THE SEARCHERS. S/ 



the hand over it as it sits, and thus secure it. It is a general favourite, and has received a famihar 

 name — that of Robin Redbreast. There is Httle resemblance, however, between the European 

 Robin and its West Indian namesake. I have never seen the Tody on the ground ; but it hops 

 about the twigs of low trees, searching for minute insects, occasionally uttering a querulous, sibilant 

 note. But more commonly it is seen sitting patiently on a twig, with the head drawn in, the beak 

 pointing upwards, and the lower plumage puffed out, when it appears much larger than it really is. 

 It certainly has an air of stupidity when thus seen; but this abstraction is more apparent than real. 

 If we watch it we shall see that the odd-looking grey eyes are glancing hither and thither, and that 

 ever and anon the bird sallies out upon a short, feeble flight, snaps at something in the air, and 

 returns to his twig to swallow it. I have never seen the Tody eat vegetable food ; but I have 

 occasionally found in its stomach, among minute coleopterous and hymenopterous insects, a few 

 small seeds. One of these birds, which I kept in a cage, would snatch worms from me -with 

 impudent audacity, and then beat them violently against the perch or sides of the cage, to divide 

 before he swallowed them. One captured in April, on being turned into a room, began immediately 

 to catch flies and other minute insects that flitted about. At this employment he continued 

 incessantly and most successfully all that evening and all the ne.xt day, from earliest dawn till dark. 

 He would sit on the edge of the table, on shelves, or on the floor, ever glancing about, now ana 

 then flitting up into the air, when the snap of his beak announced a capture, and he returned to liis 

 station to eat it ; he would peep into the lowest and darkest comers, even under the tables, for the 

 little globose, long-legged spiders, which he would drag from their webs and swallow. He sought 

 these also about the ceilings and walls. I have said that he continued at this employment all day 

 without intermission, and I judge that on the average he made a capture per minute. We mav 

 thus form some idea of the immense number of insects destroyed by these and similar birds. 

 Water in a basin was in the room, but I did not see him drink. Though so actively engaged in 

 his own occupation, he cared nothing for the presence of man ; he sometimes alighted voluntarily 

 on our heads, shoulders, or fingers, and when sitting would permit me at any time to put my hand 

 over him and take him up, though when in the liand he would struggle to get out. He seemed 

 likely to thrive ; but incautiously settling in front of a dove-cage, a surly bald-pate poked his head 

 through the wires, and aimed a blow at the head of the unoffending Tody, She did not appear 

 to mind it at first, but an hour afterwards shivered and died." 



"The Green Tody," says Mr. Hill, "is a bird of peculiar structure and h.-ibits ; he is exclusively 

 an insect-feeder, and burrows in the earth to breed. The subterranean nest is made wherever there 

 is mould easy of excavation ; ravines and gullies, whose banks are earthy, and where the water 

 passes rapidly from the surface-soil, are generally selected. The excavation is made by the beak 

 and claws. It is a winding gallery, rounded at the bottom, and terminating in a sufficiently wide 

 lodging, lined with pliant fibres, dry moss, and cotton, placed with much attention to arrangeinent. 

 Four or five grey, brown-spotted eggs are laid, and the young are fed within the cave till they are 

 full-fledged." 



The KINGFISHERS {Akcdiws) principally frequent the warmer latitudes. The members of 

 this group possess a powerful body, large head, and short or modenUe--sized wings and tail, with a 

 very long, straight, and powerful beak, pointed at its extremity ; the small foot is furnished with 

 either three or four toes. The plumage is of most brilliant hues, and varies but little in the sexes, 

 or with the age of the bird. 



All the various species of Kingfishers prefer the \-icinitv of water : and, where fish is to lie found, 

 venture to a veiy considerable altitude when following mountain-streams. Like all such members 



