BEE-EATERS, MOTMOTS, TODIES, COLIES, TROGONS 507 



These two, as well as the 

 members of the genus to which 

 the British bird belongs, ap- 

 parently breed in colonies. 



Unfortunately for the bee- 

 eater, its flesh is palatable, 

 whilst its plumage is in great 

 demand for millinery purposes. 

 Its persecution is of long stand- 

 ing, since more than 300 years 

 ago Belon witnessed a particu- 

 larly' cruel experiment practised 

 by the boys in Crete. Transfix- 

 ing a beetle with a bent pin, 

 to the head of which a thread 

 was tied, and then holding its 

 other end with their hand, they 

 would let the insect fly. The 

 bee-eater, which catches most 

 of its prey on the wing, would 

 dart upon it, and, swallowing 

 the bait, be caught by the 

 hook. 



Not unlike the Bee-eaters 

 in general appearance and 

 coloration, the MOTMOTS are 

 birds of peculiar interest, and 

 this on account of a remarkable 

 habit of one of their tribe — a 

 habit which is perfectly unique, 

 and to which we shall return presently. Belonging, as we have already remarked, to the 

 New World, they range from Southern Mexico to Paraguay, inhabiting dense forests, and 

 being but rarely seen. The plumage is somewhat loose in character — green, blue, cinnamon, 

 and black in colour. The beak has the margins serrated, or saw-like; whilst the feet 

 resemble those of the Kingfishers and Bee-eaters. As with the Bee-eaters, no nest is made. 

 The eo-gs, three or four in number and creamy white in colour, are deposited in a hole bored 

 by the' birds themselves in a tree or bank, both sexes sharing in the work of incubation. 

 Their food consists of insects caught in the air, small reptiles, and fruit. 



The remarkable habit to which we have referred is displayed by the species known as 

 the Racket-tailed Motmot, from the fact that the two middle tail-feathers project bej-ond 

 the others, and have the greater part of the shaft bare, but terminating in a spoon-shaped 

 expansion. In this there is nothing unusual, for such racket-feathers arc common amongst 

 birds. In this particular case, however, the feathers w^ere originally entire, and acquired their 

 characteristic shape artificially, the bird nibbling away the vane on either side of the shaft 

 with its bill until the required shape is obtained. Such an act of conscious decoration on 

 the part of a bird is elsewhere unknown throughout the whole class. 



The Todies are diminutive allies of the IVIotmots, frequenting hilly districts and woods. 

 They sit with the beak pointed upwards, the head drawn in close to the body, and the plumage 

 puffed out, apparently oblivious of all around them— at least it would seem so, since at such 

 times they may be caught with a butterfly-net. Like their larger allies, they are green in 

 coloration, but have a light red throat, and yellowish-white or pinkish under-parts, with green 

 or pink flank-feathers. They vary in length from 3 to 4.V inches. 



Fhtti by A. S. Rudland &• Sonj 



BEE-EATER 



A Ttati've of the lilalay countries. The long feathers on the throat are bright scarlet 



