294 



FASSERES. BIEDS.- 



,/ORACIAD^E. 



in the island whose name it bears, has the head and 

 neck above chestnut-brown; the back black, with a 

 yellow stripe down its centre, becoming expanded into 

 a large spot on the upper tail-coverts ; the wings are 

 black, edged with yellow from the wrist downwards, 

 and with a yellow mark on the outer web of each 

 secondary feather ; the whole forming a broad yellow 

 band near the apex of the wing when closed. The 

 scapularies, which are elongated, are also yellow ; the 

 feathers of the tail are black, with a white spot near 

 the tip of each, except the two middle ones ; the lower 

 surface is wine-red, purplish on the throat, below which 

 is a narrow black transverse line, followed by an olive 

 band of a somewhat crescent shape. The bill is very 

 broad, strong, hooked at the tip, and greenish-blue. 

 The whole length of the bird is about nine inches. 



Nothing is known of the habits of this bird. Dr. 

 Horsfield simply says of it " I discovered this species 

 in one of the most distant and inaccessible parts of 

 Java, covered with extensive forests, and abounding 

 with rivers and marshes." From the shortness of its 

 wings, it is probably only adapted for short flights 

 amongst the branches of the trees, in pursuit of cater- 

 pillars and other sluggish insects. It is found not 

 only in Java, but also in the Malayan peninsula as far 

 as Tenasserim, and in the great island of Borneo. 



THE FETLLED INDIAN TODY (Sfrilophus luncUus), 

 which is nearly allied to the preceding, has hitherto 

 only been met with in the Tenasserim provinces. It is 

 about eight inches in length ; the plumage of the head 

 and back is of different shades of brown, becoming 

 rich chestnut towards the rump ; the head is adorned 

 with a crest, and marked with a black line running up 

 from the base of the bill over the eye to the nape ; the 

 lower surface is of a delicate grey, and on each side of 

 the neck is a beautiful crescent-shaped mark, composed 

 of silvery white feathers. The wings are black, with a 

 ' large blue patch or broad band across the middle ; the 

 tail is also black, with the three outer feathers on each 

 side tipped with white; the bill is greenish-blue. 



This beautiful little bird is found in the tliickest 

 jungles, and according to Major Godfrey, " its food was 

 found, upon minute investigation, to consist entirely of 

 berries and fruits." Dr. Heifer once observed them in 

 societies of thirty or forty sitting on the loftiest trees in 

 the forest; he says they were so fearless that the 

 whole flock might be shot one after the other. 



THE GEEAT-BHLED INDIAN TODY (Cymblrlnjnchus 

 macrorhynchus). This remarkable bird, which is also 

 a near relative of the preceding, is met with from the 

 Tenasserim provinces and Malacca to the island of 

 Sumatra. The plumage of the head, back, wings, and 

 tail, together with the chin, and a band round the 

 throat, is black ; the rump and the whole lower surface 

 of the body deep crimson ; the three outer tail feathers 

 on each side are spotted with white, and the scapularies, 

 which are very long and slender, are also white. The 

 bill, which is very broad and stout, is of a beautiful 

 blue colour. The length of the bird is about ten inches. 



This beautiful bird frequents the banks of rivers and 

 lakes, and other marshy and watery situations, where 

 it finds an abundance of the insects and worms which 

 constitute its food. It builds a nearly globular pen- 



dent nest, composed of small twigs, which it attaches 

 to the branches of trees growing out of the water. 

 The eggs are four in number, and of a pale blue colour, 

 without spots. 



THE GEEEN TODY (Todus viridls}. The Rollers 

 are represented in America by two small groups of 

 birds to which the names of Todies and Motmots have 

 been given. The Todies are distinguished by having 

 an elongated bill, which is exceedingly broad and de- 

 pressed towards the base, so that it acquires a tongue 

 like shape. The margins of both mandibles are finely 

 denticulated. The outer toe is nearly as long as the 

 middle one, to which it is united for three-fourths of its 

 length ; the inner toe, which is considerably shorter, is 

 also united to the middle one for half its length. Of 

 these birds only four species are known ; they are all 

 inhabitants of tropical America and the West Indies. 



We have cited the Green Tody as being the best 

 known species ; indeed, until a comparatively recent 

 period, the others were often confounded with it. The 

 Green Tody is a very small bird, being little bigger 

 than a wren ; the whole upper surface is of a vivid 

 green colour ; the throat is brilliant crimson, and the 

 remainder of the plumage of the lower surface white. 

 This bird is exceedingly common in all parts of 

 Jamaica, which appears to be its head-quarters; it 

 feeds exclusively upon insects, which it usually captures 

 while hopping about upon the twigs of trees. It is 

 bold, allowing a person to approach it very closely, and 

 if disturbed usually flies off to another twig only a few 

 yards distant. Its brilliant green plumage, and crim- 

 son throat, render it the admiration of all visitors to 

 Jamaica. The nest is formed in a burrow excavated 

 in a dry bank, to a depth of about a foot, entirely bj 

 the agency of the bird's bill and feet; its course is 

 somewhat tortuous, and at its extremity is a large 

 chamber, which the bird lines with the dry fibres of 

 plants, moss, and cotton, for the reception of its eggs. 

 The latter are four or five in number, of a grey colour 

 spotted with brown. 



THE BRAZILIAN MOTMOT (Momotus brasil'iensis). 

 The Motmots are considerably more numerous than 

 the Todies, in conjunction with which they represent 

 the Roller family in South America and its islands. 

 They are distinguished by having the margins of the 

 mandibles, which are much stronger than in the Todies, 

 distinctly notched or serrated for a considerable por- 

 tion of their length. They also possess a pectinated 

 tongue. The tail in these birds is long, and the 

 feathers gradually increase towards the middle; but it 

 is remarkable that in nearly all specimens the shafts of 

 the two middle (longest) feathers are entirely bare of 

 barbs for a considerable portion of their apical half 

 the base is furnished with barbs, then follows the bare 

 portion, and the tip again presents the ordinary appear- 

 ance of a feather. It is supposed that the birds must 

 pick off the barbs of this portion of the tail feathers. 

 The name of Motmot is said to be derived from the 

 peculiar note of these birds, which is described as 

 resembling those syllables slowly repeated. According 

 to other writers, however, the cry of the Motmot is 

 comparable to the syllables toutou. The Brazilian 

 Motmot, which is not uncommon in several districts of 



