PICAEIAN BIRDS. 89 



(C. lorti) (1156), mounted flying to display its brilliant colouring. 

 The Broad-billed Rollers {Eunjstomus) (1160-1161) represent the 

 second, less brightly coloured, genus. All are active, noisy birds, 

 and their trivial name is derived from their peculiar habit (specially 

 noticeable during the breeding-season) of rolling or turning somer- 

 saults in the course of their flight. The glossy white eggs are usually 

 deposited in holes in trees or banks, in a very slight nest. 



Family VI. Meropid^e. Bee-eaters. 



These extremely brilliant and graceful birds inhabit the temperate [Case 58.] 

 and tropical portions of the Old World, being most numerous in the 

 Ethiopian region. As their name implies, their food consists of bees, 

 wasps, and similar insects, which are captured on the wing. In 

 districts where Bee-culture flourishes they are most injurious and 

 destroyed in large numbers. Like the Sand Martins, the majority at 

 least of the Bee-eaters breed in colonies in sandy river-beds, excavating 

 tunnels from three to ten feet in length which terminate in a breeding- 

 chamber, where from four to six glossy white eggs are deposited. 



To the genus Merops, which has the central tail-feathers elongated, 

 belong a number of species, the Common Bee-eater {M. apiaster) 

 (1166) being the most familiar. This bird is well known in Europe as 

 a summer visitor, and is occasionally met with as a straggler in 

 Great Britain. Another striking member is the Nubian Bee-eater 

 {M. nubicus) (1163), remarkable for its brilliant crimson plumage. 

 Of the numerous other forms exhibited we may draw special attention 

 to the larger and brilliantly-coloured species of Nyctiornis (1 173, 1 174) 

 found in the Indo-Malayan countries, and reported to nest in holes in 

 trees. 



Family VII. MomotidvE. Motjiots. 



The Motmots are restricted to the New World, and range from [Case 58.] 

 Mexico through Central and South America. Like their allies, the 

 Todies, they have the edges of the bill serrated, and are generally to 

 be distinguished by the long graduated tail, the median and longest 

 pair of feathers being frequently racquet-shaped. From observations 

 made from living specimens of Motmots in the Zoological Gardens, it 

 seems fairly certain that the shape of the middle tail-feathers is 

 artificialy produced by the birds themselves biting off the vanes from 

 the shafts. They frequent the dense forests, and, like Flycatchers, dart 

 out after passing insects, which are caught in the air, though they also 

 feed on small reptiles and fruits. They nest in holes in trees or banks, 

 and lay creamy-white eggs. The birds shov/n include examples of three 



