868 



THE GEE AT PEEICEOCOTUS. 



and assiduously examining each leaf and branch in search of their prey. They also eat 

 ants, beetles, and other ground-living insects, and are quite as active in chasing them upon 

 the earth as in their haunts among the branches. They also eat fruit and berries in the 

 autumn. 



One of the most remarkable birds of this group is the Geeat Periceoc6tus, the 

 largest of its genus. 



This bird is a native of India, where it is found spread over the greater portion of 

 that country, and on account of its splendid plumage it attracts great notice even from 

 unscientific and casual observers. It seems to be solitary in its habits, being generally 

 found alone or in very small societies, in all probability consisting merely of the parents 

 and their young. It is almost exclusively an insect-feeder, eating caterpillars, flies, ants, 

 and various kinds of the insect tribe, preferring, however, the beetles, of which it devours 

 very great numbers. It is a suspicious and timorous bird, carefully avoiding the presence 

 of human beings, and thus ranking as a very scarce bird, although it probably exists in 

 considerable numbers, in its own peculiar localities. 



GRE.\T PERICROCOTUS.— Pcricrocdtos specidsns. 



As it is SO beautiful a species, it has several times been captured and caged, but it 

 seems to defy the powers of the tamer, pines away under confinement, and soon dies. 



The sexes of the Great Pericrocotus are so different in their external appearance, that 

 they might easily be mistaken for two distinct species. The adult male is a truly beautiful 

 bird, and is thus coloured. The ground colour of the bird is the deepest imaginable steely 

 blue, so deep, indeed, as to appear black except in certain lights. The head, neck, back, 

 wings, the two central tail-feathers, and the base of the remaining tail-feathers, are rich 

 glowing scarlet. The bill and legs are black, and the eyes dark brown. The female, 

 although a very pretty bird, cannot lay claim to the gorgeous colouring which decorates 

 her mate. In her, the parts which in the male are scarlet, are bright golden yellow, and 

 the back of the head and the scapularies are grey. The greater coverts are olive-brown. 



This genus contains many species, several of which are remarkable for the rich beauty 

 of their plumage. They are gregarious, assembling in little flocks, and as they are 

 extremely loquacious, they make a considerable noise as they sit chattering and whistling 

 in groups upon the topmost brancli of some lofty tree. In their habits they are similar 

 to the last-mentioned bird, being insect-feeders, and preferring the beetles, or more rigidly 



