vI MOMOTIDAE 379 
syllables “tu-hou” thrice repeated, either while hovering in the 
air or while ascending or descending in vertical fashion. Mean- 
while the wings are struck against the body, and the throat 
puffed out lke a bag. It is found in the forests in flocks of 
about a dozen, perching and squatting lazily on the branches, 
and scarcely moving when its neighbours are shot; the food 
erasshoppers, chamaeleons, and lizards; the 
oO 
consists mainly of 
9° 
i 
Fic. 77.—Kirombo. Leptosoma discolor. 
nest is said to be made of rushes and placed in holes, the eggs to 
be white. One female is often accompanied by several males. 
The Malagasy consider that the “ Red” brings ill-luck, and make 
it the theme of various tales and chants.’ 
Fam. U1. Momotidae.—The Motmots and Todies fall natur- 
ally between the Rollers and Kingfishers, but are also closely con- 
nected with the Bee-Eaters, which do not occur in the New World. 
They compose the Sub-families (1) J/omotinae and (2) Todinae, the 
former ranging from South Mexico and the Antilles to Paraguay, 
while the latter are restricted to the Greater Antilles. 
1 For this, as most Madagascar birds, see Grandidier, Histoire de Madagascar, 
and Sibree, Zbis, 1891, pp. 194-228, 416-443, 557-565 ; 1892, pp. 103-119, 261-274. 
