286 SCANSORES. CUCULID^E. 



a green bird chased by several Crotophagas, near the 

 top of a lofty tree at some distance, and presently 

 saw that it was a very large lepidopterous insect ; it 

 flew over the woods about a quarter of a mile before 

 I lost sight of it, when it appeared to alight on 

 the top of a tree. The birds did not pursue the 

 chase far. I have seen one with a dragon-fly in 

 its beak, which it had just caught, but it may 

 have been while resting. At another time I saw 

 that a Blackbird had actually made prey of one 

 of our little nimble lizards (Anotis). These cir- 

 cumstances show, that like the Toucans, the Ani 

 is to some extent omnivorous. 



Though its usual mode of progression on the 

 ground is by hopping, or rather bounding, the feet 

 being lifted together, the Blackbird is seen oc- 

 casionally to run in a headlong manner for a 

 short distance, moving the feet alternately. He is 

 fond of sitting in the morning sun on a low tree 

 with the wings expanded ; remaining there per- 

 fectly still for a considerable time. In the heat 

 of the day, in July and August, many may be seen 

 in the lowland plains, sitting on the fences and 

 logwood hedges with the beaks wide open, as if 

 gasping for air; they then forget their usual loqua- 

 city and wariness. Often two or three will sit in 

 the centre of a thick bush, overhung with a matted 

 drapery of convolvolus, whence they utter their 

 singular cry in a calling tone, as if they were play- 

 ing at hide-and-seek, and requiring their fellows to 

 come and find them. 



The statement that the Blackbird builds in com- 



