The Motmot 



79 



feathers so as to make them form a racket at the end. 

 This has been shown to be the case by Mr. Osbert Salvin, 

 who instances that of a young Motmot imbued with the 



A Motmot at work 



hereditary instinct that it had to nibble the web away from 

 its longest tail-feathers, but was evidently puzzled to find 

 the right one, as at first all the tail-feathers are of the same 

 length. Thus it had nibbled at one feather after the other 



