The Motmots of our Mexican Camp 



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The large, soft brown eyes are surrounded by a ring of feathers, very small, 

 circular, and black in color. Back of the eye is a broad tuft of black, 

 banded above and below with beautiful blue. The breast is a most delicate 

 emerald green, shot with pale blue, while exactly in the center is a twin 

 black feathery pendant or tuft, similar to the eye-tufts. 



MOTMOT. SHOWING THE PENDULUM - LIKE WAGGING OF THE TAIL 



The most remarkable character about the bird is its tail, which is long 

 and greenish blue in color, while the two central feathers, still longer than 

 the others, are bare of barbs for about an inch of their length, each feather 

 ending in a full-vaned racket. The strange thing about this ornament is 

 the fact that it is produced by the bird itself. When the young birds attain 

 their full plumage, the elongated pair of feathers in the tail are perfect from 

 base to tip. Guided apparently by pure instinct, each Motmot begins to 



