152 J. Delacour—Notes of a Bird-lover in Tropical America


underneath and bluish green above. But what is peculiar to the

Motmots is their long tail, of which the two central feathers are

terminated with racquets. It was always supposed that the bird

denuded the shaft, to form these racquets, with its own bill ; but

Mr. Astley, who has kept a Motmot (M. momota) since 1914 and has

carefully studied the moult, has come to the conclusion that the barbs,

naturally weak and degenerated, at that point, fall off gradually by

themselves in the course of a few weeks after the moult. Motmots

frequent dense undergrowth ; they nest in burrows which they excavate

in steep banks, after the manner of a Kingfisher. A kindly aviculturist,

who brought up one of these birds from the nest, most generously

offered it to me. A delightful present, for the Motmot of Trinidad,

peculiar to that island, had never been brought to Europe. It is

decidedly smaller, more brilliantly coloured and more elegant in form,

than the ordinary species of the Continent Momotus momota.


There are a few coloured and Chinese bird dealers in Port of Spain,

but they ask exorbitant prices. Of course, they only offer the common

Venezuela species. However, the favourite bird in Trinidad, as well

as in Demerara and Surinam, is the Grosbeak. These birds are always

kept by themselves in small cages, on account of their charming voices.

Each individual bird possesses a more or less varied song, and good

specimens are sold for more than £2. Of these Grosbeaks there are

two species : one, the size of a Chaffinch, is entirely black, except

for a few white feathers on the wing, with a short and very large white

beak (Oryzoborus crassiroslris). This species is the most appreciated

for its song. The other (0. torridus) is a little smaller, black above,

with some white on the wing and chestnut underneath ; the beak is

blackish. These two Grosbeaks inhabit all the north of the Continent

of South America, and are particularly numerous in the Guianas.

Some of the Seed-eaters ( Spermophila,) are also very favourite cage

birds on account of their song.


We embarked on the 15th Jamiary, on the little French steamer

VAntilles, with our menagerie, slightly diminished by a few losses and

only augmented by the Motmot. Some of the mammals and larger

birds, such as Geese, Ducks, Curassows, Parrots, etc., were left behind,

thanks to the kindness of the French Consul, who took care of them



