528 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



The Caprimiilgida are intermediate between the Owls and 

 the Passerine Birds. Their plumage is lax and soft, and they 

 have a hawking flight. The eyes and ears are large, the feet 

 short and weak, and the gape of enormous size and bordered 

 by vibrissae. Amongst the more remarkable members of the 

 family may be mentioned the Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus 

 vociferus) of North America, the More-pork (Podargus Cuvieri) 

 of Australia, and the extraordinary Guacharo Bird (Steatornis 

 Caripensis) of the valley of Caripe in the West Indies. 



The Bee-eaters (Meropidce) live upon insects, chiefly upon 

 various species of bees and wasps : but the King-fishers live 

 upon small fish, which they capture by dashing into the water. 

 The common King-fisher (Alcedo ispida] is a somewhat rare 

 native of Britain, and is perhaps the most beautiful of British 

 birds. Some exotic King-fishers are of large size, and one of 

 the most remarkable of them is the Laughing Jackass (Dacelo 

 gigas) of Australia, so called from its extraordinary song, re- 

 sembling a prolonged hysterical laugh. A very beautiful species 

 is the Belted King-fisher (Ceryle alcyon) of North America. 



The Bee-eaters are found chiefly in the warmer regions of the 

 Old World, and their place is taken in America by the Mot- 

 mots (Momotus}. 



CHAPTER LXX. 

 RAPTORES AND SAURUR&. 



ORDER VII. RAPTURES. All the members of this order are 

 characterised by the shape of the bill, which is "strong, 

 curved, sharp-edged, and sharp-pointed, often armed with a 

 lateral tooth " (Owen). The upper mandible is the longest 

 (fig. 229, B), and is strongly hooked at the tip. The body is 

 very muscular ; the legs are robust, short, with three toes in 

 front and one behind, all armed with long, curved, crooked 

 claws or talons (fig. 229, A) ; the wings are commonly pointed, 

 and of considerable size, and the flight is usually rapid and 

 powerful. The Birds of Rapine are monogamous, and the 

 female is larger than the male. They build their nests generally 

 in lofty and inaccessible situations, and rarely lay more than 

 four eggs, from which the young are liberated in a naked and 

 helpless condition. 



The order Raptorcs is divided into two great sections the 

 Nocturnal Birds of Prey, which hunt by night, and have the 



