Todies 487 



the wing and tail are about equal in length. One of the best-marked of the 

 genera is Prionornis, the three species of which are widely spread over Central 

 America and northern South America. It is known by the wide, flattened, 

 curved bill, with a distinct ridge along the culmen, and exceedingly fine and 

 numerous serrations on the edges of the maxilla and mandible. The tarsus is 

 relatively short and the tail graduated as in Momotus. All the species are quite 

 rare, perhaps the best-known being the Keel-billed Motmot (P. carinatus} which 

 frequents the dense forests of the interior. The Red-backed Motmot (Eumomola 

 superciliaris) of Central America from Yucatan to Costa Rica is another hand- 

 some species, the adult male being grass-green above with the mantle cinnamon, 

 and the wings and tail largely blue, while the sides of the face, cheeks, sides of 

 the throat and neck, as well as fore neck and breast are green, and the sides of 

 the body and abdomen pale ferruginous; there is also a broad superciliary 

 band of white and cobalt-blue and a black throat patch which is bordered with 

 blue. Writing of this exquisite bird as observed in Costa Rica, Mr. Nutting 

 says: "It is common throughout the coast region, where it bears the rather 

 insulting name of ' Bobo ' [stupid]. In truth, it seems quite fearless, and seldom 

 disturbs itself on account of human proximity. Although a very silent bird 

 (I never heard its voice), its peculiar spatulate tail-feathers are apt to attract 

 attention. It seems to be solitary in its habits and not very industrious, as it 

 is most often seen sitting on a limb not far from the ground apparently engaged 

 in deep meditation, from which it is not aroused by the presence of the collector." 

 Mr. L. J. Cole, who recently observed it in northern Yucatan, found it abundant 

 about ancient ruins and adjacent buildings, where it roosted in holes in the 

 masonry. "The time of my visit appeared to be before the nesting season; 

 nevertheless the birds were at times very noisy, their note, which is suggested 

 by the Maya name (T6h), being a characteristic sound for the Yucatan forest. 

 They fly with small undulations." 



The Todies (Subfamily TodincB), which are comprised in a single genus 

 (Todus] and five or six species, are curious, very tame, and unsuspicious 

 little green and red plumaged birds, mostly under four inches in length, 

 and in appearance quite like miniature Kingfishers. They have a relatively 

 long, flattened but not serrated bill, rather short, rounded wings, and a 

 square tail of twelve feathers. They differ structurally from the Motmots 

 in having the four notches to the breast-bone open, and large functional 

 caeca; their feet are like those of Kingfishers. Their food consists ex- 

 clusively of insects, which they capture mainly on the wing after the manner 

 of the Flycatchers or Bee-eaters, although they have occasionally been ob- 

 served to glean among the branches of trees like the Wood-warblers. Of the 

 feeding habits of the Cuban Tody (T. multicolor}, Daniel says: "Its favorite 

 haunts are the low bushes covering the hillsides and the tropical growth fringing 

 the small streams of the ravines and valleys. . . . Sitting listlessly on a twig, 

 while I stood a few feet away, it now and then suddenly darted out after insects, 

 catching them with a quick snapping of its bill and returning to its perch to 

 swallow them. The agility with which it pursued an insect, the suddenness 



