Tin: \K>U:T r; is-EATEtL 



and . ly movable crest being continually raised or depressed, giving It a very spirited 



It is gregarious, living in littl. romjimiies of f..ur or li\.- in number, and is continually 

 jumping :in<l running about tin- Lnnirli, - in search of it- food, which consists of fruit and 

 IMI, K Tim grasp of its feet is very i>werfnl, as minii n indeed as thmt of the ] and 



while traveisj llir the boughs it may often be Been honging b\ it- f,-,-t with its head downward, 

 and occasional I \ irmainin^ for some time sus]>ended by a single foot La Vaillant my* that 

 his bird, in rommon with oth, r iii.-mliera of the some family, is fond of sle. 

 singular attitude, and that in the early muniiny it may often lie found so benumU-d with cold, 

 that it can be taken by hand before it can loosen its hold from tin- Uni K ii which it grasps so 

 firmly. 



Owing to the formation of its feet, which are almost wholly formed for grasping, it is 

 seldom seen on the ground, and when it has alighted, is awkward in its movements. Among 

 tin- boughs, however, it is all life and energy, leaping about with a quirk \ harity that remind* 

 the observer of our common long-tailed titmou.se. In climbing from <.n.- branch'to another, as 

 in l..w, -ring themselves, the Colies frequently use their beaks to aid tln-m, aft.-r the well- 

 known practice of the parrots. 



The nests of the Colies are all large and rounded, and are generally placed in close prox- 

 imity to each other, five or six being often found on the same branch. The materials of w I, 

 they are made are slender twigs externally, lined with mosses and soft feuth. r-. Tin- number 

 of the eggs is from four to six. When fat and in good condition, tin- flesh is said to be dell 

 cate and tender. In size it is about equal to a blackbird. 



The general color of this species is a rather li^ht chestnut-gray, brightening into ruddy 

 fawn on the forehead. The crest is composed of fine and feathers. Tin- na|- of the 



neck tukes a blue tint, and the back is gray, changing to slaty-blue on the upper tail -co verts. 

 The chin and the abdomen are pearl-gray, and the chest is of the same light ruddy fawn as the 

 forehead. The beak is thick and sturdy, and is black at the tips, and brown towards the 

 base. 



ALLIED to the colies we find another curious and interesting group of birds called the 

 PLANTAIN-EATERS. 



These birds are natives of Africa, where they are not at all uncommon, and in the forests 

 which they frequent may be seen flitting among the branches of tin- lofty trees, gliding among 

 the boughs with great adroitness, and displaying their shining silken plumage to the bait 

 advantage. They are wary birds, and seem to have tolerably accurate ideas respecting the 

 range of shot, for they mostly keep to the highest parts of the tree, and can but seldom be 

 approached sufficiently near to be killed by the gun. Their food is almost wholly composed 

 of fruits, and for feeding on such substances they are well suited by tln-ir large and |-<-nliurly 

 formed beaks. 



They are all handsome birds, th>-ir dimensions averaging those of tin- European jay, and 

 their plumage glancing with violet, green, purple, and red of different shades. One of the 

 finest of the species is the VIOLET PLANTAIN i MM:, a bird which is found l>ont Senegal and 

 the Gold Coa>t. It is remarkable for tin- extraordinary slui]M':nid dimension* of theln-ak, which 

 is everywhere large and prominent, but is especially swollen towards the base, where it 

 expands into a large shield like mass of horny stibstan, . which spreads over the forehead as 

 far as the crown, where it terminates in a semicircular thickened line. The ridgt* of the beak 

 is greatly an-hed, and its sides are much compressed. Its color is equally singular with its 

 shape, for it is of a fine golden -yellow, passing into rich crimson on the upper part of the 

 bee*. 



The top of the head is crimson, not unlik-- that of the l>eak, and the feathers are very soft 

 and fine, bearing a velvety or plush-like a*\ -i. The general color of the plumage Is very deep 

 violet, appearing black in the shade, and'glossed with rich gn-en in many lights. Part o' tb 

 primary quills of all the secondaries are carmine, softening into delicate lilac, and tipped with 

 deep violet The huge and powerful legs are black. 



