of the Order Insessores Heterogenes. 425 



ceeds from, and you will see him sitting in the underwood, 

 about a couple of yards from the ground, his tail moving up 

 and down every time he articulates " houtou." He lives on 

 insects and the berries amongst the underwood, and very rare- 

 ly is seen on the lofty trees, except the bastard Siloabali tree, 

 the fruit of which is grateful to him. He makes no nest, but 

 rears his young in a hole in the sand, generally on the side 

 of a hill."* 



In the ' Illustrations of Ornithology,' by Sir W. Jardine, 

 Bt., and others, we read that the motmots " feed principally 

 on fruits, but occasionally plunder the nests of other birds of 

 their young. They breed in holes of the ground, or in old 

 hollow trees." I suspect that the latter site is a rare excep- 

 tion to the general rule, as the structure of the foot intimates 

 that they are burrowers. The number and colour of the eggs 

 remain to be described ; but are probably the same as in the 

 kingfishers, though perhaps less numerous. 



We are indebted to the Spanish naturalist Don Felix d'A- 

 zara for some interesting details on the habits of these birds, 

 as remarked in a captive state. That excellent observer re- 

 lates two instances of their entering dwelling-houses, and be- 

 ing taken alive, which enabled him to obtain some insight 

 into their economy. He kept three motmots in captivity for 

 a considerable time, the habits of which, as described by 

 him, are strikingly intermediate to those of the kingfishers 

 and toucans. They were of a fierce and untameable disposi- 

 tion, and passed their time chiefly sitting on a piece of furni- 

 ture, only descending to the ground to feed. Their gait was 

 stiff and inelegant, by oblique hops ; accompanied by a pe- 

 culiar movement of the head. They preferred animal to ve- 

 getable food, but were fond of oranges and water-melons ; 

 rejecting maize, however softened and prepared. Small birds 

 and mice were seized with great avidity, and were swallowed 

 entire, and invariably head foremost, after beating them much, 

 with violence, against the ground, and breaking the bones of 

 the limbs by means of the serrated bill : they never divided 

 their prey, but left it if too large to swallow ; in this particu- 

 lar deviating from the toucans, and agreeing with the king- 

 fishers and rollers ; which latter are further recalled to mind 

 by the practice of beating it against the ground. It is pro- 

 bable that they also strike with their wings, as the bony tu- 

 bercle near the bend projects sufficiently to give effect to a 

 blow. 



About six or seven species of Prionitidce have now been 



*' Wanderings in Demerara and British Guaiana.' 

 rr2 



