89 
PICARIAN BIRDS. 
(C. lorti) (1156), mounted flying to display its brilliant colouring. 
The Broad-billed Rollers (Hurystomus) (1160, 1161) represent the 
second, less brightly coloured, genus. All are active, noisy birds, 
and their trivial name is derived from their peculiar habit (specially 
noticeable during the breeding-season) of rolling or turning somer- 
saults in the course of their flight. The glossy white eggs are usually 
deposited in holes in trees or banks, in a very siight nest. 
Family VI. Muropip%. Berr-rarers. 
These extremely brilliant and graceful birds inhabit the temperate 
and tropical portions of the Old World, being most numerous in the 
Ethiopian region. As their name implies, their food consists of bees, 
wasps, and similar insects, which are captured on the wing. In 
districts where Bee-culture flourishes they are most injurious and 
destroyed in large numbers. Like the Sand-Martins, the majority at 
least of the Bee-eaters breed in colonies in sandy river-beds, excavating 
tunnels from three to ten feet in length which terminate in a breeding- 
chamber, where from four to six glossy white eggs are deposited. 
To the genus Merops, which has the central tail-feathers elongated, 
belong a number of species, the Common Bee-eater (M. apiaster) 
(1166) being the most familiar. This bird is well known in Europe as 
a summer visitor, and is occasionally met with as a straggler in 
Great Britain. Another striking member is the Nubian Bee-eater 
(M. nubicus) (1168), remarkable for its brilliant crimson plumage. 
Of the numerous other forms exhibited we may draw special attention 
to the larger and brilliantly-coloured species of Nyctiornis (1173, 1174) 
found in the Indo-Malayan countries, and reported to nest in holes in 
trees. 
Family VII. Momorip#. Mormors. 
The Motmots are restricted to the New World, and range from 
Mexico through Central and South America. Like their allies, the 
Todies, they have the edges of the bill serrated, and are generally to 
be distinguished by the long graduated tail, the median and longest 
pair of feathers being frequently racquet-shaped. from observations 
made from living specimens of Motmots in the Zoological Gardens, it 
seems fairly certain that the shape of the middle tail-feathers is 
artificially produced by the birds themselves biting off the vanes from 
the shafts. They frequent the dense forests, and, like Flycatchers, dart 
out after passing insects, which are caught in the air, though they also 
feed on small reptiles and fruits. They nest im holes in trees or banks, 
and lay creamy-white eggs. The birds shown include examples of three 
Case ¢ 
cr 
io 2) 
vs 
ipenl 
[Case 58.] 
