AVES. 325 



one of the largest of this family, and appears to be common in Brazil ; while 

 the little American kingfisher (G. americana) is one of the smallest. It 

 also is found abundantly in South America, and has recently been 

 discovered in Texas. Several species are known to inhabit Mexico, and 

 some large species inhabit India and Africa. The great Java kingfisher, 

 C. javanicus (pi. 103, Jig. 4), is one of the most common. 



Suh-fam. 4. GalhulincB, or Jacamars. Bill very long, straight, and 

 pointed, greatly compressed, culmen sharp ; wings short ; tail more or less 

 lengthened, and usually graduated. Tarsi short, feathered ; feet weak ; 

 toes usually two before and two behind. Size small ; plumage usually 

 brilliant metallic green. 



A sub-family, composed of about a dozen species of brilliantly colored 

 and peculiar looking little birds, exclusively confined to South America 

 and the West Indies. They inhabit damp places in the forests, and are 

 said to subsist entirely upon insects, which they devour after having 

 divested them of their wings and other hard parts. These birds breed in 

 holes in trees or in the banks of streams in the manner of kingfishers. 



Several species are common in collections : they are the green jacamar 

 (Galhula viridis), the white-bellied jacamar {G. albirostris), and others. 

 One of the most beautiful is the largest species known ; it is called the 

 grand jacamar, and is found in the interior of South America, though 

 nothing respecting its history or habits has been reported by travellers. 



A recently discovered species of this sub-family, a very modest and 

 unpresuming bird apparently, is remarkable for having had given to it one 

 of the longest of ornithological names, Jacamar alcyonides leucotis. 



Fam. 6. Meropid.e, or Bee-eaters. A family composed of birds exclu- 

 sively inhabiting the warm regions of the Old World, and universally 

 known by the name of " bee-eaters." They form one sub-family only, as 

 below. 



Suh-fam. Meropince. Bill long, cmyed, slender and pointed, compressed, 

 and with the tip very acute ; vvings long, pointed, secondary quills 

 emarginated ; tail long, broad, usually with the two middle tail feathers 

 longest. Tarsi short, strong ; toes long ; claws moderate. Size small ; 

 plumage generally green. 



This sub-family contains about forty species of birds found almost 

 exclusively in Asia and Africa. They are migratory in their habits, and 

 one species occasionally visits northern and central Europe ; it is the 

 common bee-eater {Merops apiaster). All the species are said to subsist 

 entirely upon insects, which they catch upon the wing with great dexterity, 

 and in pursuit of which they skim over the surface of the ground like 

 swallows. Nearly all the species are handsome little birds with green and 

 yellow plumage, and several are very commonly brought from India and 

 Western Africa. The Indian species usually met with are the green 

 bee-eater {Merops viindis) and the Java bee-eater {M. javanicus) ; from 

 Africa we frequently have the swallow bee-eater {M. hirundinaceus) , the 

 red-throated bee-eater {M. ruficollis), and many others. One species has 

 been discovered in Australia, M. ornatus. 



ICONOGRAFHIC ENCYCLOPAEDIA. — VOL. II. 34 529 



