578 The Roller-like Birds 



as southern Mexico. Of these the Paradise Jacamar ( Urogalba' paradisea) of 

 Guiana may be known at once by its purplish black color and greatly elongated 

 central tail-feathers, these being more than half the whole length of the bird. 

 The typical and largest genus is Galbula with eleven forms, which may be recog- 

 nized by the coppery or golden green plumage and only slightly lengthened tail- 

 feathers. Passing over the next three genera in which the tail is short and 

 squared, we come to Jacamerops, which includes only the Great or Broad-billed 

 Jacamar (J. aurea) of wide range over Central America, Amazonia, Peru, etc. 

 It has an incurved bill, nostrils with an internal membrane instead of being naked 

 as in the others, and a tail of twelve feathers, the three outer pairs of which are 

 much graduated. In color it is shining metallic golden or coppery green above, 

 becoming blackish on wings and tail, chestnut on the abdomen, and white on 

 the throat; the length is about ten and a half inches. 



The Puff-birds (Subfamily Bucconintz}. The members of this well- 

 marked subfamily differ from those last mentioned, as already suggested, 

 by the shorter and stronger bill, which is more or less incurved or hooked 

 at the tip, by the stronger tarsi scutellated behind, as well as by the absence 

 of an aftershaft to the contour feathers. They are for the most part purely 

 arboreal and largely forest-haunting birds, and as Swainson long ago said, 

 "there is something very grotesque in the appearance of all Puff-birds, 

 and their habits, in a state of nature, are no less singular. They frequent 

 also open cultivated spots near habitations, always perching on the withered 

 branches of a tree, where they will sit nearly motionless for hours, unless, indeed, 

 they descry some luckless insect passing near them, at which they immediately 

 dart, returning again to the identical twig they have just left, which they will 

 sometimes frequent for months at a time. At such times the disproportionate 

 size of the head is rendered more conspicuous by the bird raising his feathers 

 so as to appear not unlike a puff-ball, hence the general name they have received 

 from the English residents of Brazil." Their lack of fear or stupidity is well 

 illustrated in the following account of the habits of the Two-banded Puff-bird 

 (Bucco bicinctus) as observed by Mr. A. H. Clark on Margarita Island, Vene- 

 zuela: "We have no bird which, for pure foolishness and general lack of spirit, 

 can be compared with the Two-banded Puff-bird. Resembling somewhat, 

 with its large beak and dark breast-bands, a clumsy Kingfisher, it can be 

 approached very closely without taking alarm; and when it does fly, it merely 

 goes to the nearest available tree or bush and awaits the second approach of the 

 intruder. Even when shot at, it flies only a few yards, and then alights, inviting 

 its pursuer to try again. Sometimes it does not fly at all, but remains stupidly 

 staring at the cause of the disturbance, until you either take pity on its idiocy 

 or kill it. I have shot two of three, perched near together, the second not being 

 moved in the slightest degree by the death of the first. This bird is provided 

 with a number of blunt spurs on its wrists, with which it might possibly give one 

 an unpleasant surprise; but I never saw an individual attempt to use them, as 

 when wounded, no matter how slightly, they always seem quite resigned, and 

 do not struggle as would a Robin or Blue Jay under similar circumstances." 



