BEE-EATERS. 217 



for the purpose of killing it, but to break the bones, in order to 

 swallow the whole more easily. 



" The motmots, or moraots, are so named," says Mr. Swainson, 

 "from their unvarying note, which may be heard morning and 

 evening from the depths of the forest ; but the bird is never seen 

 except the hunter comes unexpectedly upon its retreat, which is 

 generally some low withered branch, completely shaded, and just 

 at the edge of such paths as are made by the cavies or the Indians. 

 The jacamars and the trogons both love these shady nooks, where 

 they sit nearly motionless, watching for passing insects, upon which 

 they dart. Such is, no doubt, the manner in which the motmot 

 feeds, but his strong conformation enables him to capture larger 

 game. Travellers assert that, like the toucans, he also devours the 

 eggs and young of other birds — which is extremely probable, 

 seeing that both have the same long, feather-like tongue. The 

 toucans, however, are gregarious, living in flocks, and seeking 

 their food from the tops of lofty trees. The motmot is solitary, 

 hiding in the deep recesses of trackless woods." 



The type of this sub-family is— 



The Motm,ot {Prionites viomota). 



FAMILY II. 

 THE i;ee-eaters. MEROPID.E. 



General Characteristics. — Bill longer than the head, with both mandibles curved 

 and acutely pointed, tlie sides compressed and sloping from the culmen ; nostrils basal, 

 lateral, rounded, and partly hidden by short bristles; wings more or less long and 

 pointed ; tail long, broad, and the middle feathers sometimes prolonged beyond the 

 lateral ones ; tarsi very short : toes long, with the lateral ones more or less united to 

 the middle toe, the hind toe long and broadly padded beneath. 



These birds, remarkable from the brilliancy of their plumage, 

 are found in most parts of the old continent. They seek the 

 warmer climates during the winter, and in summer visit temperate 

 localities in pursuit of their food, which consists almost exclusively 

 of insects. They usually perch singly, or in small parties, on some 

 prominent branch, or on any objects from which they can see to 

 a distance around them. When an insect is observed, they fly off, 

 capture it on the wing, and then generally return to the perch just 



