SLENDER-BILLED BIRDS. 



UPUPID^, OE HOOPOES. 



The large group of birds wliich are termed Tentjieostral, or Slender-billed, always 

 possess a long and slender beak, sometimes curved, as in the creepers, hoopoes, and many 

 humming birds, and sometimes straight, as in the nuthatch and other humming birds. 

 The feet are furnished with lengthened toes, and the outer toe is generally connected at 

 the base witli the middle toe. 



The first family of the Tenuirostres is called after the lioopoe, and termed Upnpidse. 

 In all these birds the bill is curved throughout its entire length, long, slender, and 

 sharply pointed. The wings are rounded, showing that the birds are not intended for 

 aerial feats, and the tail is rather long. The legs are short, and the claws strong and 

 decidedly curved. As several of the families embrace a great number of species, it has 

 been thought advisable to separate them into sub-families, for greater convenience Oj 

 reference and more precision of arrangement. 



The first sub-family is that of the Plume Birds, or Epimachinte, containing some very 

 beautiful species, all of exotic birth, and inhabiting Australia, New Holland, New Guinea, 

 and the neighbouring islands. In these bii'ds the long and slender bill is cloven as far as 

 the eyes, the nostrils are placed at its base, and covered with soft silken plumes, and the 

 thumb-toe or "hallux" is of considerable length and very strong, evidently for the 

 purpose of aiding tlie birds in the pursuit of their xjrey. The fourth quill-feather of tlu 

 wing is generally the longest. 



The Ptilokis, or Eifle-Bied, is, according to Gould, the most gorgeous of all the 

 Australian birds, althougli the full beauty of the creature is not at first sight so striking 

 as that of the parrots or other gaudy-plnmaged birds, and needs to be seen by a favourable 

 light before the full glory of the colouring can be made out. 



In size the Eifle-Bii'd is equal to a large pigeon, and in spite of its beauty it is not 

 very often seen, as it is retiring in its habits, and seems to be confined to a very limited 

 range of country. As far as is at present known, it is found only in the thick " bush " of 

 the south-eastern portions of Australia, and even there appears to be a very local bird. It 

 is no wanderer, never flying to any great distance from its home, and procuring its food in 

 the near vicinity of its nest. For lengthened flight, indeed, it is singularly incapacitated 

 by the shortness and rounded form of the wings, which is a never-failing characteristic of 

 weakness in the flight and want of sustaining power. While in its native woods it seems 

 never to make more use of its wings than is needful for the purpose of conveying it from 

 one tree to another. 



The habits of this bird are very like those of the common creeper of England, for i'. 

 is generally seen upon the trunks and large branches of trees, running nimbly round then 

 in a spiral course, and extracting the insects on which it feeds from tlie crevices and 

 recesses of the bark. 



Although in many instances, some of wliich have already been mentioned, the two 

 sexes are clothed in very different plumage, there are few species where the distinction 

 is so great as is the case with tlie Eifle-Bird. In the male bird, the upper jiart of the 

 body is deep velvet-black, with a tinge of purple in a cross liglit, and the breast, abdomen, 

 and under parts are of the same velvety hue, but diversified with a fine oUve-green, wliich 

 stains the edges of each feather. The crown of the head and the throat are covered with 

 a multitude of remarkably little patches of the most brilliant emerald-green, glancing 

 with a lustrous metallic sheen tliat equals tlie well-known emerald feathers of the 

 Imniming-bird, and is in vivid contrast with the velvet-black of tlie body. The tail is 

 lilack, with the exception of the two central feathers, which are of a rich metallic green, 

 nearly as gorgeous as those of the head and neck. The bill is black. 



