134 



VEKTEBRATA. 



THE FOHMICARINyE OR ANT-TURUSHES. 



These, to the East Indian species of which 

 Buffon gave the name of Breves, resemble the 

 true thrushes, but inhabit tropical portions 

 of both licmispheres, where they live chiefly 

 on insects, and devour large quantities of ants, 

 whence their name. Their wings arc gener- 

 ally short, and some of the species, as the 

 Pitta JVipalerisis, for instance, have sucl: 

 limited powers of flight that a man can easily 

 overtake them. Those of the genus Pitta, 

 which arc peculiar to the eastern hemisphere, 

 are adorned with exceedingly brilliant plum- 

 age, azure-blue being the prevalent tint. Of 

 this is the Giant Pitta, P. gigas, of the size of 

 a magpie, and of a brilliant green color : found 

 in Sumatra. The numerous South American 

 species are of more sober colors, mostly brown 

 and white. They obtain their living chiefly 

 from the enormous ant-hills of the regions in 

 which they live. Griffith says of these birds, 

 "they are essentially gigantic wrens." 



Of the genus CINCLUS there is a single 

 European species, the well-known Water- 

 Ousel or Dipper, C. aquaticus. This is eight inches long, dark gray above, the neck white, the 

 belly brownish-red. Its wings are longer than those of most others of the group, and it flies 

 steadily and rapidly. Its haunts are along the borders of clear streams and lakes; it swims 

 with ease, and dives freely into the water, and walks about on the bottom with, facility, even mak- 

 ing its wav against a strong current. Its food consists of small shell-fish and insects. The nest is 

 oven-shaped, and made on the banks of streams : the eggs pure white, five or six in number. 



THE GIAXT PITTA. 



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THE BLACK DIPPER, OR EUROPEAN WATER-OUSEL. 



There are one or two other species known in Europe and Asia, and one in America, the Black 

 Dipper, C. Pallasn : this resembles the common European dipper, but is of a darker color, and 

 IS without the white mark on the throat. It is found in Mexico and parts of Upper Canada. 



