166 



CAPITONIDiE 



obtained by Wahlberg the Swedish naturalist in " upper and lower 

 Caffraria" (i.e., Natal and the Transvaal) more than fifty years ago. 

 Since that date it has been only twice recorded, once from Caconda 

 in Angola by Anchieta and once from Ifafa on the Natal coast by 

 the Woodwards. I have recently examined an example in the 

 Durban Museum obtained in the neighbourhood of that city. 

 Nothing is known of its habits. Mr. Millar, to whom I applied for 

 further information, states that it is uncommon in the neighbourhood 

 of Durban, although procurable. It is not specially a bee-eater but 

 feeds on insects generally, and will often remain on one tree for a 

 considerable time seeking for its food. He further states that in 

 October, 1900, he noticed one of these birds prying into and entering 

 holes in trees as if about to nest, but that he was unable to find 

 the nest. 



Family III. CAPITONIDJE. 



Bill as a rule stout and strong ; nostrils at the base of the bill 

 often overhung by plumes and bristles which, together with the 

 rictal bristles and those at the chin angle, are usually well-developed ; 

 ventral feather tract forked on the throat and on each side of the 

 breast ; ten tail-feathers ; wing short and rounded, with ten 

 primaries, the first of which is short ; feet zygodactyle (see fig. 38, 

 p. 122). Palate eegithognathous or desmognathous ; vomer bifid; 

 oil gland tufted ; cseca absent. 



The Barbets are spread over Africa, southern Asia and central 

 and south America ; the Asiatic species appears to be almost entirely 

 frugivorous, but those of Africa certainly eat insects as well as fruit 

 to a considerable extent. 



Though little is known of the nesting habits of the South African 

 species yet, so far as observations go, they conform in this respect to 

 what is known of those of other regions ; like the Woodpeckers 

 they excavate nest-holes in tree trunks and lay white glossy eggs on 

 the bare wood or on a few chips only. Barbets do not climb like 

 Woodpeckers, though they sometimes rest on a vertical tree trunk. 



Key of the Genera. 



A. Upper mandible toothed (except 2'. affinis). 



a. Breast feathers normal Lybiua, p. 157. 



6. Shafts of the breast feathers produced into 



fine hairs Tricliolcema, p.' 160. 



