230 



ZOOLOGY. 



The second group, the C'uculi, comprise the horn-bills 

 of Malaysia, the kingfishers, the toucans of South America, 

 known by their enoi-mous vaulted bill, and the cuckoos, 

 with their near relations, the African guide-birds. The 

 female horn-bill makes a nest in a hollow tree, and the male 

 has the extraordinary hal)it, while the female is sitting on 

 her egg, of plastering up the opening with mud, so tl]at 

 she can only stick the end of her great bill out of the small 

 hole. The male feeds her during the whole time of incu- 



FlG. 270.— Niglithawk. 



Fig. 271.— Engbird. 



bation and until the young bird is fledged. These are suc- 

 ceeded by the Cypseli, embracing the humming-birds, goat- 

 suckers, swifts, nighthawk [Cliordciles Tirginianus, Fig. 

 263), and whippoorwill, which have long pointed wings, 

 great powers of flight, small weak feet, and, in the hum- 

 ming-ljii'ds, long slender bills. The latter ai'e peculiar to 

 America., beingchicfly confined to South and Central Amer- 

 ica, only one species {TrochUus culubris) extending into the 

 Eastern United States, though a dozen or more species occur 

 in the Western United States, and very many in Mexico. 



