TJic Birds of Rritisli Guiana. 147 



Birds." which are nearly related to the Jacamars, and the 

 Capituiiidac or " Bi,2;--heads," related to the Toucans. The 

 former belons^' entirely to the New World, tlie latter are also 

 found in Africa, India, and the East. 



The feet of all these birds are zygodactyl. that is to say, 

 'ihere are two toes before and two behind. Barbets feed on 

 fruit and berries w'ith occasional insects. They build their 

 rests in holes of fruit trees which they themselves, if necessary, 

 excavate in the decaying" wood. They lay white, shining eggs. 

 Their note is generally long, loud, and ringing. A species in 

 India is called " Copper-Smith " on account of the resem- 

 blance of its interminably repeated note to the sovmd of a ham- 

 mer striking metal. The plumage is often brilliant with con- 

 trasts of scarlet, purple, yellow, or blue, bright green often 

 prevailing. They are shy, arboreal birds, seldom appearing in 

 the open. There are twenty-eight genera and about two hund- 

 red and eighty species, of which forty-five Capito}iidac and 

 sixteen Bucconinac belong to America. 



Barbets — (Colonial). 



Bucconinae — 



Collared Barbet or Puff-Bird Buco coUaris. 



*Lone-billed Barbet or Puff-Bird ., iiiacrorhviichiis. 



♦Dyson's Barbet ., d\soni. 



Large-billed Barbet. ,. hypcrrh\<nchns. 



*Ord's ,, ,. ordi. 



Pied ., ,, tcctus. 



Spotted ,, tamatia. 



White-breasted (soft-feathered) Malacoptila jnsca 



Red-billed Barbet (Solitary) Munasa nigra 



White-rumped Barbet (Swallow- 

 winged) Chelidoptera tenebrosa. 

 Caphonincc — 



Red throated Barbet Capita niger. 



*Golden Barbet or Puff-Bird ,, auratits. 



KiNG-FiSHERS. — -These birds comprise a well-marked 

 family of which the English Kingfisher may be taken as the 

 type. They are remarkable for their large heads, spear- 

 like beaks, and, as a rule for the gorgeous, and often 

 metallic-like lustre of their plumage. They are divided into 

 two sub-famiHes, the AJccdinincc and Halcyonincc. the latter 

 family called the Wood-Kingfishers, being found as described, 

 and feeding upon insects, reptiles, worms, etc.. and only occa- 



