BEE-EA TERSMO TMO TS. 



341 



Fig. 75. THE COMMON BEE-EATER 

 (Mesops apiaster). 



M. apiaster, visiting Southern Europe every summer, extending even to Cen- 

 tral Asia and Kashmir. The bird generally tunnels a hole into the bank of 

 some river, and the white eggs are deposited in a 

 chamber at some distance, sometimes of several 

 feet from the opening. Occasionally the birds 

 have been known to bore downwards through 

 the sandy soil, and Mr. E. L. Layard records 

 one instance which came under his own 

 observation in Cape Colony, where the ground 

 was "perforated with numberless holes, into 

 which the birds were diving and scrambling 

 like so many rats." He found the species 

 breeding on the Berg river in September and 

 October, so that the bee-eater may be con- 

 sidered one of the few species which are known 

 with certainty to nest in their winter quarters. 

 In certain parts of Spain the bee-eater com- 

 mits great havoc among the bees as they fly 

 out of the hives, and the bird is, in consequence, detested by the peasants. 



In the Indian and Malayan sub-regions occur the bearded bee-eaters, re- 

 markable for an ornamental tuft of plumes on the chest. One species, 

 Meropogon forsteni, with the central tail-feathers produced, is confined to the 

 island of Celebes ; while the genus Nyctiornis, which has a square tail, is 

 represented by two species, JV. athertoni, of the Himalayas, with a blue throat, 

 and JV. amicta, of the Malayan Peninsula, with a scarlet throat. These 

 birds are of stouter build than the rest of the bee-eaters, and are believed to 

 nest in holes of trees. 



The motmots are exclusively neo-tropical in habitat, and contain but a 

 single family, the Momotidce. They represent to a great extent the Mero- 

 pidce of the Old World. The pal- 

 ate is desmognathous or "bridged," 

 the sternum has four posterior 

 notches, and the hind-toe or hal- 

 lux is always present, and is con- 

 nected with the flexor perforans digitorum tendon. 

 Seven genera are recognised, Urospatha, Prioni- 

 rhynchus, Eumomota, Momotus, Barypkthengus, As- 

 patha, and Hylomanes, the last being dwarf motmots, 

 and akin to the todies (Todi). 



One of the chief features of the motmots is the 

 long tail, Hylomanes being the only genus with a 

 short tail. In most of the true motmots the 

 central tail-feathers are elongated, and generally 

 end in a racket, which is preceded by a bare shaft. 

 This racket is produced Dy the bird itself, as it 

 nibbles off the web of the feather with its bill, 

 which has a serrated or saw-like edge to the man- 

 dibles. Instances have been recorded of motmots, 



probably young and inexperienced birds, imbued with the instinct that they 

 have to trim certain of their tail-feathers, but, as the latter grow at first all 

 of the same length, not knowing on which rectrices to commence action. 

 Consequently they begin to nibble feathers to right and left, until the 



The Motmots. 

 Sub-order 



Momoti. 



Fig. 76. LESSON'S MOTMOT 

 (Momotus lessoni). 



