quarters and the tail one inch and a half. The Mango, we learn from M. Boucier, though one of the most widely-spread members of its family, is only to be met with in hot localities; and whenever it occurs in the interior of a country, it is invariably in the warmest valleys. In disposition it is wild and quarrelsome, for although it lives in societies, several always being together, it is continually engaged in fighting with its companions and in driving away all other birds that approach the trees in which it is breeding. It inhabits Bolivia, Guiana, and Brazil. The adult does not assume its perfect plumage until the end of the second year, and in the interval passes through so many changes that the variety of appearance it presents has given rise to the various names under which these birds have been described; those obtained in Bolivia are a trifle the largest, and have the bands of green and blue at the sides of the neck a little less brilliant; in fact, the hotter the climate in which they dwell the brighter is their general appearance—the black of the throat is more intense, the green on the back and rump finer, and the violet of the tail more lustrous. The flight of this species is very rapid. Mr. Reeves informs us that in Brazil the Lampornis mango is found in Rio Janeiro, Minos Gerves, St. Paul's, Santa Catherina, and Para. The Mango frequents gardens as well as the forests, and is very common in Rio in some seasons and equally scarce at others. The nest, according to Gould, is a round cup-shaped structure, placed near the extremity of a small horizontal branch, and is composed of any cottony or similar material that may be at hand, bound together with cobwebs, and ornamented with numerous "Wishing to keep one of these birds alive," says Mr. Gosse, "I stationed myself near a blossoming papau-tree, one evening, with a gauze ring-net in my hand, with which I darted at one, and though I missed my aim, the attempt so astonished it that it appeared to have lost its presence of mind, so to speak, flitting hurriedly hither and thither for several seconds before it flew away. The next morning I again took my station, and stood quite still; the net being held up close to an inviting branch of blossoms, the Humming Birds came near in their course round the tree, sipped the surrounding flowers, eyeing the net hanging in the air for a moment near the fatal cluster without touching it, and then, arrow-like, darting away. At length one, after surveying the net, passed again round the tree, and in approaching it the second time, and perceiving the strange object not to have moved, he took courage and began to suck. I quite trembled with hope; in one instant the net was struck, and before I could see anything the rustling of his wings within the gauze told me that the little beauty was a captive. I brought him in triumph to the house and caged him; but he was very restless, clinging to the sides and wires, and fluttering violently about. The next morning, having gone out on an excursion for a few hours, I found the poor bird on my return dying, having beaten himself to death. I never again took this species alive." THE RUBY AND TOPAZ WOOD-NYMPH. The RUBY AND TOPAZ WOOD-NYMPH (Chrysolampis moschita), a most magnificently-adorned Brazilian Humming Bird, is brown on the crown of the head, with a glowing throat of ruby-red, and upper breast irradiated by a tint that can only be compared to the golden glow of sunrise. The wings gleam with a violet light, and the light brown tail has each feather relieved by a black border. The beak and feet are black. The female and young are metallic green above and grey on the under side. This species is four inches long and five broad, the wing measures two inches and the tail one inch and a half. The central part of South America affords a home to this most exquisitely-ornamented little bird. "If any one species of this extensive family be better known than any other," says Gould, "it is undoubtedly the Ruby and Topaz Humming Bird, for it is not only one of the earliest discovered, but its beauty is of such a character as to fix at once the attention of every observer. It is also one of the commonest of the entire group, and plays no inconsiderable part in commerce, as the capturing and preparing specimens, which are sent home by thousands, affords considerable employment to the Brazilian slaves and others in its native country; moreover, in Europe and elsewhere, this species always forms a conspicuous object in the groups of birds arranged under glass shades. But, alas! nothing is known as to its manner of life, for though it has been described for more than a hundred years, and its native country repeatedly visited by enterprising explorers, no one of them has placed on record any details as to its habits. It is said to perch occasionally, and spread its large, rounded tail to the fullest extent, like the Peacock. The cup-shaped nest is also known to be composed of cottony material, and decorated externally with leaves and small patches of lichens." The FLOWER-NYMPHS (Florisugus) are for the most part powerfully formed and large Humming Birds, with a short tail, scarcely exceeding the closed wing in length. The strong beak is not incised, and the sexes differ more or less in their coloration. Some of them appear to be migratory; at least, they would seem to approach the tropic during the colder parts of the year, and to retreat before the returning heat, thus maintaining an equable temperature. THE BRAZILIAN FAIRY. The BRAZILIAN FAIRY (Heliothrix auriculata), a species inhabiting Brazil, has an awl-shaped, delicate beak, small feet, furnished with short, curved claws, long, slender wings, and a long tail, formed of narrow feathers; the tail of the female is composed of broad feathers, and rounded at its extremity. In the adult male, the back and sides of the throat are bright copper-green, with a golden shimmer, and the greyish black quills glow with violet; the under side and three exterior tail-feathers are white, whilst those in the centre of the tail gleam with a steel-blue lustre; a line of velvety black commences beneath the eyes, and passes along the body, expanding as it goes, and gradually merging in a blueish border that surrounds it. The male is six inches and three-quarters long, with a tail of two inches and a half; the body of the female measures four inches and a half, and her tail one inch and seven-twelfths. This beautiful bird is rare in Brazil, and in Guiana is replaced by a very similar species; it has also several representatives in the western parts of South America. "Mr. Reeves," says Gould, "informs me that this elegant bird inhabits Rio de Janeiro and Minos Gerves, but is nowhere very common; that it is not met with in the immediate vicinity of Rio, but that it arrives in Novo Fribourgo in July and remains till September. During its stay it evinces a decided preference for the flowers of the orange-tree, which doubtless afford it an abundant supply of some peculiar and congenial kind of insect food. Its flight is both powerful and rapid. The nest is of somewhat lengthened form, attached to the side of a small twig, and composed of fine, dry, dark brown vegetable fibres, coated externally with small flakes of pale olive and buff-coloured bark. Another example is of a still more elongated shape, attached on one side to a slender vertical twig, and composed of some cottony material, held together externally by cobwebs and patches of grey lichen." The FLOWER-SUCKERS (Florisuga) are distinguishable from the groups above described by the formation of their straight beak, which is flat only at its base, and towards its tip rises so considerably as to be higher than it is broad; the powerful feet are feathered on the tarsi, and armed with slightly-curved claws; the wings are long and slender, and the tail broad. THE PIED JACOBIN. The PIED JACOBIN (Florisuga atra) is almost entirely of a rich velvety black, with the exception of the vent and legs; the wing-covers are of a dull green, shaded with violet; the centre tail-feathers black with a blueish gloss, whilst those at the exterior are white tipped with black. The female is of duller hue, and has the cheeks and often the entire head rust-red; the feathers on her back are edged with yellowish red; the beak is deep black. This species is four inches and a half long; the wing measures two inches and two-thirds, and the tail one inch and a half. "The true, if not the restricted habitat of the Pied Jacobin," says Gould, "is the eastern portion of Brazil, over which it is distributed from Pernambuco on the north to Rio de Janeiro on the south, from which latter locality and Bahia great numbers are sent to Europe." We are without particulars as to its life and habits. The FAIRIES (Trochilus) have a moderate-sized, straight beak, slender, sickle-shaped wings, and very gorgeous plumage, which differs considerably in the two sexes. They are generally seen hovering fairy-like around the blossoms of trees and shrubs, apparently giving the preference to tubular flowers, probably on account of the insects which lurk within them. THE RUBY-THROATED FAIRY HUMMING BIRD. The RUBY-THROATED FAIRY HUMMING BIRD (Trochilus colubris) is easily recognisable by its awl-shaped beak, of medium size, and compressed at its base, its short, slender foot, long, narrow wing, and slightly-forked tail. The mantle and centre tail-feathers are green, enlivened with gold; the sides of the neck, throat, and breast are of a brilliant ruby-red, spotted with black; the rest of the under side is greyish white, intermixed with green; the quills and tail-feathers are purplish brown; the eye dark brown, and the beak and foot black. In the male the entire under side is white, and the three exterior tail-feathers relieved by a white spot. The length of the body is three inches and a half, and the breadth four inches and a quarter. This species is found in all the eastern portions of the United States. THE BRAZILIAN FAIRY (Heliothrix auriculata). This beautiful little bird is pre-eminently migratory in its habits, a great portion of its life being spent in passing from north to south, and vice versÂ. "The Ruby-throated Humming Bird," says Wilson, "makes its first appearance in Georgia, from the south, about the 23rd of March. As it passes on to the northward, as far as the interior of Canada, where it is seen in great numbers, the wonder is excited how so feebly-constructed and delicate a little creature can make its way over such extensive regions of lakes and forests among so many enemies, all its superiors in strength and size; but its very minuteness, the rapidity of its flight, which almost eludes the eye, and its admirable instinct or reason are its guides and protectors. About the 25th of April it usually arrives in Pennsylvania, and about the 11th of May begins to build its nest. This is generally fixed on the upper side of some "This Humming Bird is extremely fond of tubular flowers, and I have often stopped to observe his manoeuvres among the blossoms of the trumpet flower. When arrived before a thicket of these in full bloom, he poises or suspends himself on wing for the space of two or three seconds so steadily that his wings become invisible or only like a mist, and you can plainly distinguish the pupil of his eye looking round with great quickness and circumspection; the glossy golden green of his tail and the fire of his throat dazzling in the sun form altogether a most beautiful appearance. When he alights, which he frequently does, he always prefers the dry twigs of a tree or bush, where he dresses and arranges his plumage with great dexterity. His only note is a single chirp, not louder than that of a small cricket or grasshopper, generally uttered while passing from flower to flower, or when engaged in fight with his fellows; for when two males meet at the same bush or flower a battle instantly takes place, and the combatants ascend in the air, chirping, darting, and circling round each other till the eye is no longer able to follow them—the conqueror, however, generally returns to the place to reap the fruit of his victory. I have seen him attack and, for a few moments, tease the King Bird, and have also seen him in his turn assaulted by a humble bee, which he soon put to flight. "This beautiful and delicate species is extremely susceptible of cold, and if long deprived of the animating influence of the sunbeams droops and soon dies. A very fine male which was brought to me I put into a wire cage, and placed it in a retired, shaded part of the room. After fluttering about for some time, the weather being uncommonly cool, it clung to the wires and seemed in a torpid state for the whole forenoon. No movement of breathing could be perceived on the closest inspection, though at other times this is remarkably observable, the eyes were shut, and when touched with the finger it gave no signs of life or motion. I carried it out into the open air, and placed it directly in the rays of the sun; in a few seconds respiration became very apparent, the bird breathed faster and faster, opened its eyes, and began to look about with as much seeming vivacity as ever. After it had completely recovered it flew off to the top of a pine-tree, where it sat for some time dressing its disordered plumage, and then shot off like a meteor. "The flight of this Humming Bird from flower to flower greatly resembles that of a bee, but is so much more rapid that the latter appears a mere loiterer in comparison with him. He poises himself on wing, while he thrusts his long, slender, tubular tongue into the flowers in search of food. He sometimes enters a room by the window, examines the bouquets of flowers, and has been known to "No sooner," says Audubon, "does the returning sun again introduce the vernal season, and cause millions of plants to expand their leaves and blossoms to his genial beams, than this Humming Bird is seen advancing on fairy wings, carefully visiting every flower-cup, and, like a curious florist, removing from each the injurious insects that would otherwise, ere long, cause their beauteous petals to droop and decay. Poised in the air, it is observed peeping cautiously and with sparkling eye into their innermost recesses, whilst the ethereal motion of the pinions, so rapid and so light, appears to fan and cool the flowers without injury to their fragile texture, and produces a delightful murmuring sound. Its long delicate beak enters the cup of the flower, and the protruded double tongue, delicate, sensitive, and imbued with a glutinous saliva, touches each insect in succession and draws it from its lurking-place to be instantly swallowed. All this is done in a moment, and the bird as it leaves the flower sips so small a portion of its liquid honey that the theft we may suppose is but a benefit to the flower, which is thus relieved from the attacks of its destroyers. The prairie, the fields, the orchards, and the gardens, nay, the deepest shades of the forest, are all visited in their turn, and everywhere the little bird meets with pleasure and with food. Its gorgeous throat in beauty and brilliancy baffles all description. Now it glows with a fiery hue, and again it changes to the deepest velvet-black. The upper parts of its body are of resplendent changing green, and it throws itself through the air with a swiftness and vivacity hardly conceivable; it moves from flower to flower like a gleam of light, upwards and downwards, to the right and to the left. During their migrations they pass through the air in long undulations, raising themselves for some distance at an angle of about 40°, and then falling in a curve; but the smallness of their size precludes the possibility of following them farther than fifty or sixty yards without great difficulty, even with a good glass. They do not alight on the ground, but settle on twigs and branches, where they move sideways in prettily-measured steps, frequently opening and closing their wing, pluming, shaking, and arranging the whole of their apparel with the utmost neatness and activity; they are particularly fond of spreading one wing at a time, and passing each of the quill-feathers through their bill in its full length, when, if the sun be shining, the wing thus plumed is rendered extremely transparent and light. They quit the twig without the slightest difficulty in an instant, and appear to be possessed of superior powers of vision, making directly towards a Marten or Blue Bird when fifty or sixty yards before them, before it seems aware of their approach. Their food consists principally of insects, generally of the coleopterous order, these, together with some equally diminutive flies, being commonly found in their stomachs. The first are procured within the flowers, but many of the latter on the wing. Where is the person," says Audubon, "who, on seeing this lovely little creature moving on humming winglets through the air, suspended as if by magic, flitting from one flower to another with motions as graceful as they are light and airy, pursuing its course and yielding new delight wherever it is seen—where is the person who, on observing this glittering fragment of a rainbow, would not pause, admire, and turn his mind with reverence towards the Almighty Creator, the wonders of whose hand we at every step discover, and of whose sublime conceptions we everywhere observe the manifestation in His admirable system of Creation?" The following very interesting account of the demeanour of this delicate and interesting bird in captivity is given by Gould:—"A Trochilus colubris captured for me by some friends pumped the fluid from a little bottle whenever offered it, and in this manner it lived with me a constant companion for several days, travelling in a little, thin gauze bag, distended with whalebone, and suspended to a button of my coat. It was only necessary for me to take the bottle in my hand to induce it to thrust its spiny bill through the gauze, protrude its lengthened tongue down the neck of the bottle, and pump up the fluid till it was satiated; it would then fly to the bottom of its little home, preen its tail and wing feathers, and seem quite content. "The specimens I brought alive to this country were as docile and fearless as a great moth under similar treatment. The little cage in which they lived was twelve inches long, seven wide, and eight high. In this was placed a diminutive twig, and suspended to the side a glass phial, which I daily supplied with saccharine matter, in the form of sugar or honey and water, with the addition of the yolk of an unboiled egg. Upon this food they appeared to thrive and be happy during the voyage along the seaboard of America and across the Atlantic, until they arrived within the influence of the climate of Europe. The vessel in which I made the passage took a northern course, which carried us over the banks of Newfoundland, and although the cold was rather severe during part of the time, the only effect it appeared to have upon my little pets was to induce a kind of torpidity, from which they were rapidly aroused by placing them in the sunshine, in the bosom, or near a fire. I do assure my readers that I have seen these little creatures cold, stiff, and to all appearance dead, and that from this state they were readily restored by a little attention and removal into light and heat, when they would 'peck up,' flutter their tiny wings, and feast away as if in the best state of health." The AMETHYST HUMMING BIRDS (Calliphlox) have a delicate, pointed beak, exceeding the head in length; the legs are slender and the toes and claws short, the latter much hooked and sharply pointed. The wings are short; the tail of the male, composed of narrow feathers, is forked at its extremity, whilst that of the female is quite straight. THE AMETHYST HUMMING BIRD. The AMETHYST HUMMING BIRD (Calliphlox amethystina) is numerously met with in the interior of Brazil. This resplendent little bird is of a dark metallic green, shaded with pale gold on the back; the neck, cheeks, and throat glow with the brilliant hue of the amethyst, and are divided from the under side by a line of pure white; the breast and belly are blackish grey, shaded with copper-red, the lower tail-covers are light grey, bordered with white, and the quills greyish brown, tinted with violet. The centre tail-feathers are of a metallic green, and those at the exterior greyish brown. The female has a white throat, and her tail edged with reddish yellow; the young resemble their mother. This species is three inches and one-third long and about the same in breadth; the wing measures one inch and a half, the tail of the male one inch and a quarter, while that of the female does not exceed two-thirds of an inch. Plate 23. Cassell's Book of Birds TOPAZA PELLA ____ CRIMSON TOPAZ (Life size) (Gould) According to Mr. Reeves, "the Amethyst inhabits the interior provinces of Bahia, Rio de THE AMETHYST HUMMING BIRD (Calliphlox amethystina). The WOOD-STARS (Calothorax, or Lucifer) are principally distinguishable by the peculiar formation of the male bird's tail, which is much forked, and composed of short, stiff, narrow feathers; in some species the exterior tail-feathers are very short and almost without web. The tail of the female is straight, and her wings of moderate size; the beak is long, thin, and slightly curved. MULSANT'S WOOD-STAR. MULSANT'S WOOD-STAR (Calothorax Mulsanti) is a very beautiful species of Humming Bird, inhabiting Columbia and Bolivia; the male is dark green on the back and sides, with a brilliant gloss; the chin, cheek-stripes, lower part of throat, a streak on the centre of the breast and the belly are white, the chin relieved by a violet sheen. The back of the female is lighter than that of her mate, her under side is white, and the lower tail-covers of brownish red; a line on the sides of the The ELVES (Lophornithes), a most magnificent group of Humming Birds, are recognisable by the remarkable tufts of feathers that adorn, sometimes the head, sometimes the tail of the males of different species. The awl-shaped beak is somewhat flattened at its base; the feet are usually small, the toes short, and the claws long. The plumage of the male is rich and much variegated, while that of the female is very plain. The PLOVER-CRESTS (Cephalolepis) possess a delicate awl-shaped beak, scarcely equalling the head in length; the toes are short, and armed with long thin claws; the wings are short, the tail comparatively long, and composed of broad feathers. The feathers on the head of the male are prolonged into a crest. DE LALAND'S PLOVER-CREST. DE LALAND'S PLOVER-CREST (Cephalolepis Delalandii), a very beautiful species, inhabiting Brazil, is of a pale but very pure metallic green on the back and centre tail-feathers. The crest that adorns the head is bright, light green, becoming darker towards its apex; in old age this plume changes to a steel-blue; the under side is dark grey; a patch that commences at the throat, and covers the breast and centre of the belly, is bright blue; the quills are greyish brown, shaded with violet; the exterior tail-feathers are black, edged with white; the beak is black, and the foot blackish brown. The female and young are without the crest and the blue patch on the breast. The body of this species is three inches and a half long; the wing measures two inches, and the tail one inch. The crest of the male is one inch and two-thirds long. This graceful species of Humming Bird was first discovered by M. Delaland, in the southern portion of Brazil. Mr. Reeves states that it inhabits Rio de Janeiro, Minos Gerves, and Santa Catherina, but he was unaware whether it remains in those provinces all the year or not. "Of the two nests that I possess," says Mr. Gould, "one is of much more lengthened form than the other, but both are composed of the same materials, namely, fine fibrous roots, moss, lichens, and involucres of a composite plant, the whole matted together with spiders' webs of so fine a kind that they are almost imperceptible. Both had been suspended among the slender twigs of a species of banana." The COQUETTES (Lophornis) are remarkable for the magnificent collar that adorns their neck, formed of long, narrow, and most delicately-marked feathers; this collar can be raised or laid back at pleasure. The head is usually embellished by a crest; the awl-shaped beak equals the head in length; the wings are small and slender; the tail is composed of broad, long feathers. THE SPLENDID COQUETTE. The SPLENDID COQUETTE (Lophornis ornata), a very richly-tinted species, inhabiting Guiana, is of a bronze-green on the rump; the crest is brownish red, and a white line passes over the lower part of the back; the region of the face is green, with a most brilliant lustre; the graduated feathers that form the collar are light reddish brown, spotted with glowing green; the quills are deep purplish brown, and the beak flesh-pink, tipped with brown. The female is much paler, and entirely without the crest, collar, and green about the beak—features that so materially enhance the beauty of the male. "This glorious little bird," says Gould, "which is strictly an inhabitant of the lowland districts THE SPLENDID COQUETTE (Lephornis ornata). Mr. Tucker states that "this species frequents the pastures and open places, and visits the flowers of all the small shrubs, but is particularly fond of those of the ipecacuanha plant; and that it is very pugnacious, erecting its crest, throwing out its whiskers, and attacking every Humming Bird that passes within the range of its vision." The AMAZONS (Bellatrix) have a smaller collar and larger crest than the above group. THE ROYAL AMAZON. The ROYAL AMAZON (Bellatrix regina), a beautiful species inhabiting Columbia, closely resembles the bird last described, but with these differences: the rump is a copper-colour and the lower part of the back striped with white; the tail is brown, the quills purplish brown, and the collar emerald green; each of its feathers spotted with red. The crest is formed of long, narrow, bright red feathers, some of which have a deep metallic green spot at the tip. THE HORNED SUN-GEM (Heliactinus cornutus). The SUN-GEMS (Heliactinus) are distinguishable from the above group by the superior length of the tail and crest; the wing is long and slender, the tail much graduated, and formed of narrow, pointed feathers. The beak is longer than the head, and increases slightly in thickness towards its delicate tip. The feet are small, and the claws short and powerful. THE HORNED SUN-GEM. The HORNED SUN-GEM (Heliactinus cornutus) is of a steel-blue on the crown of the head; the collar beautifully shaded, from violet, green, yellow, and orange to red; the throat, neck, and THE WHITE-FOOTED RACKET-TAIL (Steganurus Underwoodii). "The Horned Sun-gem," says Gould, "is an inhabitant of the mountain ranges of Brazil, particularly those of Minos Gerves, and well does this elegant little bird represent in the air the brilliant that is hidden in the deep primitive rocks over which it flies, fairy-like in form and colour; we might easily imagine that one of the jewels had become vivified, and had taken wing." We are told by M. Bourcier that "during the dry season it principally frequents the open country in the neighbourhood of marshes, and obtains its food from the small plants which there abound; during the rainy season it re-enters the woods, where it seeks its food among the various orchids." The SYLPHS (LesbiÆ) are principally distinguished by their long, forked tails. The RACKET-TAILED SYLPHS (Steganurus) have the outer tail-feathers much prolonged, and almost naked except at their extremities, where the barbs are broadly dilated. THE WHITE-FOOTED RACKET-TAIL. The WHITE-FOOTED RACKET-TAIL (Steganurus, or Spathura Underwoodii) is remarkable for the unusual prolongation of the exterior tail-feathers; these are partially denuded of the web, and at the end of the shaft are enlarged into a broad disc; the beak is short and almost straight, and the small tarsus thickly covered with down. The entire mantle, belly, sides, and lower tail-covers are copper-green, the breast and throat brilliant green; the quills are purplish brown, the tail brown, and the disc at the extremity of the exterior feathers black, with a green shade. The length of the male is five inches and a half, the wing measures one inch and three-quarters, and the tail one inch and three-eighths. The female is copper-green on the back, and white, spotted with green, on the under side; the lower tail-covers are brown, and the tail-feathers, which are of almost equal length, are tipped with white. "This species," says Gould, "enjoys a range of habitat over the Columbian Andes from the 3rd to the 10th degree of north latitude, but appears to be confined to the region ranging between 5,000 and 9,000 feet above the level of the ocean; it is abundant in the neighbourhood of Santa FÉ de Bogota, and numerous in Galipan, between La Guayra and the Caraccas. Mr. Dyson informs me that when hovering before a flower the action of its wings is exceedingly rapid, that it produces a loud humming sound, and the large spatules at the end of the outer tail-feathers show very conspicuously, being kept in continual motion by the rapid movements of the bird, and the repeated closing and expanding of its tail; its white-booted legs are equally noticeable. It is strictly an inhabitant of the hills, and loves to examine the flowers growing in the open passes and glades of the forest for its insect food, which it procures from the highest trees, as well as from branches near the ground. During its flight, it passes through the air with arrow-like swiftness, the tail being carried in a horizontal position." Mr. Gosse gives the following interesting account of one of the many attempts he made to rear two young males of this beautiful species. The subjects of this experiment were not confined in a cage, but kept in a room with doors and windows close shut. "They were lively, but not wild; playful towards each other, and tame with respect to myself, sitting unrestrained for several seconds at a time on my finger. I collected a few flowers, and placed them in a vase on a high shelf, and to these they resorted immediately; but I soon found that they paid attention to none but Asclepias corrassavica. On this, I again went out and gathered a large bunch of asclepias, and was pleased to observe that on the moment of my entering the room one flew to the nosegay and sucked while I held it in my hand. The other soon followed; and then both these lovely creatures were buzzing together within an inch of my face, probing the flowers so eagerly as to allow their bodies to be touched without alarm. These flowers being placed in another glass, they visited each bouquet in turn, now and then flying after each other playfully through the room, or alighting on various objects. Although they occasionally flew against the window, they did not flutter and beat themselves at it; but seemed well content with their lot. As they flew I repeatedly heard them snap their beaks, at which time they doubtless caught minute flies. After some time, one of them suddenly sank down into one corner, and on being taken up seemed dying; it lingered awhile and died. The other continued his vivacity. Perceiving that he exhausted the flowers, I prepared a tube, made of the barrel of a goose-quill, which I inserted into the cork of a bottle, to secure its steadiness and upright position, and filled it with juice of sugar-cane. I then took a large Ipomea, and having cut off the bottom, slipped the flower over the tube so that the quill took the place of the nectary of the flower. The bird flew to it in "Another male that I kept became so familiar, even before I had had him for a day, as to fly to my face, and, perching on my lip or chin, thrust his beak into my mouth and suck up the moisture. He grew so bold and so frequent in his visits as at length to become almost annoying, and so pertinacious as to thrust his protruded tongue into all parts of my mouth, searching between the gum and cheek or beneath the tongue. Occasionally I gratified him by taking into my mouth a little of the syrup, and inviting him by a slight sound which he had learnt to understand. This bird and his companions in captivity early selected his own place for perching, without invading his neighbours'. So strong was this predilection, that on my driving one away from his spot he would flutter round the room, but try to alight there again, and if still prevented would hover near the place as if much distressed. The boldest of these birds was rather pugnacious, occasionally attacking one of his gentler and more confiding companions, who always yielded and fled. After a day or two, however, the persecuted one plucked up courage, and actually played the tyrant in his turn, interdicting his playfellow from sipping at the sweetened cup. Twenty times in succession would the thirsty bird drop down upon the wing to the glass, which stood at the edge of a table immediately beneath that part of a line where both were wont to perch; but no sooner was he poised in front, and about to insert his tongue, than the other would dart down with inconceivable swiftness, and wheeling so as to come up beneath him, would drive him from his repast. He might fly to any part of the room unmolested, but an approach to the cup was the signal for an instant assault. The ill-natured fellow himself took long and frequent draughts. "When these birds were accustomed to the room, their vivacity was extreme; as manifested in their upright position and quick turns and glances when sitting, which caused their brilliant breasts to flash out from the darkness into sudden lustrous light, like rich gems; and no less by their startings hither and thither, and their most graceful wheelings and evolutions in the air, so rapid that the eye was frequently baffled in attempting to follow their motions." The COMETS (Sparganura) possess a very remarkably graduated tail, the outer feathers of which are five times as long as those in the centre. THE SAPPHO COMET. The SAPPHO COMET (Sparganura Sappho) is bright scarlet on the back, and of a metallic green on the head and under side; the throat, of a lighter shade, is lustrous, and the lower part of the belly light brown; the quills are purplish brown, the tail-feathers brown, very glossy at the base, "No combination of gorgeous colouring," says Dr. Tschudi, "can exceed that which is presented in the plumage of this Humming Bird, as it appears and disappears like a dazzling flash of coloured light. It haunts the warm, primeval forests, but is still more frequently found in the pure atmosphere of the ceja-girded montÃnas." THE SAPPHO COMET (Sparganura Sappho). "One of the principal summer haunts of this bird," writes M. Bourcier, "is Chuquesaca, in the interior of Bolivia, where it appears when the fruit-trees of the country are in flower, and is met with in the greatest numbers among the flowers of the capulo, a kind of cherry-tree; it also visits the orchards and gardens of the city during the blossoming of the apple-trees. It is by no means shy, and the males are constantly at war, chasing each other with the utmost fury, uttering at the same time a sharp cry, whenever one bird invades another's territory." HUMMING BIRDS. "Soon after the arrival of these birds in Chuquerca," says Bonelli, "the task of incubation commences, and when the summer is over, both the old and young, actuated, as it were, by the same impulse, wend their way southward, to return again when the sun has once more gladdened The MASKED HUMMING BIRDS (Microrhamphi) have a short, straight beak, moderately long and broad wings, and long, forked tail, which occasionally varies in its formation. The head and neck are adorned with peculiar tufts of feathers. THE SHARP-BEARDED MASKED HUMMING BIRD. The SHARP-BEARDED MASKED HUMMING BIRD (Microrhamphus oxypogon).—"I met with this fine species," says M. Linden, "for the first time in August, 1842, while ascending the Sierra Nevada de Merida, the crests of which are the most elevated of the eastern branch of the Columbian Cordilleras. It inhabits the region immediately beneath the line of perpetual congelation, at an elevation of from 12,000 to 13,000 feet above the level of the sea; it appears to be confined to the region between the 8th and 7th degree of north latitude. It occasionally perches on the scattered shrubs of this icy region, but most frequently on the projecting ledges of the rocks near to the snow. Its flight is swift, but very short. When it leaves the spot upon which it has been perched, it launches itself obliquely downwards, uttering, at the same time, a plaintive whistling sound, which is also occasionally uttered when perched; as far as I can recollect, I never heard it produce the humming sound made by several other members of the group, nor does it partake of their joyous spirit and perpetual activity. Its food appears to consist of minute insects, all the specimens we procured having their stomachs filled with small flies." "This bird," says Gould, "is never met with at a less elevation than 9,000 feet. It might be thought that such bleak and inclement situations were ill-adapted for so delicate a structure as that of the Humming Bird; but there and there only does it dwell, while the equally lofty paramas of Bogota are the native locality of the nearly-allied species, Oxypogon Guerini. The minute insects which frequent the Alpine flowers of these districts afford abundance of food to these birds, and their bills are beautifully constructed for searching amongst the flowers in which these are found." THE COLUMBIAN THORNBILL. The COLUMBIAN THORNBILL (Ramphomicron heteropogon) has only the feathers on the neck prolonged; the beak is sharp and pointed; the wings narrow, and of medium length; the broad tail is deeply forked. The entire mantle is of copper-green, the brow deep, rich green; and the long feathers on the throat of a somewhat metallic green in the centre, and orange-red at the roots and edges; the lower belly is greyish white, quills purplish brown, and tail greenish brown. "The high lands of Columbia," says Gould, "from Venezuela to some distance north of Santa The HELMET CRESTS (Oxypogon) have a helmet-shaped crest, broad wings, a straight tail, and lustreless plumage. LINDEN'S HELMET CREST. LINDEN'S HELMET CREST (Oxypogon Lindeni) is of an uniform pale copper-colour on the mantle and under side; a spot on the brow and sides of the head are black; the sides of the throat and the longest crest and neck-feathers are white; the feathers of the tail are brown, with white shafts. The length of this species is five inches and a half: the wing measures three inches, and tail two and a half. Linden first discovered this very striking bird in the Sierra de Morida, in Columbia, where it was living at an elevation of from 12,000 to 13,000 feet above the level of the sea. THE LIGHT-BEAKS (Levirostres). The birds belonging to this order possess in common a moderate-sized or long and sharp beak, which is either quite straight or slightly curved. The legs are extremely small and feeble, rather adapted to a sedentary life than formed for locomotion. The plumage is thick, compact, and usually brilliantly tinted. The BEE-EATERS (Meropes) comprise some of the most beautiful birds inhabiting the Eastern Hemisphere, and present so many peculiarities as to render their identification easy. Their body is very slender; the beak longer than the head, with both mandibles slightly curved, the upper one a trifle longer than the lower; the culmen, margins, and tip are sharp; the short, small foot has three toes, the exterior of which is connected with that in the centre as far as the second joint, whilst the inner toe is not joined to the latter beyond the first joint; the claws are long, hooked, sharp, and furnished with a prominent ridge on the inner side; the wing, in which the second quill exceeds the rest in length, is long and pointed; the tail is long, either straight, forked, or slightly rounded at its extremity; in some species the centre tail-feathers are twice as long as those at the exterior. The brilliantly variegated plumage is short and thick; the sexes are almost alike in colour, and the young acquire the same hues as their parents within the second year. One species of Bee-eater is found in Australia; but with this exception all the members of this group inhabit the Eastern Hemisphere. As regards their general habits, the Bee-eaters nearly resemble the Swallows, and, like them, are to be seen darting through the air when the sun is shining, in active pursuit of the insect hosts. Insects afford these pretty birds their principal means of subsistence, and, as their name implies, they eagerly devour large quantities of bees and wasps. The nests of the Bee-eaters are usually placed near together in holes in the ground or sand, and contain from four to seven pure white eggs. THE COMMON BEE-EATER. The COMMON BEE-EATER (Merops apiaster) (Coloured Plate XXIV.), one of the largest members of this family, is ten inches long and seventeen broad; the wing measures five inches and one-third, and the tail from four inches to four and a quarter. In this species the brow is white, and top of the head green; the nape, sides of the neck, and centre of the wings are chestnut-brown; the back is yellow, with a greenish gloss; the cheek-stripes, which terminate at the back of the neck, and a line around the pale yellow throat are black; the under side and rump are blue or blueish green; the quills grass-green, blue on their outer web, and tipped with black; the tail-feathers are blueish green, shaded with yellow, the long centre pair are also tipped with black; the eye is bright red, the beak black, and the foot of a reddish hue. The Merops apiaster is an occasional visitor to this country, and somewhat resembles the Swallows in its habits. Like them, it captures prey on the wing. It devours bees and wasps in large quantities, and that without experiencing the least inconvenience from their sting, which it probably gets rid of by frequently pressing the body between its mandibles, until the sting is either extracted or rendered harmless. In the island of Crete these birds are caught by boys, by means of a cicada attached to a pin or fish-hook fastened to a long thread. In many parts of Europe the flesh is esteemed as an article of food. The voice of this species is rich and pleasing. "I have had the gratification," says Mr. Thompson, "of seeing the Bee-eater in scenes with which its brilliant plumage was more in harmony than with any in the British Isles. It first excited my admiration when visiting the celebrated grotto of Egeria, near Rome. On approaching the classic spot, several of these birds, in rapid Swift-like flight, swept closely past, uttering their peculiar call, and, with their brilliant colours and graceful form, proved irresistibly attractive. My companions, who, as well as myself, beheld them for the first time, were so greatly struck with the beauty of their plumage, and their bold, sweeping flight, as to term them the presiding deities of the Egerian grotto. Rich as was the spot in historical and poetical associations, it was not less so in pictorial charms. All was in admirable keeping; the picturesque grotto, with its ivy-mantled entrance and gushing spring; the gracefully-reclining, though headless, white marble statue of the nymph; the sides of the grotto covered with the exquisitely-beautiful maiden-hair fern in the richest luxuriance; the wilderness of wild flowers around the exterior attracting the bees on which the Meropses were feeding; and over all the deep blue sky of Rome completing the picture." The sting-bearing hymenoptera undoubtedly constitute the favourite food of these resplendent birds, and to obtain them, not only are the hives of the honey-bee put under requisition, but the nests of wasps, hornets, and humble-bees are ruthlessly robbed of their inhabitants; indeed, it has been frequently observed that when the Bee-eaters have been fortunate enough to find a wasp's nest, they establish their head-quarters in its immediate neighbourhood, and, during a few hours' sojourn, generally contrive to snap up its numerous occupants one after another until none are left. Nor do these insects alone suffer from their voracity; grasshoppers, crickets, dragon-flies, gadflies, beetles, flies, and even gnats are by no means unacceptable prey, in spite of the dense, indigestible armour in which some of them are encased. The nest of the Bee-eater is constructed towards the end of May, the locality selected being generally the sandy or clayey bank of some river, in which it excavates a round hole, from two inches to two inches and a half in diameter, apparently by means of its beak and claws, or perhaps with its claws only; from this external opening the hole extends into the bank in a slightly-inclined direction to a distance of from four to six feet, and terminates in a capacious chamber eight or ten inches long, by four to six inches broad, and three or four inches in height. It is THE BEE-WOLF (Melittotheres nubicus). THE BEE-WOLF. The BEE-WOLF (Melittotheres nubicus) is recognisable from its congeners by its comparatively powerful frame, strong beak, and the great length of its centre tail-feathers. The magnificently-tinted plumage of this beautiful bird is deep red on the back, and rose-pink on the under side; the head, throat, rump, and centre tail-covers are blueish green; the cheek-stripe from the corner of the beak, around the eye to the ear, the tips of the exterior and anterior quills, and the extremities of the centre tail-feathers are black. The eye, like that of all Bee-eaters, is light red, the beak black, and the foot brown. This gorgeous species is thirteen inches and a quarter long, the wing measures five inches and three-quarters, and the outer tail-feathers four inches and one-third; the long centre feathers are seven inches long. The "Bee-wolves" inhabit the eastern coast of Africa, and are very numerous in some parts. Heuglin tells us that in Cordofania he constantly saw them perching on the backs of cattle, and from thence darting down to seize the grasshoppers disturbed by these involuntary assistants as they wander over the plain. THE BRIDLED BEE-EATER. The BRIDLED BEE-EATER (Coccolarynx frenatus), a species inhabiting the forests near the Blue River, possesses a delicate, thin beak, a moderate-sized, straight tail, and most glowing and variegated plumage. The upper portions of the body are green, the under side is reddish brown; the brow green and blue intermixed; the throat scarlet; the belly, rump, and under tail-covers are bright blue; the black cheek-stripe, which passes across the eye, is bordered with blue; the eye is bright red, and the beak and foot black. The length of the body is eight inches; the wing measures three inches and one-third, and the tail three inches and a half. This elegant little bird is very numerous in Central Africa, where it is usually met with in large parties, which rarely fly to any distance above the tree-tops in pursuit of their insect fare, and seize their prey more after the manner of the Flycatchers than of the Swallows. According to our own observations, these birds appear to remain for months together in the vicinity of their settlements of nests. During the Christmas of 1850, whilst anchored in the Blue River, we found at least sixty of the holes employed as nests by this species excavated in a clay bank on the shore; the whole number occupying a space not exceeding thirty-six square feet, and so close together that the entrances were not more than five or six inches apart. The passages to the nest-holes were about an inch and a half in diameter, and from three to four feet deep, terminating in a chamber from six to eight inches long, by four or six broad, and two and a half to three inches high. We found neither building materials nor eggs in these holes, although the birds were constantly creeping in and out of them. THE SWALLOW BEE-EATER. The SWALLOW BEE-EATER (Melittophagus hirundinaceus), another species inhabiting Africa, differs from the birds above described in the formation of its very deeply forked tail. The mantle is glossy yellowish green, the lower part of the back and tail being of a somewhat deeper shade; the under side is light green; the throat saffron yellow, and divided from the breast by a line of rich ultramarine blue; the vent and a line that passes from the nostrils over the eyes are deep blue; the cheek-stripes are black. The body of this species is eight inches and a quarter long; the wing measures three inches and a half, and the tail four inches and one-sixth. Le Vaillant, who discovered this beautiful bird in Southern Africa, tells us that it lives in pairs till after the period of incubation, when old and young associate in small parties, previous to the season of migration; they then assemble in very large flocks. The nest resembles those of other Bee-eaters. The eggs, six or seven in number, have a blueish-white shell. We also learn from Vaillant that this brilliant creature exhales a very agreeable odour, resembling the perfume of a fragrant flower. THE AUSTRALIAN BEE-EATER. The AUSTRALIAN BEE-EATER (CosmÄerops ornatus) has the back, a line over the eye, and the wing-coverts brownish green; the crown of the head and the nape orange; the wings orange-brown, shading into green at the extremity of the primaries, and tipped with black; the lower part of the back, the rump, and upper tail-covers are cerulean blue, and the tail black, most of its feathers edged with blue; the bridle and a line beneath and behind the eye and ear-coverts are velvety black, beneath this is a line of light blue; the throat is rich yellow, shading into orange at its sides; below The Australian Bee-eater, according to Gould, arrives in New South Wales in August, and departs north in March, during which interval it breeds and rears its young. "Its favourite resorts," says Gould, "are the open, arid, and thinly-timbered forests during the day, and in the evening the banks and sides of rivers, where numbers may be frequently seen in company. It almost invariably selects a dead or leafless branch whereon to perch, and from which it darts forth to capture passing insects, after the manner of the Kingfishers, to which it also assimilates in the upright position it assumes while perched. Its flight somewhat resembles that of the Artami; and though it is capable of being sustained for a lengthened time, the bird more frequently prefers short excursions, and returns to the branch it left. The entrance to the breeding-hole, which is made in the sandy banks of a river, is about the size of a mouse's hole, and continued for a yard in depth. At the end is an excavation of sufficient size for the reception of the parent and the deposition on the sand of four or five beautiful white eggs. The food of this species consists of various insects, principally coleoptera and neuroptera." The NOCTURNAL BEE-EATERS (Nyctiornis), a group of Indian Bee-eaters, are recognisable by their strong, curved, and moderately-long beak, almost straight and medium-sized wing, in which the fourth quill exceeds the rest in length. The rich, soft plumage takes the form of very peculiar stiff feathers in the region of the throat and breast. THE SANGROK. The SANGROK (Nyctiornis Athertonii) is bright green on the mantle, and of a creamy yellow on the under side; the feathers on the crown of the head and chin, and the edges of the dark blueish green neck-feathers are light blueish green; the eye is deep yellow; the beak lead grey, tipped with black; and the feet deep green. This bird is fourteen inches long, and eighteen broad; the wing measures five inches and a half, and the tail six inches. We learn from Hodgson and Jerdon that the Sangrok occupies the extensive forests of India to an altitude of three or four thousand feet above the sea, and that it leads a solitary life among the trees, from and around the branches of which it obtains the bees, wasps, beetles, and grasshoppers that constitute its principal food. The cry of this species is loud and harsh. According to the natives its eggs are deposited in holes of trees. The ROLLERS (Coracii) are a race of tolerably large birds, for the most part remarkable on account of the variety of their colours, and the splendour of their plumage. All of them belong to the Eastern Hemisphere. As the leading features whereby this group is distinguished, we may enumerate their moderate-sized, or moderately long beak, which is strong and nearly straight, somewhat broad at its base, but compressed towards the tip, sharp-cutting at the edges, and bent down at the point; the legs are short and feeble, and the toes short. The wings are of moderate length, or long and tolerably broad. The tail is of medium length, sometimes truncate at its extremity, sometimes slightly rounded, and sometimes forked; occasionally, moreover, the two outer feathers are much longer than the rest. The plumage is somewhat harsh and rough, and the shafts of the feathers stiff. The predominant colours are green, blue, cinnamon-brown, and claret-red. The sexes differ but little, and the young very much resemble their parents. THE AUSTRALIAN BEE-EATER (CosmÄerops ornatus). These birds generally inhabit dry, flat country, and are met with extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, but are scarce in Australia. Their usual residence is some solitary tree or high rock from which they can command an extensive field of vision, and in the holes and clefts of which they can build their nests. In such places they may generally be seen on the look-out for insects, which they catch and devour much in the same way as the Bee-eaters; at times they will dart down upon some poor mouse that happens to approach them too nearly, and occasionally they will snap up a lizard or other small game of that description, and will plunder a bird's nest in order to devour the young; but although they thus generally live on animal food, at certain seasons they have no objection to a vegetable diet, and will eat fruit. The flesh of some species is palatable, and they are consequently much sought after in some countries, either as food or on account of the beauty of their feathers. THE BLUE ROLLER. The BLUE ROLLER (Coracias garrulus), a species exhibiting the principal characteristics of the above family, has a strong, straight beak of moderate size, broad at its base, slightly curved at the culmen, and hooked at its tip; the tarsus is shorter than the middle toe, the second wing-quill is longer than the rest, and the tail straight at its extremity. A brilliant metallic green predominates in the magnificently-coloured plumage; the back is bright cinnamon-brown, the brow and chin are whitish, the quills are indigo blue above and ultramarine blue beneath, the feathers on the small THE BLUE ROLLER (Coracias garrulus). The Blue Roller inhabits the whole of Europe as far north as Scandinavia, and visits the northern half of the continent of Africa, as also many parts of India during its migrations. In our own country it seems studiously to avoid the vicinity of man; but in more southern regions it is less shy, and consequently more easily made the subject of observation. In its disposition it is exceedingly restless and flighty, and when not restricted, as it is during the brooding season, to a particular locality, it may be seen flying all over the district, sweeping all day long from one tree to another, or perching upon the extremity of some withered bough, or peering out from the very top of a dead tree watching for the approach of prey. In cloudy weather it seems morose and inactive; but during the sunshine it may be seen disporting itself in the air as though in play, ranging round and round, and performing a variety of strange evolutions. Sometimes, for example, it will rise to a considerable height, and then suddenly tumble head over heels down towards the ground, whence it again mounts with toilsome efforts, or, with pigeon-like flight, urges itself forward by rapidly-repeated strokes of its wings, and as it thus moves about with apparently aimless haste, These birds live principally upon insects, all sorts of which they greedily devour; sometimes they will have no objection to a mouse, or a bird, a lizard, a frog, or any other small animal. It is a very common opinion that the Blue Roller can dispense with water altogether, that it neither drinks it nor uses it for a bath; and truly any one who has seen it, as we have done, in the midst of the arid plains in which it seems to be most at home, will scarcely feel inclined to doubt the possibility of the statement being well founded. The usual nesting-place of this Roller is in some hollow tree, and its nest is usually constructed of roots and straw, lined with hair and feathers; in the south of Europe it not unfrequently builds in rifts and chinks in old walls, or even excavates for itself a hole in the ground, much in the same way as the Bee-eaters. The brood consists of from four to six white and polished eggs. Both sexes co-operate in the work of incubation, and so assiduously do they maintain their post when sitting, that they may be sometimes caught with the hand while upon the nest. The young are fed upon insects and grubs. They soon learn to fly, but remain with their parents, and accompany them in their winter migrations. The DOLLAR BIRDS (Eurystomus) are recognisable by their short, flat beak, which is broad at its sides, rounded at the culmen, and very decidedly hooked; the second wing-quill is the longest; the tail is either short and straight or slightly rounded; the structure of the foot and coloration of the plumage resemble that of the group above described. THE AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR BIRD. The AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR BIRD (Eurystomus Australis, or Pacificus) is of a deep brown on the head and neck, the rest of the mantle being sea-green; the region of the cheek is black; the feathers on the throat a bright green; the secondary quills, roots of the outer web of the primaries, and the outer web of the roots of the tail-feathers, are bright blue; and there is a blueish-white spot on the centre of the wing. The eye is dark brown; the eyelids, beak, and legs are red. The length of this species is ten inches; the wing measures six inches and three-quarters, and the tail three inches and a half. According to Gould, the Dollar Bird appears in New South Wales in the spring, and again retires north as soon as the young are fully grown. On dull days, or at early morning, and in the evening, it is to be seen most actively employed in pursuit of the beetles and other insects on which it subsists. "When engaged in the capture of insects," says Gould, "it usually perches upon the dead, upright branch of a tree growing beside and overhanging water, where it sits very erect, staring all around until a passing insect attracts its notice, when it suddenly darts off, secures its victim, and returns to the same branch; at other times it may constantly be seen on the wing, mostly in THE ORIENTAL DOLLAR BIRD. The ORIENTAL DOLLAR BIRD (Eurystomus Orientalis), a nearly-allied Indian species, we are told, passes a great portion of its time in flying from place to place, and hangs, Woodpecker-like, from the trunks of trees whilst in search of the grubs and insects on which it subsists. The SAW-BILL ROLLERS (Prionites), though in many respects resembling the Blue Rollers, differ from that bird in their superior length of tail and height of tarsus, as well as in the saw-like edges with which the margin of the beak is furnished; the latter is slightly curved, compressed at its sides, and without a hook at its tip; the base of the beak is overgrown with stiff, bristle-like feathers. The wings, in which the fourth or fifth quills are the longest, are short and rounded; the strong, wedge-shaped tail is composed sometimes of ten, sometimes of twelve feathers, placed in pairs of equal length, of which the centre pair are the longest. The plumage is full, soft, and consists of large feathers, thickly covered with down at the roots. The Saw-bill Rollers occupy the woods and forests of South America, and lead a retired life, either alone or in pairs, and far from the abode of man; their cry, which resembles a note from a flute, is most frequently heard in the morning and evening. Insects afford their principal means of subsistence, and these they obtain in a great measure from the surface of the ground. THE MOT-MOT. The MOT-MOT (Prionites momota) is of an olive-green on the back, wing-covers, and legs; the neck, throat, breast, and belly are reddish yellow; the top of the head, cheeks, and bridles black; and the brow and a narrow collar at the back of the head of a brilliant blueish green; the quills are blackish, the secondaries sky-blue on the outer web. The tail, which is composed of twelve feathers, is green above and black beneath; the eye is reddish brown, the beak black, and the foot horn-grey. This species is nineteen inches long; the wing measures six and a half inches, and the tail eleven inches. According to Burmeister, the Mot-mot inhabits the wooded districts in Northern Brazil; and Schomburghk, who found them very numerous in Guiana, had there an opportunity of observing their habits and mode of life. "Shortly before sunrise," says the last-named writer, "the plaintive and melancholy 'hutu, hutu' of the Saw-billed Roller may be heard among the foliage on the outskirts of the forest, announcing the approach of morning. This remarkable bird seems to avoid all well-lighted places; and, although by no means shy, never appears beyond the outskirts of the forest. It will even allow an intruder to come quite close to its perching-place before it flies off to another twig, where, immediately that it has perched itself, it again begins its well-known notes 'hutu, hutu,' accompanying each syllable with a stroke of its tail somewhat after the manner of our own Wagtail." When about to construct its nest, the Mot-mot selects a round or oval depression in the side of some hillock, or other elevated spot; and although the male and female regularly relieve each other at short intervals, the monotonous duty of incubation seems by no means agreeable to either; THE MOT-MOT (Prionites momota). The BROAD-THROATS (Eurylaimus) are small, compact birds, with short, broad beaks, powerful feet, moderate-sized wings, and short or rather long tail. The beak, which is shorter than the head, is broad at its base, slender at the tip, and hooked at its extremity; the gape extends as far as the eyes; the moderate-sized foot has the tarsus a trifle longer than the centre toe, which latter is united with the inner as far as the first joint; the wing, in which the third or fourth quill is the longest, is short and rounded; the tail is usually either rounded or graduated; in some species, however, it is slightly incised; the plumage is of brilliant hues, and the sexes almost alike in colour and markings. These birds inhabit India and the Malay Islands, where they haunt the innermost recesses of deep, dark forests, and carefully avoid the habitations of man. THE SUMATRAN TROWEL-BEAK. The SUMATRAN TROWEL-BEAK (Corydon Sumatranus), a species of the above family inhabiting Sumatra and Borneo, represents a group recognisable by their compact and falcon-like body; short, broad beak, the upper mandible of which almost entirely encloses the lower one; and also by their bare, short, strong feet, armed with long toes; short rounded wings, in which the third or fourth quill exceeds the rest in length; and moderate-sized tail, formed of twelve rounded feathers. The dusky plumage, which is soft and thick, is replaced in the region of the beak by a few short bristles; its colour is principally of a pale black; the entire THE JAVA BROAD-THROAT (Eurylaimus Javanicus). The TRUE BROAD-THROATS (Eurylaimus) are recognisable from the above group by the formation of their beak, which is longer and flatter than that of the last-mentioned species. THE JAVA BROAD-THROAT. The JAVA BROAD-THROAT (Eurylaimus Javanicus) is blackish brown on the upper back, lemon-yellow on its lower portion, and greyish crimson on the under side; a stripe between the shoulders, another on the shoulder-covers, and several patches on the outer webs of the quills are lemon-yellow; the tip of the tail is enlivened by a white line; the beak is glossy black, except at the culmen and margins, which are greyish white; the first is yellowish brown. This bird is eight inches and a half long; the wing measures three inches and five-sixths, and the tail two inches and one-third. According to Raffles, the Java Broad-throat frequents the banks of rivers and the vicinity of water, in search of worms and insects. It makes its nest on a branch overhanging the surface of the water. Helfer informs us that a very similar species occupies the tree-tops in flocks of from thirty to THE RAYA. The RAYA (Psarisomus DalhousiÆ), a representative of the above birds, is recognisable by its moderate-sized, broad beak, which is decidedly curved at its culmen and hooked at its tip. The short wing is slightly rounded, the tail long and graduated, and the plumage brightly tinted; the mantle is bright blue; the top of the head, except a small blue spot, quite black; the brow, cheek-stripes, a small tuft near the ear, the throat, and a narrow band at the nape are saffron-yellow; the entire under side is of a parrot green; the blackish-brown quills have a blue outer web; the tail-feathers are blue above and glossy blackish brown beneath; the eyes brown, and beak green, with a black culmen; the foot is dusky greenish yellow. The length of this species is fourteen inches; the wing measures four inches, and the tail five inches and a half. This beautiful bird inhabits India, and, as Jerdon tells us, is met with in the forests of the Himalayas to a height of 6,000 feet above the sea; those he found were engaged in seeking their insect prey upon the trees, either alone or in pairs. The nest, according to the same author, is a large structure, loosely framed of grass and moss. The eggs, two in number, have a white shell. The TODIES (Todi), a group of American birds, apparently representing the Broad-throats, are remarkable for the very peculiar formation of their beak; and on this account much diversity of opinion has arisen as to the place that should properly be assigned them. All the species with which we are acquainted are small, delicately-built birds, possessing moderate-sized and straight beaks, with both mandibles so flatly compressed that they may literally be described as two thin plates; the margins of the bill are finely incised, and the gape extends as far back as the eyes; the tarsus is slender, and scarcely longer than the middle toe; the toes are unusually long and thin, armed with short, delicate, but very sharp hooked claws; the fourth, fifth, and sixth quills in the short, rounded wings exceed the rest in length; the tail, of moderate length, is broad, and slightly incised. The plumage, which consists of soft, compact feathers, is replaced by bristles in the region of the beak; the tongue, except at its fleshy root, resembles a horny plate, and is as transparent as the barrel of a quill. THE TODY, OR GREEN FLATBILL. The TODY, or GREEN FLAT-BILL (Todus viridis), is of a blueish green on the back, and greyish-white on the under side. The throat and upper breast are bright rose red, and the belly pale yellow; the quills are greyish green; the centre tail-feathers green, and those at the exterior grey; the eye is pale grey, the beak reddish horn-grey above, and bright scarlet beneath; the foot flesh-pink or brownish red. This species is four inches and a quarter long, and six and a half broad; the wing measures one inch and four-fifths, and the tail one inch and a half. The sexes closely resemble each other in the coloration of their plumage. "In all parts of Jamaica," says Gosse, "that I have visited, the Tody is a very common bird. On the summit of Bluefields Mountain, about 3,000 feet above the level of the sea, and particularly where the deserted provision-grounds are overgrown with an almost impenetrable thicket of joint-wood, it is especially abundant. Always conspicuous, from its bright, grass-green coat, and crimson velvet gorget, it is still a very tame bird; yet this seems rather the tameness of indifference than of confidence: it will allow a person to approach very near, and, if disturbed, alight on another twig a few yards distant. We have often captured specimens with an insect-net, and struck them down with a switch; it is not uncommon for the little boys to creep up behind one, and actually to clap "The Green Tody," says Mr. Hill, "is a bird of peculiar structure and habits; he is exclusively an insect-feeder, and burrows in the earth to breed. The subterranean nest is made wherever there is mould easy of excavation; ravines and gullies, whose banks are earthy, and where the water passes rapidly from the surface-soil, are generally selected. The excavation is made by the beak and claws. It is a winding gallery, rounded at the bottom, and terminating in a sufficiently wide lodging, lined with pliant fibres, dry moss, and cotton, placed with much attention to arrangement. Four or five grey, brown-spotted eggs are laid, and the young are fed within the cave till they are full-fledged." The KINGFISHERS (Alcedines) principally frequent the warmer latitudes. The members of this group possess a powerful body, large head, and short or moderate-sized wings and tail, with a very long, straight, and powerful beak, pointed at its extremity; the small foot is furnished with either three or four toes. The plumage is of most brilliant hues, and varies but little in the sexes, or with the age of the bird. All the various species of Kingfishers prefer the vicinity of water; and, where fish is to be found, venture to a very considerable altitude when following mountain-streams. Like all such members THE EUROPEAN KINGFISHER (Alcedo ispida). THE EUROPEAN KINGFISHER. The EUROPEAN KINGFISHER (Alcedo ispida) is recognisable by its long, thin, straight, and powerful beak, which is much compressed at its tip. The foot is small; the centre of the three front toes is connected with the external toe as far as the second, and with the short inner toe to the first joint; the hind toe is very small; the third quill in the short, blunt wing exceeds the rest in length; the tail is formed of twelve small feathers. The thick, compact plumage is very brilliant, with a metallic gloss above, and a silky gloss on the under side. The feathers on the head are prolonged into a crest. As it would be impossible to mistake the European Kingfisher for any other bird, it will This Kingfisher, the only European representative of the above group, is one of the most beautiful of our British birds, and its appearance as it dashes along in the sunshine strikingly brilliant. It is an inhabitant of all parts of Europe, except the extreme north, and is also widely spread over Asia and Africa. This species is always found in the vicinity of water, over which it may be seen shooting along like a little meteor. Its food consists not only of small fishes, but also of aquatic insects and leeches. The appetite of the Kingfisher is voracious, and his manners shy and retiring. Dwelling near sequestered brooks and rivers, he sits for hours together motionless and solitary on some bough overhanging the stream, patiently watching the movements of the smaller fishes which constitute his food, waiting for a favourable moment to dart with the velocity of an arrow upon the first that comes near enough to the surface, and seldom failing in his aim. He returns with it to his former station, on some large stone or branch, where he kills his captive by shifting its position in his bill, so as to grasp it firmly near the tail, and striking its head smartly against the object on which he rests; he then reverses its position and swallows it head foremost; the indigestible parts are afterwards ejected in a manner analogous to that of Owls and other birds of prey. The Kingfisher, however, does not confine himself to this mode of watching in motionless solitude, but should the stream be broad, or no favourable station for espionage present itself, he may be seen poising himself over it at an altitude of ten or fifteen feet, scrutinising the element below for his food, and then plunging upon it with a velocity which often carries him considerably below the surface. For these habits his muscular, wedge-shaped body, increasing gradually from a long, pointed bill, and his sleek plumage, which, whilst it passes freely through the water, is impervious to wet, seem especially to adapt him. His wings are short, but powerful; hence his flight is smooth, even, and exceedingly rapid. Silent, except during the pairing and breeding season, when he occasionally utters a sharp, piercing cry, indicative, perhaps, of attachment, and equally solitary and unsocial in his habits, the Kingfisher dwells alone; seldom consorting with others, or even with his mate, except during the rearing of the young, when both sexes discharge with assiduity the duty of procuring requisite supplies of food. The places selected for incubation are steep and secluded banks, overhanging ponds or rivers, generally at a considerable distance above the surface of the water, and extending two or three feet into the bank. The female, without making a nest, lays five or six eggs, of a beautiful pinky white. As soon as the young are hatched, the parent birds may be seen incessantly passing to and from the hole with food, the ejected remains of which in a short time accumulate around the callow brood. The young do not leave the hole until fully fledged, when, seated on some neighbouring branch, they may be known by their clamorous twitterings as they greet their parents, from whom they impatiently expect supplies of food. They assume at an early age a plumage nearly resembling the adult. The Kingfishers appear to possess habits of partial migration; or, at least in our island, they wander from the interior of the country along the rivers to the coast, and in the autumnal and wintry months frequent the mouths of small rivulets and dykes near the sea. The PURPLE KINGFISHERS (Ceyx), a group inhabiting India, the Malay and Philippine Islands, and New Guinea, are without the inner toe possessed by the European Kingfisher above described. These birds have hitherto been grouped with the Halcyones on account of the broad base of their beak; but the shortness of their wings and tail, and their general habits, fully justify their introduction in this place. THE PURPLE KINGFISHER. The PURPLE KINGFISHER (Ceyx tridactyla), one of the most remarkable members of this family, is of a bright orange, gleaming with peach-colour on the back, and shading from rust-red into chestnut-brown on the neck and sides of breast; the rest of the under side is saffron-yellow. The large wing-covers are deep black, the shoulders and exterior borders of the wings chestnut-brown, the quills blackish brown, with a rust-red edge to the inner web; the tail-feathers are rust-red. This species is five inches long and eight broad; the wing measures two inches and a quarter, and the tail three-quarters of an inch. This beautiful bird is met with over the whole extent of India and Ceylon, but is nowhere numerous. Fish and some of the smaller inhabitants of the water constitute its usual food. The GREY KINGFISHERS (Ceryle) exhibit, in an eminent degree, the admirable skill with which their bodies have been adapted to the situation they are destined to occupy in the great scheme of creation. Although resembling the True Kingfishers in many particulars, their wings are considerably longer and more pointed than in those birds, and far more available as instruments of locomotion; the long, straight beak is compressed at its sides, and pointed at its tip; the almost lustreless plumage is of comparatively sombre hue, and differs more or less in the sexes. Most of the numerous members of this group inhabit America; some few are met with in Asia and Africa, while Europeans may lay claim to one species that may now be regarded as naturalised, on account of the frequency of its visits to our continent. THE GREY KINGFISHER. The GREY KINGFISHER (Ceryle rudis) is chequered blue and white on the mantle, with a white under side, relieved by two black lines upon the breast, and dark spots upon the sides; the top of the head and the cheek-stripes are black, the eyebrows black and white, the white tail-feathers are crossed by a black line near the extremity, the eye and foot are brown, the beak is black. This species is ten inches long and eighteen broad; the wing measures five and the tail three inches. The female has but one black line upon her breast. The Grey Kingfisher is met with in almost every part of Africa, in Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Persia, and, we believe, in India; in Europe, as far as we can ascertain, it has only been seen in Greece and Dalmatia. Unlike the true Kingfisher, this bird exhibits a most social disposition, and prosecutes its search for food in spots constantly frequented not only by cattle, but by man. The chase after fish is sometimes carried on from the top of a post or projecting branch, sometimes while the bird is hovering over water, into which it plunges headlong at the first appearance of a suitable victim, which is borne off to some favourite perch, and there devoured, after (as is frequently the case) it has been struck repeatedly against the branch or post. When in pursuit of food, the Grey Kingfisher flies over the surface of the water with a Falcon-like motion, rising and sinking rapidly through the air, and varying its movements with equal adroitness and grace. During the daytime it is comparatively quiet, but towards evening begins to disport itself in this manner, accompanying its movements by a loud, shrill, monotonous cry. According to our own experience, the breeding season commences in Egypt about March or April. Tristram informs us that the nests made by this bird in Palestine are placed in settlements formed in the steep banks of rivers. Some which he examined had their entrances not more than four inches above the level of the water; each of these entrance-passages was about three inches and a half deep, and led into the actual nest; a few fish-bones and a little grass had been placed to form a bed, on which the eggs The ALCYONS (Halcyones) are at once recognisable from the Kingfishers by the superior development of their wings, their greater breadth of beak, and more powerful feet. The plumage is lax and of brilliant hue, and, in some species, rivals that of any member of the feathered creation in gorgeous beauty. Africa, Southern Asia, Australia, and the islands in their vicinity, afford a home to the numerous and varied members of this group; in America and Europe they are unrepresented. All are more or less inhabitants of woodland districts, and but few exhibit a decided preference for the vicinity of water. Unlike the Kingfisher, the Alcyons are active in their habits, and, when winging their way through the air, equal the Bee-eater in agility and grace. But few move with ease upon the ground, or are capable of obtaining their prey by plunging beneath the water; they usually procure the insects, beetles, and grasshoppers on which they mainly subsist by darting down upon them from a chosen lurking-place among the branches of their favourite trees. Some, we are told, will even attack snakes, while others destroy large numbers of other birds' eggs and young. Such as possess sufficient zeal to obtain a few fish or crabs, exhibit but little skill either in swimming or diving after them. The voice of all is loud and peculiar, and, as far as our own observation goes, their intelligence and senses are not highly developed. Their neatly-constructed nest is usually placed in a tree, or hollow in a stone or in the ground. The eggs are pure white and very glossy. The TREE ALCYONS (Halcyones) are recognisable by their long, straight, broad beak, which in some species turns slightly upwards, their short feet, moderate-sized and rounded wing, with its third quill only a trifle longer than the fourth and fifth, and a comparatively short and rounded tail. THE RED-BREASTED TREE ALCYON. The RED-BREASTED TREE ALCYON (Halcyon rufiventris) is black on the mantle, and reddish brown on the under side; the head, back, and sides of the throat are ash-grey; the lower part of the back, the tail, and a large spot on the wings are of a metallic green; the front of the throat is pure white, the breast dirty white, and the cheek-stripes black. When seen from beneath, the wing is of reddish brown, marked with white, and tipped with black; the under side of the tail is similarly coloured; the eye is brown, the beak and feet red. This species is eight inches and a half long; the wing measures three inches and a half, and the tail two inches and a half. The Halcyon rufiventris is an inhabitant of Western and Central Africa, where, according to our own observations in Eastern Soudan, it principally frequents well-watered and woodland districts, in preference to the scanty growth of brushwood to be found in the vast and arid steppes. The nest usually contains three round, glossy white eggs; these are laid in October or November, and are hatched by the united care of both parents; on the male alone, however, devolves the task of rearing the nestlings. The WOOD ALCYONS (Todiramphus) have the beak still shorter, broader, and more decidedly turned upwards than in the birds last mentioned; the wing is also somewhat larger, and its second quill almost equals the third in length. The various members of this group principally inhabit Australia and the most extensive of the neighbouring islands; whilst in India, although they are occasionally met with, the species are few and comparatively rare. GREY KINGFISHERS (Ceryle rudis). THE YELLOW-HEADED WOOD ALCYON. The YELLOW-HEADED WOOD ALCYON (Todiramphus chlorocephalus), a species inhabiting Java, is of a metallic green on the back, and white on the under side; the cheek-stripes, which pass behind the neck and unite on the back, are black; a spot on the sides of the brow, and a line on the nape, are both dirty white; the eye is yellowish, the upper mandible entirely black, the lower one yellowish white at its base, with black tip. This species is nine inches long; the wing measures four inches and a half, and the tail two inches and three-quarters. THE LAUGHING JACKASS (Paralcyon gigas, or Dacelo gigantea). According to Bernstein, this species is one of the commonest of the birds inhabiting Java; and is to be seen on the banks of every river or streamlet that is not at any great distance from trees, and from a projecting stone or branch patiently spying out the approach of any insect or tiny fish. Its flight is usually accompanied by the repeated utterance of its clear loud cry. The nest consists of a bed of dry leaves and moss placed in a hollow in the ground, protected by an overhanging stone. The three or four eggs have a dull white shell. THE BLUE ALCYON. The BLUE ALCYON (Cyanalcyon Macleayi), one of the most beautiful birds of Australia, is blackish blue on the head, as far as the nape; the mantle is bright blue; the wings and tail are black, shaded with blue; the entire under side of the roots of the primary and secondary quills, a broad band round the throat, and an oval spot behind the nostrils, are white; the iris is dark brown, the beak black, and the tarsus blackish grey. The female is less brightly coloured than her mate, and has an irregular, broken line of white around her throat. This species is seven inches long; the wing measures six inches and one-sixth, and the tail two and a half inches. "This beautiful bird," says Gould, "far surpasses any other Australian Kingfisher in the brilliancy of its plumage. Like the other members of the genus to which it belongs, it is rarely if ever seen near water, and evinces so decided a preference for the open forests of the interior of the country that it has obtained the name of the Bush Kingfisher. It is generally dispersed about in pairs, and feeds on small reptiles, insects, and their larvÆ. Its usual note is a loud "pee-pee," uttered with considerable rapidity. It incubates in November and December, sometimes forming its nest in the hollow trunks of trees, and at others excavating for itself a hole in the nest of the tree-ants, which present so singular and prominent a feature in the scenery of the country. The nest of these birds is easily discovered, for on the approach of an intruder they at once commence flying about in a very wild manner, uttering a loud, piercing cry of alarm. The eggs, three or four in number, have a pearly white shell, and are round in form." The GIANT ALCYONS (Paralcyon, or Dacelo) are readily distinguishable, not only from their size, but by their long flat beak, which is broad and flat at its base, straight at the culmen, compressed at its sides, and slightly hooked at the tip of the projecting upper mandible; the tarsi are short, but powerful, and the toes very long and thick; the wings, in which the second and third quills are of almost equal length, are of moderate size, and blunt; the broad tail is also of medium length. The rich, lax plumage is of comparatively quiet hue. THE LAUGHING JACKASS, OR SETTLER'S CLOCK. The LAUGHING JACKASS, or SETTLER'S CLOCK (Paralcyon gigas, or Dacelo gigantea), an interesting and very familiar species, inhabiting Australia, is dark brown on the back, and dull yellowish white on the under side; the lower part of the back and wing-covers are of a blueish shade; the tail-covers rust-red, striped with black; the long, pointed feathers on the head have the shafts streaked with brown; the bristle-like ear-feathers are black; the exterior quills are blackish brown, and white at the root; and the tail-feathers rust-red, striped with black, and marked with white at the tips and sides of the inner web. The female is paler in hue, and less decidedly marked upon the head. This bird is from seventeen to eighteen inches long, and more than two feet across the span of the wings; the wing measures eight inches. The tail is seven inches long. "The Dacelo gigantea," says Gould, "is a bird with which every traveller in New South Wales is acquainted, for, independently of its large size, its voice is so extraordinary as to be unlike that of any other living creature. In its disposition it is by no means shy, and when any new objects are presented to its notice—such as a party traversing the bush, or pitching their tent—it becomes very prying and inquisitive, often perching on the dead branch of some neighbouring tree, and watching with the greatest curiosity the kindling of the fire and the preparation of the meal. Its presence, however, owing to the quietude with which it passes through the forest, and the almost noiseless manner in which it settles, is seldom detected, until it emits its extraordinary gurgling, The PARADISE ALCYONS (Tanysiptera) are recognisable from the above groups by the unusual length of the centre tail-feathers; the beak, somewhat longer than the head, is conical in form, its upper mandible almost straight, while the lower one curves slightly upwards. In the wing, the fourth quill exceeds the rest in length; the long and graduated tail varies considerably in its formation. THE TRUE PARADISE ALCYON. The TRUE PARADISE ALCYON (Tanysiptera sylvia), one of the most refulgent members of this group, is bright blue on the crown of the head, wings, and two outer tail-feathers; the cheek, back of the throat, and mantle are black; and a triangular patch between the shoulders, the rump, and the two centre flowing tail-feathers pure white. The entire under side is brownish red; the beak and foot are bright red. The body measures ten inches; the wing two inches and two-thirds, and the tail two inches and three-quarters. Gould tells us that this beautiful bird, which has at present only been met with at Cape York, on the northern coast of Australia, never alights upon the ground, but is usually seen perched upon a bare twig or parasitical plant, from whence it darts upon its insect prey, always returning at once to its perch. Its flight is remarkably rapid. The cry of this species, which resembles the syllables "wee-wee-wee," is usually uttered when the bird is stationary. Owing to its extreme timidity, the Tanysiptera sylvia is extremely difficult to obtain; indeed, the sportsman may follow it for an hour at a time without the chance of a fair shot. According to the natives, the three white eggs laid by the female are deposited in ant-hills. Two other nearly allied species, the Tanysiptera dea and the Tanysiptera nympha, inhabit New Guinea, the Moluccas, and Philippine Islands. The SAW-BEAKED ALCYONS (Syma) have a long, thin beak, broad at its base, and compressed at its sides, furnished down two-thirds of its length with numerous strong teeth-like appendages; the upper mandible projects beyond the lower portion of the bill, and terminates in a sharp, slender tip; in the short wing the third and fourth quills are of equal length, and longer than the rest; the tail is of medium size, and very decidedly rounded. THE PODITTI. The PODITTI (Syma flavirostris), one of the two species of Saw-beaked Alcyons with which we are acquainted, as inhabiting Australia and New Guinea, is of a brownish red on the top of the head, nape, ear-covers, and sides of throat; the back and wings are dull green, the rump and tail greenish blue, the front of the throat and lower belly yellowish white, and the remainder of the under side yellowish brown; the head is almost encircled by a narrow black line; the pale red bill is blackish brown at its culmen. This species is seven inches and one-sixth long; the wing measures two inches and two-thirds, and the tail two inches and one-sixth. The SLUGGARDS (Agornithes) are remarkable for the bristle-like feathers that form a kind of beard; an unusually delicate skin, in which the broad, soft, downy feathers grow but loosely; and still more for their indolent and dreamy disposition. The JACAMARS (GalbulÆ) possess a slender body, a long, straight, awl-shaped beak, small delicate feet, with the toes divided into pairs, short wings, and a long tail, composed of strong feathers. The soft, lax plumage, which has a magnificent golden gloss, is replaced by bristles in the region of the beak. The few species of these birds that we are acquainted with occupy the primitive forests of South America, and alike exhibit the same dull and indolent disposition in their manner of life. The TRUE JACAMARS are recognisable by their long, thin, high beak, which is slightly curved, and furnished with sharp edges; the wings, with their fourth and fifth quills longer than the rest, are comparatively long; the tail, composed of twelve feathers, is long and much graduated; the two outer toes of the foot are united almost to the tip; the hinder toe is very small. The plumage is soft and lax. THE GREEN JACAMAR. The GREEN JACAMAR (Galbula viridis) is of a magnificent golden-green on the breast and mantle, the remainder of the under side is rust-red; the throat of the male is white, that of the female yellowish red; the exterior tail-feathers are rust-red, tipped with green; the eye is brown; the long, thin beak, the cheek-stripe, and a bare circle round the eye, are black; the feet a brownish flesh-colour. The Jacamar is numerously met with in the forests along the entire coast of Brazil, where, like its congeners, it leads an indolent and monotonous existence among the branches of the most retired parts of the woods, or perches on a shady bush overhanging a piece of water. Should an insect approach, it is instantly seized, and the bird at once returns to its resting-place, and relapses into its usual condition of quiet indifference to everything around, often remaining almost motionless for whole hours at a time. The loud, clear voice of the Jacamar consists of but one note, which is frequently repeated. The eggs are deposited, like those of the Kingfisher, in holes in an overhanging bank. The BUCCOS (Buccones) constitute a group of equally indolent birds, inhabiting South America, and are recognisable by their slightly-curved beak, slender legs (with two of the toes turned backwards), moderate-sized wings, and a short tail composed of twelve feathers. The remarkably lax, soft plumage is of a sombre hue, and replaced by bristles about the region of the beak. Plate 24. Cassell's Book of Birds MEROPS APIASTER ____ EUROPEAN BEE-EATER (over three quarters Nat. size) (Swainson) All the members of this group occupy forests, where they live either alone or in pairs; but rarely The SLEEPERS (Nystalus) possess a powerful, straight beak—almost as long as the large, thick head—compressed at its sides, and slightly hooked at the projecting upper mandible. The short, thick foot and backs of the toes (the latter not placed in pairs) are covered with large, smooth scales; the wings are short and slender, the tail of medium length, and composed of narrow feathers of almost equal size, if we except the short exterior pair. THE GREEN JACAMAR (Galbula viridis). THE TSCHAKURU. The TSCHAKURU (Nystalus Chacuru) is of a reddish brown on the top of the head, back, and wings, striped with a blackish shade, the under side is white, a band around the head and the broad cheek-stripes are pure white, the region of the cheek is black, the quills greyish brown, those at the exterior edged and spotted with rust-red; the blackish brown tail-feathers are marked with small, yellowish red spots at the edge. The eye is chestnut-brown, the beak dull cinnabar-red, with deep yellowish base, and greyish black culmen and tip; the foot is greyish brown. This species is eight (according to Ratterer nine) inches and a half long, and eleven inches and three-quarters broad; the wing measures three inches, and the tail two inches and three-quarters. The Tschakuru frequents tracts covered with a slight growth of trees or bushes; on these it may be seen perching for hours together, perfectly undisturbed by the close observation of the traveller, and is frequently only roused from its state of apparent lethargy by violently shaking the surrounding branches. Insects constitute its means of subsistence, and these are obtained either whilst perching or at a few paces from its favourite seat. Azara informs us that the name of Tschakuru is supposed by the natives to represent its cry; but neither the Prince von Wied nor Burmeister ever heard it utter a sound. According to the latter, the numerous white eggs that form a brood are deposited in the hole of a tree. The TRAPPISTS (Monasta) are distinguishable from the above groups by their small, slightly-curved beak, with thin, delicate tip, slender legs, long, pointed wings, and moderate-sized tail, formed of narrow feathers. The plumage is soft, and somewhat woolly in texture; the eye is surrounded by a bare circle. THE DUSKY TRAPPIST, OR BEARDED CUCKOO. The DUSKY TRAPPIST, or BEARDED CUCKOO (Monasta fusca), is dark brown on the head and back, and yellowish grey on the under side; the lower throat is embellished by a long, pure white crescent, a broad, black band beneath; the quills and tail-feathers are dark greyish brown, the former edged with rust-red on the outer web. The eye is reddish, the beak and foot black. The young are of a paler hue, and the crescent on the breast is shaded with yellow. The length of the body is seven inches and two-thirds, and its breadth twelve inches; the wing measures three inches and one-third, and the tail three inches and one-sixth. This bird, we learn from the Prince von Wied, is one of the commonest inhabitants of the Brazilian forests. In the neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro it is also very frequently seen quietly perching beneath a shady bush close to dwelling-houses, or hopping over the ground in pursuit of insects. The "JoÃo Doido," or Stupid Jack, as this bird is called by the natives, presents a most striking appearance as he sits perfectly motionless, with his white head thrown into strong relief by the dark foliage, his wide-open eyes alone indicating that he is not in a profound sleep. We are without particulars respecting the incubation of this species. Insects of various kinds compose its food; we found the remains of a butterfly in the stomach of a specimen we examined. The DREAMERS (Chelidoptera) are distinguished from the Bearded Cuckoos by their short tail and compact plumage. THE DARK DREAMER. The DARK DREAMER (Chelidoptera tenebrosa) is of a slaty-black, shaded with blue. The belly is reddish yellow, and the rump white; the eye is dark brown, the beak black, and the foot grey. The length of this bird is eight and the breadth fourteen inches; the wing measures four inches and a half, and the tail two inches. The Prince von Wied met with this bird in the bushes about Lagoa Santa, and describes it as quiet and solitary in its habits, passing the greatest part of the day in perching almost motionless upon the topmost twigs, and scarcely rousing from its state of drowsy apathy even when approached within a few paces of its resting-place. Occasionally it descends to the ground, but usually obtains its food by capturing such of the winged inhabitants of the air as venture close to its perch, seizing them after the manner of a Flycatcher, and at once returning to its perch. This species is called the "Wood Swallow" by the Brazilians, on account of its somewhat resembling a Swallow both in form and colour, and this resemblance is also noticeable in its peculiar gait. As regards its nidification, THE DUSKY TRAPPIST, OR BEARDED CUCKOO (Monasta fusca). The TOURACOS, or TROGONS (Trogones), constitute a numerous group of equally dreamy, but gloriously plumaged birds, inhabiting the tropical zones of both hemispheres. All have a slender, but very thickly-feathered body, short, broad, triangular, and much-curved beak, with a hook at its tip, and occasionally incised at its margins. The small, slender legs are almost entirely covered with feathers; the toes, the innermost of which turns backwards, thus pairing with the hinder toe, are short; the small, much-rounded wings are composed of narrow, stiff-shafted, sickle-shaped quills, pointed at their extremity; the long tail contains twelve feathers; of these, the three outermost are much shorter than the rest. The lax, downy plumage is resplendent with metallic lustre; and the base of the beak covered with a bristle-like growth. The various members of this group are alike remarkable for their dull, indolent disposition, and spend their lives in lazily droning upon the branches of their favourite trees, only rousing themselves to take a short flight in pursuit of a passing insect. Their food principally consists of various kinds of insects, fruit, seeds, or portions of plants; while some appear to be entirely restricted to vegetable diet. Holes in trees are used as receptacles for the eggs, which are from two to four in number, round in shape, with a very light or white shell. The FIRE TOURACOS (Harpactes), a group of these birds inhabiting Southern Asia, are recognisable by their powerful, much-curved, and smooth-margined beak, their partially-feathered feet, short wings, and long, graduated tail. THE KARNA, OR MALABAR TROGON. The KARNA, or MALABAR TROGON (Harpactes fasciatus), a well-known species, is of a chestnut-brown on the upper portion of the body, and black on the head and throat; the feathers of the wing-covers are striped black and white, while the breast and entire under side are of a vivid scarlet; the black throat is divided from the breast by a narrow white band; a line from the back of the eyes to the head is bright red, and a bare patch round the eye of a blueish shade; the centre tail-feathers are reddish brown, and those at the exterior black and white; the eye is dark brown, the beak deep blue, and the foot of a purplish hue. The female is without the black upon the head; her upper secondary quills and the feathers on the wing-covers are black and brown, and her entire under side ochre-yellow. The length of this species is twelve and its breadth sixteen inches; the wing measures five and the tail six inches. The Malabar Trogon, as we learn from Jerdon, "is found in the forests of Malabar, from the extreme south to about seventeen degrees north latitude, reaching up the GhÂts and hill ranges at least 3,000 feet. It is also found in some of the forests of Central India and in Ceylon. It, however, usually prefers the more elevated situations, at about 2,000 feet or so, and keeps generally to the thickest parts of the wood. It is often to be seen seated motionless on a tree, occasionally flying off to capture an insect on the wing, sometimes returning to the same perch, but oftener taking up a fresh position, and in this way wandering about a good deal. It is usually solitary, sometimes in pairs, and I have seen four or five together. Its food consists of insects, chiefly coleopterous. I am not aware of having heard its note, and certainly have found it generally a silent bird. Trikell, however, says it has a wild, querulous note, like the mewing of a cat. Its Hindustani name is given from its sitting with the head sunk into its shoulders, as if it had no head, or as if dressed in a faquir's kufui." The FLOWER TOURACOS (Hapaloderma) are distinguished from the above birds by the incised margins of their beaks, and the slenderness of the short, exterior tail-feathers. THE NARINA. The NARINA (Hapaloderma narina), the only species of this group with which we are at present acquainted, is of a magnificent golden green on the entire mantle, centre tail-feathers, and throat; the lower breast and belly are deep rose-red, the large wing-covers grey, striped with black, the quills black, with white shafts, and the small wing-covers beautiful golden green; the exterior tail-feathers are white on the outer and blackish on the inner web. In the plumage of the female all these shades are duller than in that of her mate; her brow and throat are brownish red, and her tail-feathers brownish black. Le Vaillant first discovered the Narina in the extensive forests of Caffraria, RÜppell met with it near the Abyssinian coast, Heuglin at Fossokel and on the White River, and Du Chaillu on the shores of the Zambesi; we, ourselves, were only once lucky enough to see this beautiful bird, and that was a few miles from the coast of the Red Sea. We learn from Jules Verreaux that in Southern Africa the Narina principally frequents the mighty forests east of the Cape of Good Hope. In these retreats it leads a solitary and very sedentary life, only rousing itself to activity morning and evening, in order to procure food. So peculiar is the deportment of this bird as to render its identity quite THE NARINA (Hapaloderma narina). The TROGONS PROPER (Trogon) constitute an American group, recognisable by their broad, high beak, the upper mandible of which is much vaulted, slightly hooked at its extremity, and incised at the margins. The wings are short and blunt, the graduated tail of moderate length, and the plumage lax, soft, and composed of broad feathers. THE SURUKUA, OR TOURACO. The SURUKUA, or TOURACO (Trogon Suracua), is a magnificent bird, ten inches and a quarter long, and fourteen and a half broad; the wing measures four inches and a half, and the tail three inches and one-third. The male is blueish black on the head and throat, the back is green, the belly blood-red. The back, throat, and head-feathers gleam with metallic lustre, the feathers on the wing-covers are marked with delicate, undulating lines of black and white, and are edged with white; the centre tail-feathers are blue tipped with black. The next in order are black with a blueish green on the outer web, whilst the fourth and fifth on each side are white at the tip, and the outermost white on the entire exterior web. The eye is deep red, the bare eyelid orange, the beak whitish, and the foot greyish black. The upper part of the female's body is grey, and her under side rose-red. The Surukua inhabits the primitive forests of Southern Brazil and Northern Paraguay, and passes its life in a state of the utmost inanition, remaining motionless for hours together, upon a branch, and scarcely rousing sufficiently to turn its head at the sight of a passing insect; so complete is this condition of dreamy indolence, that Azara assures us one of these birds may be struck down from its perch with a stick. The flight of this species is soft and owl-like. The eggs are deposited in holes excavated in such nests of the termite as are situated upon trees. THE POMPEO. The POMPEO (Trogon viridis) is of a splendid steel-blue, shimmering with green on the crown of the head, nape, sides of the throat, and upper breast; the back, shoulders, and upper wing-covers are of a metallic green, shading into blue on the rump; the belly and vent are bright, deep yellow. The exterior feathers of the wing-covers and the quills are black, the latter edged with white; the centre tail-feathers are green, bordered with black towards the extremity. The next in order are black with a green edge; the three outermost are white at the tip and on the exterior web. In the female the back is deep grey, the belly pale yellow, and the feathers of the wing-covers delicately striped with white. The eyes of both sexes are brown, the beak pale greenish white, and foot blackish grey. This species is twelve inches and three-quarters long, and eighteen inches and a half broad; the wing measures five inches and three-quarters, and the tail five inches and one-third. The Pompeo is commonly met with in the forests of North Brazil and Guiana; and, according to the Prince von Wied, is most numerous in the plantations near the coast, where its short, monotonous cry is to be heard in all directions. The habits of this species closely resemble those of the Surukua. We are told, on the authority of Schomburghk, that the Pompeo consumes seeds and fruit, as well as insects, and that the nest, which is supported upon thin branches or twigs, is very similar to that of the Wild Pigeon; but for the accuracy of this latter statement we cannot vouch. The capture of these birds, which are usually met with in pairs or small parties, is attended with but little difficulty, as they are quite fearless of men; the Brazilians, we are told, are constantly in the habit of obtaining a meal at their expense by an imitation of their call-note, which at once brings down the unsuspecting victim, and thus affords the hunter or traveller an appetising repast. THE TOCOLORO. The TOCOLORO (Prionotelus temnurus), a species inhabiting Cuba, differs from all its congeners in the remarkable formation of its graduated tail, the feathers of which become gradually broader towards the tip, where the web takes the form of a crescent. The top of the head, nape, back, and upper breast are pale grey, and the belly a rich cinnabar-red; the quills are brown, striped with white, the feathers of the large wing-covers steel-blue, shaded with white. The centre tail-feathers are of a deep metallic green, the next in order blueish green, and the three outermost tipped with white. The eye is of a brilliant reddish yellow, the foot blackish brown, and the beak deep brown, with bright red lower mandible. The length of the body is ten inches, and the span of the wings fifteen inches, the wings and tail each measure five inches. The Tocoloro is common in some parts of Cuba, and in its habits closely resembles the members of the group already mentioned. D'Orbigny describes its cry as resembling the syllables "to-corr," long drawn out, the first note being shrill and powerful, while the second is deep and low. Flowers, fruit, and seeds appear to constitute its principal means of subsistence. The period of incubation takes place in April, May, and June; the nest is usually made in holes in trees, those excavated by the Woodpecker being preferred. The eggs are round, pure white, and from three to four in number. The BEAUTIFUL-TAILED TROGONS (Calurus), as the largest members of this family are called, are at once recognisable by their comparatively broad, flat head and shallow beak, which is compressed and very decidedly-hooked at its tip. The plumage of the wings and tail is remarkably developed, and of great beauty. THE PEACOCK TROGON. The PEACOCK TROGON (Trogon calurus) has the central tail-feathers of great length. The feathers of the head, throat, upper breast, and wing-covers are of a bright, metallic green, and gleam with a copper-red and violet lustre; the lower breast, belly, rump, and thighs are purplish red; the inner side of the wings, the quills, and tail are black. The eye is a dull, carmine-red, and the bare patch that surrounds it dark grey; the beak is deep red, tipped and edged with yellow, and the foot brown and yellow. The female resembles her mate, but is somewhat less bright in hue. The length of this bird is fourteen inches and a quarter, and its breadth twenty-two inches and a half. The wing measures seven inches and a quarter, and the tail seven inches; the centre tail-feathers exceed the rest by six inches and a half. Spix first discovered this bird at Rio Negro. THE BEAUTIFUL TROGON. The BEAUTIFUL TROGON (Calurus Pharomacrus or C. antisianus)—(See Coloured Plate XXV.)—is recognisable from the Peacock Trogon by a bunch of hair-like feathers on the region of the beak, and by the inferior length of the long feathers on the wing and tail. The coloration of the plumage is almost identical, except that the tail-feathers are quite white underneath, and the beak of a yellowish shade. The body is fourteen inches long; the wing measures seven inches and a half, and the tail six inches and a half. D'Orbigny discovered this bird in Bolivia, where it frequents the vicinity of the rivers. THE QUESAL, OR RESPLENDENT TROGON. The QUESAL, or RESPLENDENT TROGON (Calurus paradiseus, or C. resplendens), the most magnificent of all these beautiful birds, is adorned with a helmet-like crest, and possesses a most extraordinary development of the feathers on the shoulders, which droop over the wings and tail. The mantle and upper breast are of a brilliant, golden green. The under side is bright carmine-red. The eye is deep nut-brown, the eyelid black, the beak yellow, with a brownish base; the foot brownish yellow. The female has a smaller crest, and the long feathers in her tail scarcely exceed the other tail-feathers in length. In both sexes the head, throat, and upper breast are dark green; the back, shoulders, and upper tail-covers light green; and the lower breast and belly greyish brown. The rump is bright red, the centre tail-feathers are black, those at the exterior white, marked with black. The length of the body is sixteen inches; the wing measures eight inches and one-third, and the tail eight inches and a half. The longest feathers in the male bird's tail exceed the rest by twenty-five inches. QUESALS, OR RESPLENDENT TROGONS (Calurus paradiseus, or C. resplendens). The Quesal inhabits Mexico and Central America; and, according to Salvia, is met with in all such woods and forests as are at a height of about 6,000 feet above the level of the sea. In these situations it leads a quiet and dreamy existence, perching lazily in the trees, and scarcely exerting itself to do more than slowly turn its head from side to side, or raise and waft its graceful, drooping plumes. Only in the air, however, is the beauty of the Quesal seen in its full perfection; and as it floats rapidly but gently along, with feathery train outspread, those who have witnessed its elegant movements will admit that amongst all the inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere it is without a rival. The voice of this bird is capable of producing a great variety of sounds; the principal note, however, is a piping tone, which commences softly, and gradually swells into a loud THE CUCKOOS. THE CUCKOOS (CuculidÆ) constitute a very numerous family, characterised by a slender body, wings of moderate length, a long, graduated tail, composed of from eight to twelve feathers, a slightly-curved, short, or medium-sized beak, with sharp margins, and comparatively long, powerful feet furnished with short toes. The coloration of the plumage is too various to admit of any general description. The HONEY GUIDES (Indicator) are a group of the above birds recognisable by their comparative compactness of build, long wings, short tail, and strong beak. The beak, which does not equal the head in length, is almost straight, and compressed at its hooked tip; the small powerful legs have the tarsi shorter than the outermost of the strong toes; the long and pointed wing, in which the third quill exceeds the rest in length, is usually of considerable breadth; the tail, composed of twelve feathers, is rounded at its sides, and slightly incised at its centre. The plumage is thick and smooth. The members of this family are for the most part of African origin, only two species being met with elsewhere, namely, in Southern Asia. Everywhere the Honey Guides occupy woodland districts, and live either in pairs or small flocks, which fill the air with their loud and pleasing cries, as they flutter from tree to tree. According to Heuglin, the most peculiar characteristic of these birds is their strange habit of endeavouring to attract the attention either of man or of some of their formidable four-footed neighbours, whenever they have the luck to discover an attractive object, such as a piece of carrion, teeming with a rich supply of insects, or a swarm of bees busy at their work. They are particularly fond of honey, though they frequently pay dearly for their venturesome attempts to rob the combs, being often stung to death by the angry swarm. When this fate attends a marauder, the bees cover the body with a vault of wax, and thus prevent any annoyance from its presence. The flight of the Honey Guides is heavy, and only capable of being sustained for a short distance, but they run upon the trunks and branches of trees with the utmost facility. Like the Cuckoo, the members of this group build no nest, but introduce their eggs into that of some Woodpecker or Oriole. THE WHITE-BEAKED HONEY GUIDE. The WHITE-BEAKED HONEY GUIDE (Indicator albirostris) is greyish brown on the mantle, and whitish grey on the under side. The throat is black; the region of the ear undivided, and indicated by a greyish white spot; a portion of the shoulder-feathers is streaked with black; the quills are greyish brown, the wing-covers broadly edged with white, and the shoulders enlivened by a yellow patch; the centre tail-feathers are brown, the next in order brown on the outer and white on the inner web, whilst those at the exterior are white tipped with brown. The body is yellowish white, and the foot brown. The body is six inches and a half in length; the wing measures four inches and a half, and the tail two inches and a half. This species, which is met with from Southern Africa to sixteen degrees north latitude, subsists almost entirely upon wild honey, and has obtained its name from the fact that it frequently materially The CUCKOOS (Cuculus) are characterised by a slightly-curved, thin beak, which is broad at its base, and almost equals the head in length; the long wings, in which the third quill is longer than the rest, are narrow and pointed; the long tail, composed of ten feathers, is either wedge-shaped or rounded at its extremity. The short or moderate-sized feet have the toes placed in pairs; the thick plumage is very similarly coloured in the two sexes, but the young differ considerably in appearance from the adult birds. The members of this family are spread over the whole of the Eastern Hemisphere and New Holland, being particularly numerous in Africa and India, while the more northern portions possess but one species. All, without exception, are inhabitants of the woods, and rarely leave the shelter of their favourite trees, except during the period of migration, or when, as with the more southern species, they are wandering for a short season over the face of the country. In disposition they are timorous, restless, and extremely averse to associate with other birds, indeed, they frequently avoid the society of their own congeners. Their life may be described as an incessant and noisy search for food, in pursuit of which they hurry rapidly from tree to tree and place to place. Insects and larvÆ afford them their principal means of subsistence, and hairy caterpillars (avoided by most other birds) are with them favourite tid-bits—the hairs from the bodies of these caterpillars adhere to the coats of the Cuckoo's stomach, and become, as it were, embedded by the process of digestion. Many also consume small reptiles. Some species prepare suitable receptacles for their young; but the greater number deposit their eggs in the nests of other birds. THE COMMON CUCKOO. The COMMON CUCKOO (Cuculus canorus) represents a group possessing a slender body, a small, weak, slightly-curved beak, long, pointed wings, a long, rounded tail, short, partially-feathered feet, and plumage of a sombre hue. The male is deep ash-grey, or greyish blue, on the mantle, and greyish white, marked with black, on the under side; the neck, cheeks, throat, and the sides of the neck, as far down as the breast, are pure ash-grey; the quills of the wings leaden black, and those of the tail black, spotted with white. The eye is of a bright yellow; the beak black, but yellowish towards its base; and the foot yellow. The female resembles the male, but has scarcely perceptible reddish stripes on the back and under side of the neck. The length of the male is fourteen inches; breadth twenty-four and a half; length of wing, nine inches; length of tail, seven and three-quarter inches. The female is about an inch shorter. This Cuckoo frequents almost every part of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and breeds in all northern portions of the Eastern Hemisphere; it only visits India, China, Java, the Sundainu Islands, and South-western Africa in the course of its migrations. In England it usually appears about the middle of April. The Common Cuckoo may be regarded as the most flighty, restless, and lively member of this sprightly family; from morning till night he is constantly on the move, and is as hungry as he is active and clamorous. His flight is light, elegant, somewhat resembling that of a Falcon; but no sooner has his journey come to an end, than he alights on a thick branch of the nearest tree, and at once begins to look about him in search of food. Should an attractive morsel be in sight, he swoops upon it in an instant, and having caught and devoured it, by a stroke or two of his powerful wings he again returns to the branch he has just quitted, or else flies off to a neighbouring tree, immediately to repeat the same performance. It is, however, only in his powers of flight that the Cuckoo is eminently gifted; he walks upon the ground with difficulty, and is quite unable to climb. In spring-time he is indefatigable in making heard his well-known notes, "Cuckoo, cuckoo," which occasionally he will change to a softly-uttered "Quawawa," or "Haghaghaghag," while the voice of the female somewhat resembles a peculiar laugh or gentle twitter, but poorly represented by the syllables "Kwikwikwik." It was well-known, even to ancient writers, that the female Cuckoo, instead of building a nest for the reception of her progeny, lays her eggs in the nests of other birds, to whom she altogether entrusts the rearing of her young ones. "The Cuckoo," says Aristotle, "deputes the incubation of her eggs and the nurture of the young ones to which they give birth to the bird in whose nest the eggs happen to be laid. The foster-father, as we are told, throws his own offspring out of their nest and leaves them to die of hunger, while he devotes himself entirely to providing for the young Cuckoo. Others say that he kills his own nestlings to feed the young intruder with their bodies, the young Cuckoo being so beautiful that even the mother who owns the nest despises and sacrifices her own brood on his behalf. Narrators, however, are not quite agreed as to who is the real destroyer of the young birds; some say that it is the old Cuckoo who comes back again to eat the little family of the too hospitable pair, while others assert that it is the young Cuckoo who casts out of the nest all his foster brothers and sisters, leaving them to die of starvation, while others again declare that the young Cuckoo, being the strongest, kills and devours all the rest." "In thus providing for his children," continues Aristotle, "the Cuckoo does quite right, for he knows what a coward he is, and that he would never be able to defend them; indeed, so cowardly is he that all the little birds amuse themselves by pinching and pecking at him." It will be at once evident that in the above account of the habits of the Cuckoo there is a great deal of truth, although much that is surmised is devoid of foundation. The main facts that have been established by trustworthy observation relative to the breeding of the Cuckoo are in themselves sufficiently curious, and have no need of fictitious circumstances to make them interesting. They may be briefly stated as follows:—The female Cuckoo undoubtedly deposits her eggs in the nest of some other bird, not of any particular species, but of several; indeed, upwards of fifty have been enumerated as entitled to the honour of rearing the young Cuckoos. Secondly, it has been observed that the eggs of the Cuckoo differ remarkably from each other; indeed, more so than is the case in any other known species; and, moreover, that a Cuckoo's egg taken from the nest in which it has been placed is found strikingly to resemble the eggs laid by the owner of the nest. Thirdly, the Cuckoo only lays a single egg in the selected spot, and this is invariably deposited in a nest already containing eggs belonging to its proper owner. The behaviour of the females while thus employed in laying their eggs is peculiar. No sooner THE CUCKOO (Cuculus canorus). "It is wonderful to observe," says Bechstein, "what great apparent delight the birds show when they see a female Cuckoo approach their abode. Instead of leaving their eggs, as they do when disturbed by the approach of other animals, they seem quite beside themselves for joy. The little Wren, for example, when brooding over its own eggs, immediately quits its nest on the approach of Although the above extract sounds very well, with all deference to Herr Bechstein, we are compelled to say that it is unfortunately not true. All the birds that we have seen who have had the very doubtful honour of having a Cuckoo's egg palmed upon them as their own, have seemed to testify in a striking manner their anguish at the threatened occurrence and their unmistakable desire to drive the Cuckoo away. So far from coming as a welcome visitor, the mother Cuckoo comes like a thief in the night; and no sooner has she laid her egg than she hastily takes her departure, as if quite conscious of the unfriendly character of her visit. However this may be, there is no doubt that the foster-parents brood over the Cuckoo's egg with the same assiduity as over their own; and it is only when the eggs of both are hatched that the real character of the intruder begins to show itself, doubtless to the great terror and dismay of the proper owners of the nest. THE JAY CUCKOO (Coccystes glandarius). "Two Cuckoos and a Hedge Sparrow," writes Dr. Jenner, "were hatched in the same nest this morning. In a few hours after, a combat began between the Cuckoos for the possession of the nest, which continued undetermined until the next afternoon, when one of them, which was somewhat superior in size, turned out the other, together with the young Hedge Sparrow and an unhatched egg. This contest was very remarkable. The combatants alternately appeared to have the advantage, as each carried the other several times to the top of the nest, and then sank down again, oppressed by "It is wonderful," continues Dr. Jenner, "to see the extraordinary exertions of the young Cuckoo when it is two or three days old, if a bird be put into the nest with it that is too weighty for it to lift out. In this state it seems ever restless and uneasy; but this disposition for throwing out its companions seems to decline from that time till it is about twelve days old, when, as far as I have seen, it ceases entirely. Indeed, the disposition for throwing out eggs appears to cease a few days sooner, for I have frequently seen the young Cuckoo, after it had been hatched nine or ten days, remove a nestling that had been placed in the nest with it, while it suffered an egg, put there at the same time, to remain unmolested. The singularity of its shape is well adapted to these purposes, for, unlike other newly-hatched birds, its back, from the shoulders downwards, is very broad, with a considerable depression in the middle. This depression seems formed by Nature for the design of giving a more secure lodgment to an egg or a young bird, when the Cuckoo is employed in removing either of them from the nest. When it is twelve days old, this cavity is quite filled up, and then the back assumes the shape of nestling birds in general." The JAY CUCKOOS (Coccystes) are recognisable by their elongate body; thick, broad, curved beak, which is compressed at its sides and almost equals the head in length; strong and comparatively long and partially-feathered feet; moderate-sized wing, in which the fourth quill is the longest; and long, conical tail, composed of narrow feathers, the outermost of which are only half the length of those in the centre. The smooth plumage takes the form of a crest upon the head, and is similarly coloured in both sexes. This group is almost peculiar to the African continent. THE JAY CUCKOO. The JAY CUCKOO (Coccystes glandarius) is deep grey on the head, greyish brown on the back, and greyish white on the under side. The throat and upper breast are reddish yellow; and the feathers on the wing-covers and the secondary quills have broad, triangular, white spots at their tips; the eye is deep brown, the beak purplish grey, and the foot greyish green. This species is about fifteen inches long; the wing measures eight, and the tail eight and a half inches. The Jay Cuckoo is very numerously met with in some parts of Africa, and from thence wanders forth into Europe, appearing occasionally in Greece and Italy. It is often known to breed in Spain. Such of these birds as inhabit Egypt principally frequent the small groups of mimosa that abound in the valley of the Nile, and live in pairs or small parties, according to our own observation, remaining together even during the breeding season. Like its European brother, this species is of a restless and violent temperament, engaging constantly in fierce strife with its male companions during the period of incubation. Its flight is rapid, and so skilful as to enable the bird to penetrate the densest thickets without a moment's hesitation. It rarely descends to the ground, but obtains the insects and caterpillars on which it subsists either while on the wing or when perching among the branches. Its voice, which somewhat resembles that of a Jay, can be heard at a considerable distance, and has a laughing but monotonous sound. The female, like the rest of her congeners, deposits her eggs in another bird's nest. Baedecker describes the egg as of a light blueish green, spotted with grey or brown, and dotted all over with reddish brown; at the broad end the spots take the form of a wreath. In form the eggs are similar to those of other Cuckoos, but in size resemble those of the Jay. The KOELS (Eudynamys), a small group of Cuckoos inhabiting Southern Asia and Oceania, THE KOEL, OR KUIL. The KOEL, or KUIL (Eudynamys orientalis), is the best known member of the above group. The male is entirely of a glossy greenish black, while the female is of a rich, deep green, spotted with white above, and striped with white on the quills and tail. The under side is white, with black oval markings on the throat, and heart-shaped spots upon the breast. The eye of both is scarlet, the beak pale green, and foot greyish blue. The length of the male is thirteen inches and a half, and the breadth twenty-three inches; while the female measures seventeen inches and a half, and is twenty-four inches across the wings. "This well-known species," writes Jerdon, "is found throughout India, extending to Ceylon, the Burmese countries, and parts of Malayana, to the Philippines. It frequents groves, gardens, avenues, and open jungles; and feeds almost exclusively, I believe, on fruits of various kinds, especially on those of the banian, peepul, and other figs, also, says Blyth, much on that of the Mimasops elengi. Several of these birds may be often seen on one tree, but they are not gregarious. Mr. Blyth states that they eject from the mouth the large seeds of any fruit that they have eaten. The Koel is by no means a shy bird, but has the usual quick, unobtrusive habits of the ordinary Cuckoos, as it glides about the branches of trees; when it takes wing, however, it is remarkable for the loudness of its cries. About the breeding season the Koel is very noisy, and may then be heard at all times, even during the night, frequently uttering its well-known cry, of 'Ku-il, ku-il,' increasing in vigour and intensity of utterance as it goes on. The male bird has also another note, which Blyth syllables as 'Ho-whee-ho,' or 'Ho-y-o.' When it takes flight it has yet another somewhat melodious and rich liquid call, all thoroughly Cuculine. The female Koel deposits her eggs almost exclusively in the nest of the Common Crow (Corvus culminatus). She generally lays only one egg in each nest, and mostly, but not always, destroys the eggs of the proprietor at the time of depositing her own. It is a popular belief that the Crow discovers the imposture when the young Koel is nearly full grown, and ejects it from her abode; but this I do not think is usually if ever the case, for I have frequently seen Crows feeding the young Koels, even after they have left the nest in which she has placed her eggs, and when the birds are fully grown entices them away, or, if expelled, looks after them and feeds them for a few days, but I greatly doubt if this be the general practice." The egg of the Koel is pale olive-green, with numerous reddish, dusky spots, having a tendency to form a zone at the broad end. The Crows would appear to be desirous of avenging the wrongs they receive from these Cuckoos, for at times we see them pursuing the Koel with the utmost energy. Mr. Frith, as quoted by Blyth, states that one dashed itself against a window and was killed when thus hunted by a Crow. The flight of the Koel is not so quiet and gliding as that of the True Cuckoos, but is performed with more numerous strokes with the wing. The GOLDEN CUCKOOS (Chrysococcyx), as a most gorgeous group have been appropriately called, inhabit the equatorial regions of Asia, Africa, and Australia. These birds are distinguished by their comparatively small, slender body, long wings, and tail. The beak, which is of medium size, exactly resembles that of the Common Cuckoo; the tarsi are short, and the toes long; the wing is pointed, the tail rounded at its sides, and the compact, large-feathered plumage dyed with hues of more than metallic brilliancy. THE DIDRIK, OR GOLDEN CUCKOO. The DIDRIK, or GOLDEN CUCKOO (Chrysococcyx auratus), is of a dazzling metallic green, shaded with copper-red over the entire mantle, the glowing effect being heightened by a blueish effulgence at the tips of some of the feathers. A white stripe passes behind the eye, and the brow is decorated with a white spot; the entire under side is light brownish or yellowish white, of so delicate a shade that exposure to the sun's rays soon renders it almost white. The feathers on the sides, tail, and lower wing-covers are greenish; the secondaries, exterior primaries, and outer tail-feathers deep green, striped with white; the eye is deep yellowish brown (during the breeding season that of the male is deep red), the eyelid coral-red, the beak deep blue, and the foot light greyish blue. The male is seven inches and a half long, and twelve inches and three-quarters across; the wing measures four inches and one-sixth, and the tail three inches and a quarter. The female has a spotted under side, and is somewhat smaller and less gorgeous than her mate. In the young birds the lower parts of the body are shaded with yellow, the breast and throat of a metallic green, the feathers on the back edged and the quills spotted with reddish yellow. THE DIDRIK, OR GOLDEN CUCKOO (Chrysococcyx auratus). According to Le Vaillant, the Didrik is numerously met with throughout Southern Africa, where it inhabits the primitive forests, and frequents the loftiest and most densely foliaged trees. Heuglin, who observed this species near the White and Black Nile and in Abyssinia, tells us that it often associates in small parties, and occasionally ventures down upon the trees and hedges that surround The GIANT CUCKOOS (Scythrops), a group comprising the largest of all Cuckoos, have derived their name from the formation of their beak, which resembles that of the Toucans, being nearly as long as their head, thick, strong, broad at its base, compressed at its sides, and hooked at the tip. The tarsi are short, and toes powerful; the wing, in which the third quill is the longest, extends almost to the middle of the comparatively short, rounded tail; the latter is formed of ten feathers. The plumage somewhat resembles that of the Common Cuckoo in its coloration; the cheek-stripes and region of the eyes are bare. THE GIANT CUCKOO, OR CHANNEL-BILL (Scythrops NovÆ HollandiÆ). THE GIANT CUCKOO, OR CHANNEL-BILL. The GIANT CUCKOO, or CHANNEL-BILL (Scythrops NovÆ HollandiÆ), the only species with which we are acquainted, is grey upon the head, throat, and breast; the mantle, wings, and tail are greenish The Channel-bill, according to Gould, is a migratory bird in New South Wales, arriving in October and departing again in January; whither it proceeds is not known. "This bird," says Latham, "is generally seen in the morning and evening, sometimes in small parties of seven or eight, but more often in pairs. Both on the wing and when perched, it makes a loud, screaming noise when a Hawk or other bird of prey is in sight. In the crop and gizzard the seeds of the red-gum and peppermint trees have been found; it is supposed that these are swallowed whole, as the pericarp, or capsule, has been also found in the stomach; exuviÆ of beetles have also been seen, but not in any quantity. The tail, which is of nearly the length of the body, is occasionally displayed like a fan, and gives the bird a majestic air. The natives seem to know but little of its habits and haunts; they consider its appearance as an indication of blowing weather, and that its frightful scream is produced by fear. It is not very easily tamed, for Mr. White informs us that he kept one alive for two days, during which time it would eat nothing, but bit at every one who approached it very severely. The habits of this species are probably parasitic, for a young bird given me by Lady Dowling was one of two taken from a branch while being fed by birds not of its own species. The eggs I have seen were of a light stone-colour, marked all over, particularly at the broad end, with irregular patches of reddish brown; many of these were of a darker hue, and appeared as if beneath the surface of the shell." A young Scythrops introduced into Dr. Bennett's aviary was, he tells us, "placed in a compartment already occupied by a Dacelo gigantea, or Laughing Kingfisher. Doubtless feeling hungry after its journey, it immediately opened its mouth to be fed, when its wants were regularly attended to by the Dacelo, which, with great kindness, took a piece of meat, and, after sufficiently preparing it by beating it about till it was in a tender state, placed it carefully in the gaping mouth of the young Scythrops. This feeding process was continued until the bird was capable of attending to its own wants. In the morning it used to perch on the most elevated resting-place in the aviary, occasionally raising itself, flapping its wings, and then quietly settle down again, after the manner of Hawks when in confinement, and presenting much the appearance of that tribe of birds." THE BUSH CUCKOOS (PhoenicophÆÏ) possess a slender body, long tail, and small tarsi; the wings are short, the beak of moderate size and very powerful; the region of the eye is bare, and the magnificently tinted plumage of a hairy texture. These birds occupy India and the neighbouring islands, one species alone being met with in Africa. We are, unfortunately, but little acquainted with their habits, and as yet have only ascertained that they frequent the inmost recesses of the forests, and subsist upon insects. THE KOKIL, OR LARGE, GREEN-BILLED MALKOHA. The KOKIL, or LARGE, GREEN-BILLED MALKOHA (Zanclostomus tristis), an Indian species, is recognisable by its compressed and curved beak, moderate-sized feet, short toes armed with sharp claws, small, rounded wings, and a long graduated tail; the mantle is deep greyish green, the head and nape of a pure grey; the quills and tail are shaded with green, the feathers of the latter tipped with white; the throat and upper breast are pale grey, the lower breast and an outer circle around the eye "This handsome bird," says Jerdon, "is found in Lower Bengal, Central India, and the Northern Circars; also in the warmer valleys of the Himalayas. It extends to Assam, Burmah, and Malacca, where it is very abundant. I have usually seen it solitary, wandering about in the forests, and eating large insects—mantides, crickets, grasshoppers, and also large caterpillars. In Sikim it is only found in the warmer valleys, at a height of about 3,000 feet. The eggs brought to me at Darjeeling were two in number, pure white, and of a long oval form. I did not see the nest, but was told it was a large mass of stick and roots. I took a similar egg from the oviduct of a female I shot. Mr. Blyth remarks that the presence of the Malkoha is often betrayed by its voice, which is a low monosyllabic chuck, often repeated, and delivered commonly when the bird is perched on a tree." The RAIN CUCKOOS (Coccygi), a family inhabiting America, possess a comparatively powerful body, short wings, and a long tail, composed of twelve feathers; the beak is strong, and the feet in some species so well developed as to enable these birds to run with ease upon the ground. The plumage, which is remarkable for the softness of its texture, is almost alike in the two sexes. The female is somewhat longer than her mate. The members of this family are met with in all parts of America, being especially numerous in the southern portion of that continent. In their habits they much resemble their representatives in the Eastern Hemisphere, and like them lead a retired life in forests and well-wooded districts, subsisting upon insects, hairy caterpillars, and the eggs of their small feathered companions. Unlike the groups already described, these Cuckoos build a nest for the reception of their young, and rarely deposit their eggs in another bird's abode. THE KOKIL, OR LARGE GREEN-BILLED MALKOHA THE RAIN OR YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. The RAIN or YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (Coccygus Americanus) represents a group of the above birds characterised by their thin, delicate, compressed, and pointed beak, which is slightly curved, "A stranger who visits the United States," says Wilson, "and passes through our woods in the month of May or June, will sometimes hear, as he traverses the borders of deep, retired, high-timbered hollows, an uncouth guttural sound or note, resembling the syllables 'kowe, kowe,' beginning very slowly, but ending so rapidly that the notes seem to run into each other. He will hear this frequently without being able to discover the bird or animal from which it proceeds, as it is both shy and solitary, always seeking the thickest foliage for concealment. This is produced by the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, which, from its cry, is known in Virginia as the Cow Bird. It is also called the Rain Crow, being observed to be most clamorous immediately before rain." "The flight of this species," Audubon tells us, "is rapid, silent, and horizontal, as it moves from one tree to another, or across a field or river, and is generally continued amongst the branches of the trees in our woods. When making its way among the boughs, it occasionally inclines the body to either side, so as alternately to show its whole upper or under parts. During its southward migrations, it flies high in the air, and in such loose flocks that the birds seem to follow each other, instead of keeping together. On the other hand, the males arrive singly; the males coming first, and the females a few weeks after. They do not fly in a continued line, but in a broad front. This bird is not abundant anywhere, and yet is found very far north. I have met with it in all the low grounds and damp places in Massachusetts, along the line of Upper Canada, pretty high on the Mississippi and Arkansas, and in every State between these boundary lines. Its appearance in the State of New York takes place before the beginning of May, and at Green Bay not before the middle of that month. A pair here and there seem to appropriate certain tracts to themselves, where they rear their young in peace and plenty. The Yellow-billed Cuckoos feed on insects, such as caterpillars and butterflies, as well as on berries of various kinds, evincing a special predilection for the mulberry. In autumn they eat many grapes, and I have seen them supporting themselves by a momentary action of their wings opposite a bunch, selecting the ripest, when they would seize it and return to a branch, repeating their visits in this manner till satiated. They will also now and then descend to the ground to pick up a wood-snail or a beetle. They are extremely awkward at walking, and move in an ambling manner, or limp along sideways, a clumsiness for which their short legs are an ample excuse. They are seldom seen perched conspicuously on a twig; but, on the contrary, are generally to be found among the thickest boughs and foliage, where they emit their notes until late in the autumn, after which they are discontinued. The nest is simple, composed of a few dry sticks and grass, formed much like that of the Common Dove, and like it fastened to a horizontal branch, often within the reach of man. The bird would appear to make no particular selection as to situation or the nature of the tree, but settles anywhere indiscriminately. The eggs are four or five, of an oval form, and of a bright green colour. Only one brood is reared in the season, unless the first is removed or destroyed. According to Brewer the female commences sitting as soon as her first egg is deposited, it being no uncommon occurrence to find fresh-laid eggs and others containing almost fully developed young in the same nest. At first the young are principally fed on insects. Towards autumn they become very fat, and are fit for being eaten; few people, however, shoot them for the table, excepting the Creoles of Louisiana." THE RAIN BIRD. The RAIN BIRD (Saurothera vetula) is remarkable for the very peculiar formation of its long, thin beak, which is almost straight, compressed at its edges, and hooked at its tip. The tarsi are short and slender, the toes long and meagre; the wings, in which the fourth, fifth, and sixth quills are the longest, are of moderate size; and the long, graduated tail is composed of ten rounded feathers. The plumage upon the entire mantle is dark grey, and the under side reddish yellow, shading into light grey on the breast, and into yellowish grey on the lower part of the belly. The ten exterior quills are light brownish red, tipped with greenish brown; the centre tail-feathers are grey, shaded with green; while those on each side are blackish brown, tipped with white. The eye is nut-brown, and the circle by which it is surrounded light scarlet; the beak is blackish, and foot blueish black. The length of this bird is fifteen inches and a half, and its breadth fourteen inches. The wing measures four inches and a half, and its tail six inches and a quarter. We are informed by Mr. Gosse that "the Rain Bird—sometimes called the 'Tom Fool,' from its silly habit of gratifying its curiosity instead of securing its safety—is little seen except where the woods are high; but it is widely scattered in mountain as well as in lowland. This species is seldom seen to fly, except from tree to tree, more usually leaping in a hurried manner along the branches, or proceeding up the perpendicular bole by short jumps, pausing from time to time to gaze at any intruder, and if driven away flying only a few yards and again peeping as before. When it flies, it generally glides nearly in a straight line, without flapping the wings. It often sits on a branch in a remarkable posture; the head lower than the feet, and the long tail hanging nearly perpendicularly down. When sitting it now and then utters a loud and harsh cackle, unvarying in note, but increasing in the rapidity of its emission. Sometimes this sound is produced during its short flight. All the time of this effusion the beak is held wide open. It may be imitated by repeating the syllables 'ticky, ticky, ticky,' as fast as they can be uttered. The Rain Bird is frequently seen on the ground in morasses and woods, when it proceeds by a succession of bounds, the long tail held somewhat high, and the head low; the tail is jerked forward by the impulse of each pause of motion, and the whole action is like that of the Crotophaga. If held it becomes very fierce, trying with widely-opened beak and expanded tail, to bite, and uttering angry screams. A male that had been knocked down with a stone, on being put into a cage, was outrageous when one's hand was placed near the wires; darting from side to side, now and then snapping at the hand, and snarling all the while, in the tone of an angry puppy. This bird is extremely retentive of life. Sometimes, when a wounded one has come into my possession, I have been distressed at the vain efforts I have made to deprive it of life. In various individuals that I have opened, I found large caterpillars, locusts, phasmata, spiders, phryni-spiders, and, upon one occasion, a whole mouse. Robinson found in one a large green anolis, six inches long, coiled up in a spiral manner, the head being in the centre. He states that it bruises the heads of lizards, and then swallows them head foremost. Mr. Hill kept a Rain Bird for several weeks. It seized cockroaches and other insects when put into its box, and ate fresh meat if chopped small. I have been able to ascertain nothing of the nest, except what the following note may afford:—A young friend informs me that he once observed a Rain Bird carrying 'trash' into the hollow or fork of the divergent limbs of a logwood-tree. Some little while after, passing that way, he observed a nest-like accumulation of similar substances; but as it was beyond reach, he took a long stick to poke it out. In doing so, he pushed out an egg, which was white, with many spots. 'When pairing,' observes Mr. Hill, 'the male bird attracts the female by gracefully displaying his feathers. The long, graduated tail is expanded, the short wings are spread, and the whole plumage is in motion, as the male endeavours, by playful dalliance, to win his mate's attention.'" The LONG-TAILED CUCKOOS (Pyrrhococcyx) possess a comparatively slender body, and an elongate, slightly-arched, and hooked beak. The legs are strong, the tarsi slender, and the toes of medium size. The wings, in which the fifth quill exceeds the rest in length, are long. The long tail is composed of ten feathers, slightly rounded at their extremities. The plumage is thick, and unusually downy. THE LONG-TAILED CUCKOO. The LONG-TAILED CUCKOO (Pyrrhococcyx Cayanus), a well-known member of the above group, is of a light reddish brown over the mantle, and from the breast downwards of a deep grey; the tail-feathers are dark reddish brown above, and black beneath, with white tips. The length of this species is from eighteen to twenty-two inches, according to the size of the tail; the span of the pinions is seventeen inches, their length from five inches and a half to six inches and a half, and the tail from ten to fourteen inches. This Cuckoo, according to Burmeister, is spread over all the warm portions of America; and in Brazil, where it is very common, comes constantly down into the fields and gardens. Its flight, despite the shortness of the wings, is free and easy; its disposition brisk and active; and its call-note an oft-repeated, penetrating cry. These birds usually live in pairs, but frequently associate in parties while in pursuit of their insect prey. We have no reliable information as to the breeding of this species. The TICK-EATERS (CrotophagÆ), a small but remarkable family, inhabiting Southern and Central America, possess a slender body and very decidedly arched beak, powerful feet, with the toes placed in pairs, moderate-sized wings, and a long, broad, rounded tail, composed of eight feathers. The thick, small-feathered plumage is of sombre hue, and takes the form of bristles in the region of the beak; the cheek-stripes and region of the eyes are bare. "These birds," says Brown, in his "History of Jamaica," "prefer cultivated places, and more especially land in the neighbourhood of pastures or low shrubberies and swamps. They easily make their way amongst the thickest foliage or grass, by means of their sharp-edged bills, with which they scatter the herbage on each side, in search of grasshoppers and other insects. They have been seen on the dead carcase of a sheep, but whether attracted by the flesh or by the larvÆ of insects is uncertain. In the daytime they often associate in flocks of twenty or thirty individuals near small rivulets, seeking for tadpoles, which they greedily devour. At other times they may be seen flying from shrub to shrub, uttering their peculiar note. They live chiefly upon ticks and other small vermin, and constantly jump about cows and oxen in the fields, and the cattle will frequently lie down to benefit by their good offices, if much infested by ticks; but if the beast appear heedless of their proffered attentions, they hop once or twice around it, looking it very earnestly in the face every time they pass, as if they knew it was only necessary for them to be seen to be indulged. They are very noisy birds, and very common in all the pastures of Jamaica. The nests of the Tick-eaters are built in the fork of a tree, or in a bush covered with mistletoe, and made rudely of some coarse materials, chiefly small sticks, totally destitute of any soft lining. The eggs are from five to seven or more in number. The young evince much activity in hopping from branch to branch; long before they are able to fly they leave their nests, and may be seen perched on the top of a shrub or thicket of vines, in company with a congregation of adult birds. When the parents escape from an intruder by taking flight, the young, by long and rapid leaps, reach the ground, and run off very quickly." The TRUE TICK-EATERS (Crotophaga) have a slender body, small head, short wings, long THE COROYA. The COROYA (Crotophaga major) is about the size of a Jay, but more slender, and possessed of a far stronger beak; the latter is longer than the head, and slightly hooked at its extremity; the sides of the bill are not so compressed as in other species; the feathers on the head and nape are very long and pointed, while those on the breast are very broad. The plumage is of a deep steel-blue, shading into violet on the tail and on the breast. The eye is bright light green, its iris surrounded by a narrow circle of yellow; the beak and bare skin about the eye are black, and the feet blackish brown. This species is eighteen inches and two-thirds long, and twenty-two inches and a quarter broad; the wing measures seven inches and two-thirds, and the tail nine inches and five-sixths. The female is not quite so large. THE ANI, OR SAVANNA BLACKBIRD. The ANI, or SAVANNA BLACKBIRD (Crotophaga ani), is scarcely larger than the Common Cuckoo. The beak of this bird equals the head in length, and the raised portion of the bill extends over the whole of the upper mandible, which terminates in a decided hook. The entire plumage is blueish black, the feathers on the fore part of the body being enlivened by a violet gloss. The eye is grey, the beak and feet black. The length is thirteen inches and a half, and breadth fifteen inches and a half; the wing measures five inches, and the tail six inches and two-thirds. "In all open places, particularly savannas which are occupied by cattle or horses," says Gosse, "these birds are seen all day long and all the year round. Familiar and impudent, though very wary, they permit a considerable acquaintance with their manoeuvres, while an approach within a limited distance in a moment sets the whole flock upon the wing, with a singular cry, which the negroes please to express by the words 'going awa-a-y,' but which may as well be described, according to the fancy of the hearer, as 'how d'ye,' or 'ani.' The appearance of the bird in its gliding flight is unusual, as in flying it assumes a perfectly straight form, with the long tail in the same line, without flapping the wing, so that it takes the aspect, on a side view, rather of a fish than of a bird. The food of this species, though consisting entirely of insects, is not confined to them; the stomach is usually distended with caterpillars, moths, grasshoppers, and beetles to such a degree that it is wonderful how the mass can have been forced in. I have found these contents mixed up with and stained by the berries of the snake-withe, and in July I have found the stomach crammed with the berries of the fiddle-wood (Cytharaxylon), which had stained the whole inner surface bright crimson. Flocks of these birds were at that time feeding on the glowing clusters, profusely ripe, upon the trees. Stationary insects are their staple food; to obtain these they hop about grassy places, and are often seen to jump or run eagerly after their prey, on which occasions the long tail, continuing the given motion after the body has stopped, is thrown forward in an odd manner, sometimes nearly turning the bird head over heels. It is probably to protect the eyes from the stalks of weeds and blades of grass, in these headlong leaps, that the projecting brows are furnished with a row of very short but stiff bristles; but what purpose was served by the thin and high knife-blade of a beak I was ignorant till informed by Mr. Hill that it enables the bird to open out the soft earth and seek for its insect food; it also facilitates its access to the vermin imbedded in the long hair of animals." "I am assured," he adds, "that if a patch of cow's dung be examined after CrotophagÆ have been searching for the larvÆ of insects, it will be found furrowed, as if a miniature plough had passed through it. The name of THE ANI, OR SAVANNA BLACKBIRD (Crotophaga ani). THE WRINKLED-BEAKED TICK-EATER (Crotophaga rugirostris). The WRINKLED-BEAKED TICK-EATER The WRINKLED-BEAKED TICK-EATER (Crotophaga rugirostris) is somewhat larger than the Ani; its beak is also longer, and covered with four or five wrinkles or ridges. The plumage is of a dull blueish black; the feathers on the head, throat, and upper breast are edged with violet, and those of the back and belly bordered with a rich metallic green. The eye is greyish brown, the The COUCALS, or SPURRED CUCKOOS (Centropodes), a family of strange birds inhabiting Africa, the East Indies, New Holland, and the Malay Islands, possess a very powerful, short, and much-curved beak, which is compressed at its sides; the tarsi are high, and toes comparatively short; the hinder toe is usually armed with a very long and almost straight spur-like claw; the wings are short and rounded, and the tail (composed of ten feathers) graduated, and either of moderate size or very long. The extremely harsh plumage is similarly coloured in both sexes; the young differ in a striking manner from their parents, and only acquire the same hues as the adults in the third year. The Coucals frequent thick brushwood, cane plantations, and pasture land, and penetrate the densest masses of vegetation with surprising dexterity, in pursuit of the scorpions, snakes, lizards, insects, and birds' eggs, upon which they principally subsist. Their powers of flight are so limited as only to be employed in cases of extreme danger. The voice consists of various deep sounds, some of which seem produced by ventriloquism. The nests built by this family are carelessly formed, and placed among bushes or canes, or in long grass; in some instances, however, more care is evident in their construction, the upper portion being provided with a cover, and two entrances made in the side, the one for entrance and the other for egress. The brood consists of from three to five white eggs, which are hatched by the united efforts of both parents. The young, when first produced, are remarkably ugly. THE EGYPTIAN COUCAL. The EGYPTIAN COUCAL (Centropus Ægypticus), a species inhabiting Africa, possesses a comparatively short tail, and plumage of a reddish brown tint; the head and nape are black, the back and wings chestnut-brown; the tail-feathers greenish black, bordered with white; and all the lower portions of the body of a fallow-grey. The eye is bright purple, the beak black, and foot deep brownish grey. This species is fourteen inches long and sixteen and a half broad; the wing, in which the sixth quill exceeds the rest in length, is five inches and a half, and the tail seven inches and a half. The Egyptian Coucal is commonly met with in some parts of Egypt, and is by no means rare in other portions of North-eastern Africa; everywhere it frequents the dense woods and forests, or extensive beds of reeds, penetrating the densest thickets with all the wonderful dexterity of the Mouse Birds. Unlike most members of the family, this species leads an indolent and quiet life, frequently perching motionless at the summit of its bushy fastnesses, or hovering over their surface, while watching for its insect prey. Ants, we are told, it frequently consumes in such quantities as to impart a most revolting odour to its body. Like its congeners, the adult Spurred Cuckoo is always met with in company with its mate; while the young, on the contrary, often lead a solitary life for several years before pairing. The nest found by ourselves in the Delta was placed in the bushy crown of an olive-tree, and almost entirely constructed of the husks of maize; the young contained therein were partially fledged, the time of year being the month of June. We could not succeed in obtaining an egg. This Coucal is but seldom captured by the natives, owing to the impracticable nature of its favourite haunts and the uninviting savour of its flesh. We have but once seen it caught. The CROW PHEASANTS (Centrococcyx), an Indian group of the above birds, are recognisable by their long, graduated tail, and the black markings on the reddish brown wings. THE HEDGE CROW. The HEDGE CROW (Centrococcyx viridis) is of a glossy greenish black on the head, nape, upper tail-covers, tail, and entire under side; the back and quills being nut-brown, the latter tipped with bright red. According to Swinhoe, this bird undergoes three changes of plumage, and is during the first year of a light reddish hue, striped with black on the mantle, and white marked here and there with red on the under side. In the second year the feathers on the mantle are brown, with ochre-yellow lines on the shafts; the tail is blackish green, spotted with a reddish shade; the under side of light brownish yellow, each feather striped and spotted with brown; the quills are red, with brown markings. The eye is red, the beak black, and the foot lead-grey. This species is fifteen inches long, the wing measures six inches and a half, and the tail eight inches. The Centrococcyx viridis is extensively met with throughout India, and in the surrounding islands. In the former country it principally occupies the jungles, in Java low brushwood, and in Formosa such portions of woods or forests as abound with creeping plants. According to Bernstein, it is quiet and solitary in its habits, keeping principally within the shelter of the bushes, and rarely betraying its presence except by the utterance of its very weak cry, which nearly resembles that of the common European Cuckoo. If alarmed, the bird endeavours to escape by running, instead of flying; and only takes to its wings if very sorely pressed, when it flies direct to the interior of the nearest bush. The nests we have seen were most carelessly constructed of the leaves of the alang-alang, and placed either close to the ground, amongst grass and stubble, or between the branches of a low shrub. The eggs we found were usually two or three in number, and had a white and slightly glossy shell; in some instances two of the eggs were large, while the third was comparatively of very small size. We were unable to ascertain what share the female takes in the duty of incubation, as whenever we watched the nests during the day the male bird was always seated thereon. The nestlings at first present a very ridiculous appearance, as their skin is black, and their back and head covered with stiff, hairy, or, more strictly, bristle-like feathers; add to this that their tongue is bright orange, tipped with black, and it may be imagined that the first sight of a nestful of these gaping youngsters somewhat astonishes an uninitiated observer. The PHEASANT COUCALS (Polophilus), as the Australian representatives of this family are called, are recognisable by their comparative size, and the formation of their short, thick, strong, and decidedly-curved beak. THE PHEASANT COUCAL. The PHEASANT COUCAL (Polophilus phasianus) has the general plumage of a dull black, and the wing-covers fallow-brown and black, each feather being marked with a light line upon the shaft; the quills are chestnut-brown, with a double line of black; and the tail-feathers dark brown, with a greenish gloss, and delicately marked with red spots. All the tail-feathers, except those in the centre, are tipped with white. The eye is red, the beak black, and the foot greyish black. In the young birds the back is reddish brown, and the under side fallow-grey; in other respects the plumage resembles that of the adult birds. This species is twenty-four inches long, the wing ten, and the tail twenty-four inches. "The greater part of the road-line of New South Wales, and the eastern, northern, and north-eastern portions of Australia," writes Gould, "are generally tenanted by these birds, but only in such situations as are favourable to their habits, namely, swampy places among the brushes, abounding with tall grasses and dense herbage, among which they run with facility, and, when necessity prompts, fly THE PHEASANT COUCAL (Polophilus phasianus). The BARBETS (Capitones) possess a strong, conical beak, of moderate size, and much compressed at its tip; short and powerful feet, with the toes placed in pairs; small or medium-sized wings, rounded at their extremity, and a comparatively long tail. The plumage, which is most resplendent, is replaced by bristles in the region of the beak. The members of this family are spread over Asia and Africa, and are brisk and lively birds, associating freely with their congeners, and busily seeking the berries, fruits, and insects, upon which they subsist, from bush to bush and tree to tree, rarely or never descending to the ground. Their flight is rapid, but not sustained to any great distance, owing to the weight of their bodies; almost all have loud, resonant voices, while some species utter something resembling a regular song. The nests of the Barbets are placed in hollow THE PEARL BIRD. The PEARL BIRD (Trachyphonus margaritatus) represents an African group, possessing a moderate-sized and slender beak, which is slightly arched, and compressed at its tip; the comparatively high feet have the tarsi longer than the centre toe; the fourth quill of the moderately long wing exceeds the rest in length; the tail is of medium length, and rounded at its extremity. The plumage of the back is brown, spotted and marked with white, that of the under side bright glossy yellow, shading into red on the breast; the brow, crown of the head, and, in the male bird, a chain of spots upon the breast, are black; the rump and vent are deep bright red. The eye is dark red, the beak light red, and the foot lead-grey. This species is seven inches long, the wing measures three inches and a half. THE PEARL BIRD (Trachyphonus margaritatus). We have frequently met with these beautiful birds in most parts of North-eastern Africa, where they constantly visit the fields and gardens near the settlements, making themselves particularly conspicuous during the early morning and in the evening, by flying around the tops of the loftiest trees, or by pouring forth their deep but lively notes with an animation that gives the performance almost the effect of a pleasing song. The food of this species consists of seeds, fruit, and insects, in THE GOLDEN BARBET. The GOLDEN BARBET (XantholÆma Indica) represents a group characterised by their short beak, bulging outwards at its sides, slightly-pointed wings, in which the third, fourth, and fifth quills are the longest, and a short, almost straight tail. The plumage of the mantle is green, that of the under side yellow, or greenish white; the feathers on the back and wing-covers are bordered with yellow, and those on the breast striped with green. The brow and a spot on the throat, are glossy scarlet, the latter edged with gold at its lower portion; a band at the nape, the breast, and a stripe upon the chin are black. The eye is deep brown, the beak black, and the foot bright red. The length of this bird is six inches and a half, and its breadth eleven inches; the wing measures three inches and a quarter, and the tail one inch and a half. "This species of Barbet," writes Jerdon, "is found throughout all India, extending into the Burmese countries, Malayana, Ceylon, and the isles; according to Adams, it is not met with in the Himalayas or in the Punjaub. This bird is very common wherever there is a sufficiency of trees, inhabiting open spaces in the jungles, groves of trees, avenues, and gardens, being very familiar, and approaching close to houses, and not unfrequently perching on the housetop. As far as I have observed, it does not climb like the Woodpecker, but hops about the branches like other perching birds. The Rev. Mr. Philips, however, states that it runs up and down the trees like a Woodpecker, and other observers have asserted that it climbs to its hole; but I confess I have never seen this, and Mr. Blyth is most decidedly of opinion that Barbets never climb. The latter naturalist found that one of these birds which he kept alive would take insects into its mouth and munch them, but swallowed none, and forsook them immediately when fruit was offered. It has a remarkably loud note, which sounds like 'took-took-took,' and this it generally utters when rested at the top of some tree, putting its head at each call first on one side and then on the other. Sundevall states that the call is like a low note on the flute, from the lower G to the second E. This sound, and the motion of the head accompanying it, have given origin to the name 'Coppersmith,' by which this species is known both by natives and Europeans. The sound often appears to come from a different direction to that from which it does really proceed; this appears to me to depend on the direction of the bird's head. Mr. Philips accounts for it by saying that it alters the intensity of its call. Sundervall remarks that 'the same individual always utters the same note, but that two of these birds are seldom heard to make it alike.' When, therefore, two or more individuals are sitting near each other, a not unpleasing music arises from the alternation of the note, each sounding like the tone of a series of bells. The Crimson-breasted Barbet breeds in holes of trees, laying two or more white eggs. A pair bred in my garden at Saugor on the cross-beam of a vinery. The perfectly circular entrance was on the under side of the beam. This nest appeared to me to have been used for several years, and the bird had gone on lengthening the cavity year by year, till the distance from the original entrance was four or five feet; another entrance had then been made, also from below, about two feet and a half from the nest. Quite recently I discovered a nest built by this bird in a hole of a decayed tree-branch, close to a house in a large thoroughfare in Calcutta." The Golden, or Crimson-breasted Barbet, as it is sometimes called, subsists upon the fruit of various plants, but, according to Blyth, has also been known to eat animal food. The eggs are white, and two or more in number. THE TOUCAN BARBET. The TOUCAN BARBET (Tetragonops ramphastinus), an American species, may be regarded as the connecting link between the Barbets and Toucans. In these birds the powerful beak is square at its base, and the lower mandible forked at its extremity in such a manner as to receive the hook in which the upper portion of the bill terminates; the wings and tail are both of moderate size, and the latter much graduated; the head, a band on the nape, the wing-covers, and tail are black; the upper portion of the tail is brownish grey, and its lower part of a yellowish hue; the throat is adorned by a triangular white spot; the throat and sides of the belly are grey, and a line dividing the former from the latter bright scarlet; the centre of the breast is a rich fiery red. The eye is yellowish; the beak yellow at its base and black at its tip; the feet are deep grey. This species is eight inches and a quarter long; the wing measures four inches and the tail three inches and three-quarters. We are entirely without particulars concerning this beautiful bird, except that it inhabits Ecuador. The HORNBILLS (BucerotidÆ) are remarkable for the unusual size of their bills, which are frequently so large as to appear almost a deformity; in many species this effect is increased by a singular, helmet-shaped excrescence at the base of the beak. The whole structure, which appears so ponderous, is in reality very light, being composed of an outer case, supported by a bony net-work filled with air; so delicate is this helmet-like protuberance in some species, that after the death of the bird it may readily be crushed with the thumb and finger. In shape this remarkable beak is long, curved, and pointed; the margins of the upper mandible are often irregularly incised. The feet, which are stout and powerful, have the anterior toes more or less united. The TOUCANS (RamphastidÆ) are a numerous race of South American birds, at once recognisable by the prodigious size of their beaks, and by the richness of their plumage. "These birds," says the Prince von Wied, in some notes communicated to Mr. Gould, "are very common in all parts of the extensive forests of the Brazils, and are killed in great numbers during the cool seasons of the year for the table. To the stranger they are even of greater interest than to the native, from their remarkable form, and from the rich and strongly-contrasted style of their colouring, their black or green bodies being adorned with markings of the most brilliant hue; red or orange, blue, and white; their naked orbits in some instances red, and in others green or blue; the naked parts of the body dyed with brilliant colours, the legs blue or green, and irides blue or yellow; the large bill of a different colour in every species, and in many instances very gaily marked. The colouring of the soft parts is, however, so evanescent that to determine the species with accuracy they must be depicted during life, or immediately after the birds are killed. Common as these birds are in their native land, it is extremely difficult to detect their breeding-places; it is, however, certain that they deposit their eggs in the hollow limbs and holes of the colossal trees so common in the tropical forests, but I was never fortunate enough to discover them. The stomachs of those I examined contained nothing but the remains of fruit, principally of the softer kinds, for which, indeed, they have such a liking that they resort in great numbers to the plantations in the vicinity of their native haunts, and commit fearful havoc among their favourite delicacies: I was informed, that they frequently steal and eat young birds, but no instance of their doing so came under my own observation. Mr. Waterton's opinion agrees with mine, but Azara, among others, states that they also feed upon animal substances. The specimens we saw in a state of domestication were very voracious, and perfectly omnivorous; but they seem to be purely frugivorous in a state of nature, a fact which was fully confirmed by the Brazilian natives we questioned on the subject. In their manners the THE ARASSARI (Pteroglossus aracari). The ARASSARIS (Pteroglossus) possess a comparatively small, slender, rounded beak, which is compressed at its tip, equals the head in height, and is more or less incised at its margins. The short wing, in which the third quill is the longest, is pointed, and the tail long and conical. The plumage usually exhibits a great variety of colours, amongst which, however, green or yellow predominate. In some species the females differ considerably in appearance from their mates. Plate 25. Cassell's Book of Birds PHAROMACRUS ANTISIANUS ____ BEAUTIFUL TROGON (about one half Nat. size) THE ARASSARI. The ARASSARI (Pteroglossus aracari), a native of Brazil, is principally of a deep metallic green; the throat and head are black, the cheeks shaded with brownish violet, and the lower breast and belly pale greenish yellow; the rump, and a line along the centre of the belly, are red; the tail is blackish green above and greyish green beneath. The eye is brown, the bare places round the eyes are greyish black, the upper mandible is yellowish white, with black culmen and mouth-corners, while the lower portion of the bill is black, edged with white; the legs are greenish grey. This species is seventeen inches long; the wing measures six, and the tail six and a half inches. THE TOCO TOUCAN (Ramphastus toco). The Arassari, as we learn from the Prince von Wied, inhabits the primitive forests of Brazil, and closely resembles the Toucan in its habits; during the period of incubation it lives in pairs, but at other seasons in small parties, which fly over the face of the country in search of the fruits upon which they mainly subsist. Their flight, which resembles that of the Toucan, is undulatory and very rapid. When perched on the summits of high trees, they constantly repeat the two short notes that form their cry, and whisk with the tail after the manner of the Common Jay. The nest is made in a The TOUCANS PROPER (Ramphastus) are at once recognisable by the extraordinary size of their curved beak, which is very thick at its base, compressed at its tip, and furnished with a sharp ridge at its culmen. The high, powerful legs are covered with large flat scales, the tarsi are short, and the toes long; the small, broad, rounded tail, is composed of feathers of equal length; the wings are short, and the fourth and fifth quills longer than the rest; a black gloss predominates in the coloration of the plumage, enlivened by red, white, or yellow patches on the throat, back, and wings. All the various species of these birds live in pairs, within the shade of the forest, only exceptionally congregating into small parties, and never venturing near the abodes of man. THE TOCO TOUCAN. The TOCO TOUCAN (Ramphastus toco) is principally of a glossy black; the throat, cheeks, lower throat, and upper tail-covers are white, and the rump light red. The large high beak is bright orange-red, shading to deep red at the culmen and towards the tip of the lower mandible; while the tip and edges of the upper portion of the bill are black, the eyes, cheek-stripes, and region of the temple bright red; the eyelids blackish blue, and the legs dark grey. The length of this bird is twenty-two inches; the wing measures eight inches and three-quarters, and the tail five inches and a quarter. The Toco Toucan, as we learn from the Prince von Wied, is never found near the coast, but is plentiful in the interior of the province of Minas Geroes and Bahia. It is abundant in the southern parts of Brazil, in latitude thirty-two degrees south. Those observed in the neighbourhood of Bahia were very shy, the result of their having been repeatedly fired at by the inhabitants in defence of their fruit-trees, and to procure them for food; notwithstanding which, the desire to feed upon the oranges and guavas induced them to approach very near the town at the season when those fruits were ripening. Very pretty little powder-flasks are made of their large, finely-coloured bills. "M. Natterer," writes Gould, in his magnificent work on the RamphastidÆ, "who first met with this bird in the province of St. Paul, and afterwards on the coast of Goyay and Mattogrosso, on the banks of the Amazon and Upper Rio Branco", remarks that "it will probably be found on all parts of Brazil, and believes that the bird prefers woods adjoining sandy plains, for he more than once met with it in low steppes and coppices, where ripe fruits were to be found. We generally met with it in small families, and observed that the bill varied in length according to the age and sex of the bird; and that its note, resembling 'gr-r-ra,' was deeper than that of any other member of the family." Mr. Edwards tells us that he saw the nest of this species in the fork of a large tree over the water of the Amazon, THE KIRIMA, OR RED-BILLED TOUCAN. The KIRIMA, or RED-BILLED TOUCAN (Ramphastus crythrorhynchus)—see Coloured Plate XXVI.—a very similar, but more slenderly-built species, is a beautiful bird inhabiting North America. It has a scarlet beak, with yellow base and culmen, a broad red band on the white throat, and a yellow rump. In its general habits and manners the Red-billed Toucan resembles the rest of its congeners, leaping lightly from branch to branch among the topmost foliage of the lofty trees of its native forests. Mr. Waterton states that the native name is Bouradi, signifying "nose;" that it frequents the mangrove-trees on the sea-coast, and is never seen in the interior till you reach Mackonochia, where it is found in the neighbourhood of the river Tucuton. It feeds entirely on the fruits of the forest, and never kills the young of other birds or devours carrion. The sound the Bouraki makes is like the clear yelping of a puppy-dog; you might fancy it said "pia-po-o-co." Thus the Spaniards calls this species Piapoco. It lays its eggs in the hollows of trees. Although Mr. Waterton states that the Red-billed Toucan lives entirely on fruits in its native wilds, it exhibits the utmost partiality to animal food when in a state of captivity, as shown by W. J. Broderip, Esq., in an account given by him of a specimen he examined at a bird-dealer's in St. Martin's Lane. "After looking at the bird, which was apparently in the highest state of health," says that gentleman, "I asked the proprietor to bring up a small bird, that I might see how the Toucan would be affected by its appearance. The dealer soon returned, bringing with him a last year's Goldfinch. The instant he introduced his hand, holding the Goldfinch, into the cage of the Toucan, the latter, which was on a perch, snatched it with his bill. The poor little bird had only time to utter a short weak cry, for within a second it was dead, killed by compression on the sternum and abdomen, and that so powerful that the bowels protruded after a very few squeezes with the Toucan's bill. As soon as the Goldfinch was dead the Toucan hopped with it in his bill to another perch, and placing it between his right foot and the perch, began to strip off the feathers with his beak. When he had plucked away most of them, he broke the bones of the wings and legs with his bill, taking the wings therein, and giving at the same time a strong lateral wrench. He continued this work with great dexterity till he had almost reduced the bird to a shapeless mass; and ever and anon he would take his prey from the perch in his bill, and hop from perch to perch, making, at the same time, a peculiar hollow, chattering noise, at which times I observed that his wings and bill were affected with a vibratory or shivering motion, though the former were not expanded. He then returned the bird to the perch, and having set his foot on it, ate first the viscera, and then continued pulling off and swallowing piece after piece, till the head, neck, and part of the back and sternum, with their soft parts, were alone left; these, after a little more wrenching, he at last swallowed, not even leaving the wings or legs. It was clear to me that he felt great enjoyment, for whenever he seized his prey from the perch he appeared to exult, now masticating the morsel with his toothed bill, and applying his tongue to it, now attempting to gorge it, and now making the peculiar chattering noise, accompanied by the shivering motion above mentioned. The whole operation lasted about a quarter of an hour. He then cleaned his beak, by rubbing it against the bars of his cage. I have more than once seen this bird return the food from his crop, sometimes twice after he had taken it, and after masticating the morsel awhile in his bill, again swallow it, the whole operation, particularly the return of the food to the bill, bearing a strong resemblance to the analogous action in ruminating animals. His food consisted of bread, boiled vegetables, eggs, and flesh; to which a little bird is added every second and third day. He shows a "There is yet another peculiarity of this bird," continues Mr. Broderip, "that cannot be passed over in silence. When he settles himself to roost, he sits a short time with his tail retroverted, so as to make an acute angle with the line of his back; he then turns his bill over his right shoulder, nestling it in the soft feathers of the back (on which last the under mandible rests), till the bill is so entirely covered that no trace of it is visible. When disturbed, he does not drop his tail, but almost immediately returns his bill to the comfortable nidus from which he had withdrawn it. At these times the bird has the appearance of a ball of feathers." THE TUKANA. The TUKANA (Ramphastus Temminckii) has the feathers in the fore part of the throat of a bright yellow, edged with a paler shade. The hinder parts of the body are red, and the breast is adorned by a red line. The beak is glossy black, with a broad light yellow streak towards its base; the eye is blueish, the bare eye-ring deep red, and the foot lead-grey. The length of this species is eighteen inches and a half, and its breadth twenty-one inches. The wing measures seven inches, and the tail six inches and a half. The Tukana is an inhabitant of the forests on the coast of Brazil. The HORNBILLS PROPER (Bucerotes) are at once recognisable by the remarkable horn-like protuberance that in many species rises at the base of the very long, thick, and more or less curved beak. Their body is slender, the neck moderately long, and head comparatively small; the tail, composed of ten feathers, is of medium size, or very long; the wings short, and very decidedly rounded, the tarsus short and the toes slender. In many species the throat and region of the eye are bare, and the eyelid furnished with well-developed eyelashes. These birds inhabit the Eastern Hemisphere, and are especially numerous in some parts of Asia and Africa. Dense woods and forests are their favourite resorts, and where these are to be met with they often live at an altitude of ten thousand feet above the level of the sea; only a few of the smaller species occasionally frequent shrubs or bushes. Lesson tells us that certain species devour nutmegs, from which their flesh acquires a most appetising flavour. Some writers inform us that they will consume carrion, and when in confinement have been known to swallow rats and mice whole, after bruising their bodies with their powerful mandibles. The Hornbills associate in flocks, which frequent woods and forests, and perch on the loftiest trees. We learn from the naturalist above quoted that the noise produced by a party of these birds when passing through the air is very alarming to those who are unaware that the strange sound that accompanies their movements is produced by the clattering of their huge mandibles, and the utterance of a loud croak; these discordant sounds bearing no distant resemblance to one of those sudden and violent winds which often come on unexpectedly in tropical climates. Their voice may be described as the blast of a bugle, combined with the sudden hiss of an exploding sky-rocket; they seem to utter these calls periodically, without any obvious reason, as if to relieve the monotony of their still and melancholy lives. Major Denham tells us that an Abyssinian species lives upon insects, fish, and snakes, and appears to display an especial instinct in finding the latter. The Hornbill discovers their vicinity while they are yet underground, digs on the spot, destroys the nest, and feeds on the venomous inhabitant and its eggs. "The first time I saw a Hornbill's nest," says Dr. Livingstone, speaking of another species, "was at Kolsberg, when I had gone to a forest for some timber. Standing by a tree, a native looked behind me, and exclaimed, 'There is the nest of a KorwÉ!' I now saw a slit only about half an inch wide, and three or four inches long, in a slight hollow of the tree. THE TOK (Rhynchaceros erythrorhynchus). Dr. Livingstone also gives the following interesting anecdote illustrative of the affection of these birds to their mates:—"Near sunset, on the 25th of August" (he writes from Dakanamoio Island), "we saw an immense flock of the largest species of Hornbills (Buceros cristatus) come here to roost on the great trees which skirt the edge of the cliff; they leave early in the morning, often before sunrise, for their feeding-places, coming and going in pairs. They are evidently of a loving The SMOOTH-BEAKED HORNBILLS (Rhynchaceros) are the smallest members of this extensive group. In these birds the beak, which is comparatively small, has both mandibles curved, and the margins more or less denticulated; the feet are short and weak; the wings, in which the fourth or fifth quill is the longest, are of medium size, and the slightly-rounded tail of moderate length. THE TOK. The TOK (Rhynchaceros erythrorhynchus), a species inhabiting a large portion of Africa, is of a reddish grey upon the mantle and dirty white on the under side; the head and throat are greyish white; the wing-covers black, spotted with yellowish white on the inner web, with the exception of the innermost, which is white on the outer and brownish grey on the inner web; the two centre tail-feathers are a dull grey, the rest are black and white. The eye is deep brown, the beak blood-red, with a dark patch at the base of the lower mandible, the feet are brownish grey. This species is seventeen inches and three-quarters long, and twenty-two broad; the wing measures six inches and a half and the tail seven inches and a half. The female is similarly coloured, but considerably smaller than her mate. The Tok is commonly met with in all the forests of Abyssinia, Eastern Soudan, and Cordofania, and occurs, we believe, throughout the whole of the wooded portions of Central, Western, and Southern Africa. Occasionally we have noticed it living among the wooded portions of the steppes, and have seen it in large numbers upon the lofty trees that abound in the river valleys. According to Heuglin, it is found upon the mountains at an altitude of seven thousand feet above the sea. Like other Hornbills, it is a true tree-bird, and but rarely descends to the ground, except when the supply of fruit and berries upon which it principally subsists falls short. Certain trees are usually selected as favourite resting-places, and upon them it perches with the utmost regularity, taking possession of the highest branches, upon which it sways itself to and fro, varying the entertainment from time to time by hopping clumsily from bough to bough. Its flight somewhat resembles that of the Woodpecker, and is produced by a series of rapid strokes, by means of which the bird rises quickly into the air to a certain height, from whence it precipitately descends, with the head downwards, in a series of curves. This process is repeated many successive times, the tail meanwhile being alternately spread and closed. The cry of the Tok, which is supposed to be represented by its name, is usually reiterated with great persistence and such rapidity as frequently to have almost the effect of one sound prolonged for a minute at a time, each note being accompanied by a duck of the head that gives a most absurd effect to the whole performance, as, owing to the quickness of utterance in which the bird indulges as it becomes excited, it is compelled to exert itself to the utmost, in order that the bow and the cry may be simultaneous. In disposition this species exhibits all the curiosity and keenness of observation possessed by the Raven, and, like that noisy bird, never fails to betray the presence of any unusual object to all its feathered companions by the loudness of its warning cries, which appear to be uttered solely for their benefit, for the Tok itself boldly darts down upon even the larger birds of prey, and grievously torments the leopard of its native forests by harrying it The TWO-HORNED HORNBILLS (Dichoceros), as the Indian representatives of this family are called, are recognised by the large, high, broad appendage, divided into two portions in front, which covers a considerable part of the forehead, and extends over one-third of the beak. THE HOMRAY. The HOMRAY, or GREAT TWO-HORNED HORNBILL (Dichoceros bicornis), is principally black; the throat, tips of the upper tail-covers, the lower tail-covers, and a spot on the wing, the base of the primaries, the extremities of all the quills and entire tail-feathers, with the exception of a broad black band near the tip, are white; occasionally the feathers of the throat and wings have a yellowish shade. The eye is scarlet, the upper mandible and its appendage red, shading into yellow, the latter black at its extremity; the lower portion of the beak is yellow, tipped with red; a dark brown line passes along the centre of the bill, which is greyish black at its base; the bare skin around the eyes is black, and the foot deep brown. This species is four feet long, the wing measures from nineteen to twenty, and the tail seventeen inches; the beak ten inches; its appendage is seven inches and a half long and three inches and a half broad. The Homray frequents the high-standing woods of India, from its extreme south to the Himalayas, and from the Malabar coast to Assam, Burmah, and the Malay peninsula; it is also occasionally seen on the island of Trincomalee. "This large Hornbill," says Jerdon, "is found in the forests of Malabar, from the extreme south up to Goa, and also in the Himalayas; I have not seen it in any other of the forest regions. It is also common in Assam, Burmah, the Malay peninsula, and in Sumatra. I have seen it but rarely in the forests of Malabar below the GhÂts. It is generally met with on the sides of the hills. I have seen it up to five thousand feet on the eastern slope of the Neilgherries; and on the Himalayas, near Darjeeling, at a height of from three thousand to five thousand feet. Hodgson states that it tenants the lower ranges of hills contiguous to the plains. It is sometimes seen in pairs, occasionally in small flocks, generally keeping to the thickets and jungle or to lofty trees, but is sometimes to be found seated on a high tree in an open space; the same writer says that it seems to prefer the most open and cultivated spots in the wilds it inhabits, these spots being usually limited to the banks of rivers. This naturalist must have seen many more of this species than I have done, for he speaks of twenty to thirty birds being commonly found in the same vicinity, and six or eight on the same tree. I never saw a flock of more than five or six, either in the south of India or in the Sikim Himalayas, and even that very rarely. It is in general rather a silent bird, making merely a deep but very loud croak. Occasionally, however, when a party are together, they utter most loud, harsh, and discordant cries. Hodgson says that the clamour made by a wounded bird is perfectly amazing. 'I cannot,' says he, 'liken this vehement vociferation to anything but the braying of a jackass; its power is extraordinary, and is the consequence of an unusually osseous structure of the rings of the trachea.' The Homray flies with more repeated flappings of its wings than the other Hornbills, only in general sailing just before alighting on a tree. The noise of its wings can be heard more than a mile distant. Like the others, it builds in holes in large trees; the male builds the female in, by covering THE HOMRAY (Dichoceros bicornis). THE DJOLAN, OR YEAR BIRD. The DJOLAN, or YEAR BIRD (Rhyticeros plicatus), represents a group principally characterised by a wrinkled excrescence situated on the upper mandible. The wings are of medium size, and the feet short and powerful; the tail is rounded at its extremity. The plumage of the Year Bird is principally black; the top of the head is brownish yellow, and the tail white; the eye is brownish red, the beak light horn-grey, and the foot blackish grey. The bare skin upon the throat is pale yellow in the male, and dull blue in the female. In other respects the latter resembles her mate. The young are without the excrescence on the beak, which only develops after they are full grown. The name of Year Bird is derived, as we are told, from an idea formerly prevalent that a fresh wrinkle was annually added to the remarkable skin-like growth on the upper mandible. THE DJOLAN, OR YEAR BIRD (Rhyticeros plicatus). The Djolan, as this bird is called by the natives, inhabits the Sunda Islands and Malacca, where it frequents extensive forests and promontories, from three thousand to four thousand feet above the sea, rarely ascending beyond that height, apparently because certain favourite fruit-trees do not grow above that point. From early morning it may be seen sweeping in a direct line above the summits of the loftiest giants of the forest, with head and neck thrust forward, producing as it flies the remarkable rushing sound above described. These birds live in pairs throughout the entire year, and subsist upon various kinds of fruits. We have made various successful attempts to rear the young on cooked potatoes and fruit, but have frequently found that the adults refused all nourishment, and only survived their captivity a few days. Whilst at liberty we have never heard this species produce any sound; but, when excited, the prisoners uttered a loud grunting resembling that of an angry pig. Despite the light construction of their large beak, they bite very sharply, and we have known them make a hole through a half-inch plank with which their cage had been repaired. The nest of this species is placed at a considerable height, in the hollow of one of the huge trees, covered with dense masses of parasites that form so striking a feature in the primitive forest. The only nest we were fortunate enough to find was betrayed to us by the movements of the male bird. This breeding-hole was some sixty feet above the ground; in it we saw the female securely walled up with a mixture of earth and bits of decayed wood, firmly cemented together with what we believe to be spittle from the male bird's beak. Only a small aperture was left, through which the female could obtain the fruits assiduously brought her by her affectionate spouse. This breeding female had lost almost all the principal wing and tail feathers, and would therefore have been powerless to save herself from danger had she not been thus safely protected. The natives informed us that the female always moults in this manner during the period of incubation, and does not recover her plumage till the young are ready to fly. Horsfield mentions having been told that should the male bird discover that a rival has attempted to minister to his partner's wants during his absence in search of food, he at once tears down the protecting wall, and leaves his fickle mistress to perish from exposure and hunger. The nest of this bird described by Bernstein was formed of a few twigs and chips of wood placed at the bottom of the hole, which contained a still blind nestling, and an egg that was nearly hatched. The latter was of small size, oval in form, and had a rough white shell, marked here and there with pale red and brown spots and cloudings. In an account given by Layard of the incubation of an allied species, he says: "My friend, Mrs. Baker, thus speaks of the singular habits this bird exhibits, in common with its congeners, of blocking up the sitting female in her nest:—'Building her up with mud and sticks into old broken hollow trees, or between the crowded stems of the tall euphorbia in the forests, and closing up the entrance in such a manner that it is impossible to escape, only leaving a small hole for the purpose of feeding her during her long imprisonment; I do not know how long she is thus kept in durance vile, but we have sometimes taken the females out, and found them so cramped and weak as to be unable to fly. This peculiar habit may be a precautionary measure, to protect the female during the season of incubation, as she may be too dull and exhausted to fly from approaching danger. Depend upon it, it is not done in vain. We self-willed and presumptuous beings often act without reason or reflection, but the birds of the air and the lilies of the field are protected by a higher Power.'" THE ABBAGAMBA, OR ABYSSINIAN HORNBILL. The ABBAGAMBA, or ABYSSINIAN HORNBILL (Bucorax Abyssinicus), a well-known African species of the above family, is a large, powerfully-formed bird, with short wings and tail and long legs. Its huge beak, about a foot in length, is slightly curved, flat at its sides, and blunt at the tip. The base of the upper mandible is surmounted by a high protuberance. The regions of the eye and throat are THE ABBAGAMBA, OR ABYSSINIAN HORNBILL (Bucorax Abyssinicus). This remarkable bird is found over a large portion of Africa, and is common in Abyssinia, where it subsists principally on a large beetle that abounds in the Teff fields at certain seasons. In some parts of the continent it is regarded with superstitious veneration, and is known as the Tier el Naciba, or Bird of Destiny. So strong, indeed, is this feeling among the natives, that they will not permit an Abbagamba to be killed near their dwellings, lest they should lose their flocks and cattle by disease; under any circumstances, however, this species is but little liable to molestation, as the disgusting stench emitted by its body renders a near approach to it almost impossible. During the breeding season the Abyssinian Hornbills live in pairs, but after that period wander about the fields in parties |
|
