420 NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



iiiy their relationship to tiie toucans, while in Asia and Africa together there are nearly 

 six times as many species as in South America, the number of species known amount- 

 ing to some ciglity. Miocene remains of liarhets have not yet been identitietl, but 

 little iloubt is entertained but that the exj)lanatiou of the curious distribution of the 

 barbets is the same as that of the trogons (p. 371). 



The species figured in the accomjianyiiig cut is the crimson-breasted barbet (J/e- 

 c/alaima hcemacephala) from the Fiiilii)piiic Islands, but rcjircsented by closely allied 

 races all over the Indian region. It is green above, yellowish beneath, streaked with 

 green ; forehead and a i)ectoral gorget glistening crimson, the latter edged behind 

 with golden yellow ; tlu'oat and eye-region pale sulphur yellow ; rest of head black, 

 except occiput, which, together with the sides of the neck, has a bluish tinge. This 

 form is representative of the central and most numerous group of the family. In 

 India it is known as the tainhagut, or 'coj>j)ersniith,' a name originating in its cry, 

 which is a monotonous and deliberate took, took, took, accompanied by a ])eculiar nod- 

 ding of the head at each call. M. rofflesii, from the Malay ])eninsula, is still more 

 gaudily colored, and deserves mentioning, being one of the commonest sj>ecies in col- 

 lections from the tropical cast. Mr. I{. Swinhoe writes as follows of the habits of 

 3L /liber, from the Island of Hainan : " From its loud, peculiar call, the Hainan 

 species has earned among the natives of the island the appellation of ' ironsniith,' 

 whence I have derived its s])ecific name. It is a .stujiid, heavy species, keei)ing much 

 to the upjjcr boughs of umbrageous trees, es]iecially those of the fig group, of which 

 there are a good many kinds in Hainan. It sits still among the leaves, munching the 

 figs, and you m.iy bo under a tree a long time without knowing that a jiarty of bar- 

 bels are overhead, except from the constant falling of berries. In Hying, they hold 

 the head with the heavy bill well up, the body and tail inclining downward, while 

 the wings keep on a continued fluttering, .and propel the bird in a straight direction." 



The pearl-s))otted barbet ( 2'rachijj)koiins )/iarf/aritatus) from northeastern Africa 

 rejiresents another style of coloration, being umber brown with white spots above; 

 sulphur yellow underneath ; up))er and under tail-coverts, deep scarlet. The species 

 of this group are also characterized by longer tail and tarsus. Their hal)its have 

 been described bv the celebrated tr.aveler and ornithologist Theodor von Ileutrlin 

 as follows : — 



" The note of the Trachijphoni is loud and very melodious ; they run (though in a 

 different manner from woodj)e('kers) up and down the trunks of trees, feeding ujion 

 insects, berries, and fruits, as they hop from branch to branch. Their flight is short, 

 but rapid ; their course consisting of a series of numerous undulations. I never saw 

 any of the s])ecies of this grou]) on the ground. I am not accpiainted with the mode 

 of ])ro))agation of these binls, excej)! that T. viarcjarUatus builds in holes of trees, 

 and lays white eggs, usually from four to six in number." Another African form is 

 Poffonorhynchus diibius, the bearded barbet, with a large, deeply sulcated and den- 

 tated beak, guarde<l underneath by long and strong bristles, and with a larire naked 

 space round the eyes. Its coloration is very peculiar, in some resi)ects reminding one of 

 some species of toucans, being glossy black above, across the breast, ami underneath 

 behind the legs. T\w throat and sides of neck, together with the middle part of the 

 abdomen, are glossy deep blood-red ; flanks, white. 



Nearly all the South American sitecies belong to the genus Capita, and resemble 

 in their general aspect the true Megalaimas, but have the bristles at the base of the 

 bill much less developed. Peculiar are the two species forming the genus Tetragon- 



