THE SEARCHERS. 



99 



the Prince von Wied informs us that in the forests of Botokuden, near the Rio Grande del Belmont, 

 he obsei-ved one of these birds enter a hole in a perpendicular sandbank, and, on digging to 

 tlie depth of a couple of feet, obtained two white eggs, which were laid on a thru stratum of 

 feathers. 



The TOUEACOS, or TROGONS (Trogones), constitute a numerous group of equally dreamy, 

 but gloriously plumaged birds, inhabiting the tropical zones of both hemispheres. All have a 

 slender, but very thickly-feathered body, short, broad, triangular, and much-curved beak, with a hook 



THE DUSKY TRAPPIST, OR BEARDED CUCKOO (Moiuuta ftisca). 



at its tip, and occasionally incised at its margins. The small, slender legs are almost entirel}' covered 

 with feathers ; the toes, the innermost of which turns backwards, thus pairing with the hinder toe, 

 are short ; the small, much-rounded wings are composed of narrow, stiff-shafted, sickle-shaped quills, 

 pointed at their extremity ; the long tail contains twelve feathers ; of these, the three outermost are 

 much shorter than the rest. The lax, downy plumage is resplendent with metallic lustre ; and the 

 base of the beak covered with a bristle-like growth. The various members of this group are alike 

 remarkable for their dull, indolent disposition, and spend their lives in lazily droning upon the 

 branches of their favourite trees, only rousing themselves to take a short flight in pursuit of a passing 

 insect. Their food principally consists of various kinds of insects, fruit, seeds, or portions of plants ; 

 while some appear to be entirely restricted to vegetable diet. Holes in trees are used as recep- 

 tacles for the eggs, which are from two to four in number, round in sliape, with a very light or 

 white shell. 



