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Mr. R. Phillipps,



up to a stand instantaneously. But it uses its double toes for

another purpose. It can take such a firm gripe of a suitably sized

branch that, when feeding on fruits, berries, leaf-buds, &c., and

aided by its light but much lengthened bill, it can reach to an

astonishing distance and so secure food which otherwise would

be unobtainable. And it is in this latter capacity that the zygo-

dactyle foot renders valuable service to the Barbet, aided by the

sturdy, muscular, well-knit frame. When feeding in a tree, and

they live amongst the trees and bushes, they can reach and hang

about and feed in any position and at any angle. I have seen a

Blue-cheeked Barbet in my garden stretch himself out horizon¬

tally, so fully extended that legs, body, neck and bill were as

rigid and straight and (one feels inclined to say) as thin as a

walking stick, just to obtain some coveted leaf or shoot. And a

new arrival, hesitating to go down to the lowest perch, reached

and comfortably partook of its food from the centre perch of the

cage, the entire legs and body being fully extended downwards at

an angle of some 45 degrees, and recovered its position on the

perch as easily and gracefully as a man would reach out his arm

for an apple and draw it in again. Perhaps I should add that,

although the Barbets do not climb about the trunks of trees after

the manner of the Woodpeckers, they can and do support them¬

selves on the sides of trunks or branches when desiring to do

so.


These Barbets feed mainly on fruits, berries, and vegetable

matter, usually biting or splitting off with their powerful sharp

pointed and sharp edged bills just as much as they can swallow

whole, for they do not usually break or tear up their food. It is

best, therefore, to cut up the food of the captive Barbet. With

me they seemed to feed almost exclusively 011 fruits and vegetable

matter, including cut up raisins. It is said that some species will

take an occasional insect.


For foreign birds these Barbets ( Cyanops) are not delicate

if allowed plenty of liberty; but they must not be subjected to

draughts nor to too much cold; and usually they are all the

better for being kept warm. They are very easily maintained in

health and plumage, and, with ordinary care, will live for years.


The sexes in the Golden-throated Barbet are nominally



