282 



TABLE XIII. (See p. 15). 

 ORDER 2. PASSERINE. TRIBE 7. TENUIROSTRES. 



THE birds of this tribe, comprehending the rest of this 

 division, are classed together, not so much with reference 

 to the actual strength or weakness of the bill, as on ac- 

 count of its form, and comparative narrowness and 

 length, which is seldom less than twice that of the head, 

 sometimes straight, at other times more or less bent. In 

 other respects, they differ very materially ; in fact, they 

 have no connexion whatever with each other. Amongst 

 them we find, of foreigners, the Humming-birds, and the 

 genus Todus, much resembling Kingfishers, but feeding 

 on insects, instead of fish. Some species of the rest are 

 British, such as the Hoopoe and Bee-eaters, both of which 

 are, however, very scarce. 



Of the habits of one of the above genus, the Todus 

 viridis, which, though of a beautiful green on the back, 

 has a crimson throat, whence it is called the Robin Red- 

 breast of Jamaica, an interesting account is given by a 

 close observer of nature in that island. One which was 

 caught in a net, and turned into a room, began imme- 

 diately to catch flies and other minute insects that flitted 

 <ibout. At this employment it continued incessantly, and 

 most successfully, all that evening, and all the next day, 

 from earliest dawn till dusk. It would sit on the edge 

 of the tables, on shelves, or on the floor, ever glancing 

 about, now and then flitting up into the air, when the 

 snap of its beak announced a capture, and it returned to 

 some station to eat it. It would peep into the lowest 

 and darkest corners, and under the tables, for the round 

 long-legged spiders, which it would drag from their webs 

 and swallow. It sought them also about the cieling and 

 walls, and found many. It continued all day, without 

 intermission, at this employment, and, on an average, 

 caught something every minute. " We may," says the 



