508 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



The COLIES, or MOUSE-BIRDS, of South Africa are 

 small, crested, long-tailed, loose-plumaged birds whose 

 exact relationships are somewhat puzzling. The name 

 Mouse-bird is given on account of the habit of creeping 

 along the boughs of trees with the whole foot applied 

 to the branch. The toes are peculiar in that all turn 

 forwards, and arc commonly so retained. About ten 

 species are known, ranging from Abyssinia southwards. 



Resplendent without doubt are the majority of the 

 forms which we have been lately considering, but prob- 

 ably the palm for gorgeous coloration should be given to 

 the TROGONS at least they must be allowed to share 

 the honours with the Humming-birds. 



The most splendid of all is the QUEZAL, the male 

 of which has a train of great length, resembling at first 

 sight a tail. But, as in the peacock, this is formed 

 by enormously elongated tail-coverts, concealing the true 

 tail. These tail-coverts differ, however, markedly from 

 those in the peacock in that they are not erectile, 

 but pendent. The head is ornamented with a large, 

 rounded crest; the ground-colour of the upper parts of 

 the plumage is of brilliant metallic green ; the under 

 parts from the chest downwards are of a deep blood-red. 

 Certain of the covert-feathers of the wing form elegant 

 drooping plumes, hanging down on either side and giving 

 a wonderfully beautiful effect. 



The late Mr. Salvin's account of this bird in its 

 wild state is well worth quoting. Hunting with a 

 native for this bird in the forest, where alone it is to be 

 met with, he writes : " A distant clattering note indicates 

 that the bird is on the wing. He settles a splendid 

 male on a bough of a tree, not seventy yards from 

 where we are hidden. Cipriano wants to creep up to within shot, but I keep him back, 

 wishing to risk the chance of losing a specimen rather than miss such an opportunity of seeing 

 the bird in its living state, and of watching its movements. It sits almost motionless on its 

 perch, the body remaining in the same position, the head only moving from side to side. The 

 tail is occasionally jerked open and closed again, and now and then slightly raised, causing the 

 long tail-coverts to vibrate gracefully. I^have not seen all. A ripe fruit catches the quezal's 

 eye, and he darts from his perch, hovers for a moment, picks the berry, and returns to his 

 former position. This is done with a degree of elegance that defies description." 



Pheli fy A. S. Rutland & Soli 



RACKET-TAILED MOTMOT 



Note the mutilated tail-feathers 



CHAPTER XIV 



TOUCANS, HONET-GUIDES, JACAMARS, AND PUFF-BIRDS, BARBETS 



AND WOODPECKERS 



GAUDY in plumage, and somewhat ungainly in appearance, it must nevertheless be admitted 

 that the TOUCANS form an exceedingly interesting group of birds. On account of their 

 huge and gaily coloured beaks, they have been imagined to be related to the Hornbills; 

 but even judging by this character, the two groups may be readily distinguished ; for whereas 

 the typical beak of the hornbill is surmounted by a large casque, the beak of the toucan is 



