3Q 



ZOOLOGICAL 





RHAMPHASTID.E (Toucans ; 60 Species). Plate 13, Map ii. 



These curious birds, easily recognised by their enormous bills, are 

 entirely Neotropical, and may be regarded as the New World representatives 

 of the ungainly Hornbills (Bucerotidse). Five genera are adopted for their 

 reception, and the great majority of the species are found in the great 

 tropical forests of South and Central America. Fruits and seeds form the 

 chief article of diet, but insects are also taken, and sometimes the eggs and 

 young of small birds. 



ORDER COCCYGES (237 Species). 



MUSOPHAGID^I (Plantain-Eaters ; 35 Species). Plate 13, Map iii. 



This purely African family, whose members are sometimes called 

 Touracos, contains half-a-dozen genera. These birds inhabit wooded 

 country in the neighbourhood of water, are usually met with in pairs or 

 very small flocks, and are fruit-eaters. The most remarkable feature con- 

 nected with the Plantain-eaters is that the pigment colouring their red 

 feathers is so soluble as to be washed out during rain, although afterwards 

 the colour is regained. 



CUCULID^G (Cuckoos ; 202 Species). Plate 13, Map iii. 



This important family is practically cosmopolitan, being found in all 

 parts of the world except the extreme north, where suitable insect food is 

 not to be met with. They are birds of arboreal or terrestrial habit. The 

 Oriental and the Australian Regions are by far the richest in representatives. 

 In these two Regions there are nearly 100 peculiar species belonging to 24 

 peculiar genera. The Ethiopian Region possesses seven peculiar genera 

 containing 22 species, 12 of which are confined to Madagascar. Only 43 

 species are found in the New World, belonging to 11 genera. Of these one 

 only, Coccyzus, belongs to the typical sub-family (Cuculinae). Two species 

 of Cuckoo occur in Europe, namely the Great Spotted (Coccystes glandarius) 

 and the well-known British representative, the common Cuckoo (Cuculus 

 canorus). The latter is a common and widely-distributed summer visitant 

 to these islands. The true Cuculi, which are remarkable for their parasitic 

 habits, are confined to the Old World. 



ORDER TR0G0NES (55 Species). 



TROGONID.E (Trogons ; 55 Species). Plate 13, Map iv. 



The Trogons are a group of brilliantly-coloured birds, found principally 

 in the Neotropical, Ethiopian, and Oriental Regions, but most abundant in the 

 tropics of America. Nine genera are distinguished, five of which are con- 

 fined to America (with 34 species), two to Africa (with four species), and 

 two to the Oriental Region (with 17 species). The typical genus Trogon 

 contains 25 American species, one of which is a native of Arizona and 

 Central America, and is remarkable as being the only member of the family 

 occurring in the Nearctic Region. The handsomest Trogon is that known 

 as the Quezal (Pharomacrus mocinno), which ranges from Guatemala to 

 Panama, and has few equals in beauty in the bird world. The Trogons are 

 arboreal in their habits, frequent dense forests and feed chiefly on insects. 



ORDER CORACIIFORMES (1236 Species). 



STEATORNITHID^ (The Oil-Bird or Guacharo ; 1 Species). 

 Plate 13, Map iv. 



This curious bird inhabits caves near the sea or on mountains in the 

 north-western part of South America, and also in the island of Trinidad. 

 It possesses nocturnal habits, and is in many respects reminiscent of the 

 Nightjars. The name of Oil-bird is due to the large amount of fat or oil 

 contained in the young nestlings, which are killed by the natives in order to 

 supply this commodity for both cooking and illuminating purposes. 



PODARGID.E (Frog-Mouths ; 32 Species). Plate 13, Map iv. 

 These peculiar birds are restricted to the Oriental and Australian 

 Regions. Three genera are recognised, namely Podargus, with seven species, 

 Batrachostomus with 12, and jEgotheles with 13. The first and last are con- 

 fined to Australia, Tasmania and the Papuan Islands, with a single species 

 in New Caledonia. Batrachostomus, on the other hand, contains all the 

 Oriental species, including one in Southern India and Ceylon, and one in the 

 Eastern Himalayas. They strongly resemble the Nightjars (Caprimulgidse) 

 in appearance, and feed on insects and fruits. 



LEPTOSOMATID^l (Kiroumbos ; 2 Species). Plate 13, Map iv. 

 These birds, sometimes regarded as a sub-family of the Rollers (Coraciidse) 

 are confined to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. They are said to live 

 near the margins of woods in parties of about a dozen, and in habits they 

 resemble the Rollers to which they are allied. 



CORACIIM (Rollers ; 32 Species). Plate 13, Map v. 



The Rollers are a small family of brilliantly-coloured birds, possessing 

 representatives in all the Old World zoogeograpliical regions. Half-a-dozen 

 genera have been defined, four of which (containing five species) are confined 

 to the island of Madagascar. The typical genus (Coracias) contains 16 

 species, 12 of which are confined to Africa, one to the Oriental Region, and 

 one to the island of Celebes. The Common Roller (C. garrulus) is a 



wanderer to Britain, chiefly to England, but is a summer visitor to Central 

 aDd Southern Europe, Central Asia as far as Kashmir, and is found through- 

 out Africa and N.W. India in winter. The broad -billed Rollers of the 

 genus Eurystomus are 1 1 in number, and include E. australis, the only member 

 of the family which occurs in Australia. 



ALCEDINID.E (Kingfishers ; 200 Species). Plate 13, Map v. 



The Kingfishers are a large and varied family of practically cosmopolitan 

 distribution, but are poorly represented in the New World, only about a dozen 

 species being found in the whole American Continent. The 20 genera which 

 are recognised may be arranged in two sub-families, the distribution of each 

 of which is shown separately on our Map. The Alcedininse are the so-called 

 "Water" Kingfishers, and are lovers of shady haunts near streams, feeding 

 principally on fishes. Although much more widely distributed than the 

 other sub-family, they only comprise five genera and 51 species. The only 

 British representative, the -Common Kingfisher (Alcedo ispida), is a member 

 of this group, and a common resident species. The Daceloninse may be 

 termed " Wood " Kingfishers, since they are usually found in wooded regions 

 feeding on insects and reptiles. They are entirely Old-World creatures, and 

 mainly inhabitants of the Oriental and Australian Regions. The principal 

 genus is Halcyon, with over 70 species. 



BUCEROTIDiE (Hornbills ; 70 Species). Plate 13, Map vi. 



These ungainly birds are confined to the Old World, being apparently 

 represented in South America by the Toucans (Phamphastidse). Twenty-one 

 genera have been differentiated, six of which (with 34 species) are confined 

 to Tropical and South Africa, while the rest are natives of the Oriental and 

 Australian Regions. Hornbills are terrestrial or arboreal in their habits 

 feeding on a variety of small animals, such as rodents, worms and insects. 

 The most remarkable feature of these birds is their habit of imprisoning the 

 female, generally in some hollow tree, by means of clay, until her eggs are 

 hatched. 



UPUPID^E (Hoopoes ; 6 Species). Plate 13, Map vi. 



The Hoopoes are all placed in a single genus, Upupa. The best-known 

 species, the Common Hoopoe ( U. epops), is the most wide-ranging in the 

 family, occurring in the greater part of temperate Europe as a summer bird 

 also in Northern and Central Asia. N.W. India, and N.E. Africa. In 

 Britain it occurs as an irregular spring and autumn migrant, but is frequent 

 in its visits to the south of England, always attracting attention on account 

 of its peculiar style of coloration and its remarkable crest. Of the remain- 

 ing species, one is Oriental, two are African, one confined to Madagascar, 

 and the remaining one only recorded oin Tunis. 



IRRISORID^I (Wood-Hoopoes ; 15 Species). Plate 13, Map vii. 



The Wood-Hoopoes, of which three genera are recognised, are confined 

 to Tropical and South Africa. They are distinguished from their allies, the 

 true Hoopoes ( Upupidse), chiefly by their longer and more curved bill, 

 wedge-shaped tail and absence of a crest. 



MEROPID^E (Bee-Eaters ; 41 Species). Plate 13, Map vii. 



The Bee-Eaters are a group of brightly-coloured birds, found in all the 

 zoogeograpliical regions of the Old World. More than half the species are 

 confined to Africa, while only two occur in Europe and one in Australia. 

 The Common Bee-Eater (Merops apiaster) is a regular summer visitor to 

 Southern Europe, and in Spain becomes a pest to the bee-keeper, where, true 

 to its name, it plays havoc with the worker-bees as they enter and leave the 

 hives. 



MOMOTnLE (Motmots ; 24 Species). Plate 14, Map i. 



These birds appear to represent the Meropidse, or Bee-Eaters in the New 

 World. They are practically confined to the Neotropical Region, and seven 

 genera are distinguished. Green is the prevailing tint in the plumage of the 

 Motmots, which are inhabitants of dense forests. 



TODIDiE (Todies ; 5 Species). Plate 14, Map i. 



The Todies are tiny little birds, of a green and red coloration, related 

 to the Motmots, and confined to the West Indies. Two species are found 

 in Jamaica, and one each in Cuba, San Domingo, and Porto Rico. All 

 belong to a single genus {Todus). 



CAPRIMULGIDSE (Nightjars ; 124 Species). Plate 14, Map i. 



The Caprimulgidse are an interesting group of insect-eating birds, lovers- 

 of the twilight, and clothed in sombre mottled plumage. They are practically 

 cosmopolitan in distribution, but are most numerous in the Tropics. They 

 are divided into two sub-families, the range of each of which is shown 

 separately on the Map. The first sub-family (Nyctibiinse) contains a single- 

 genus, Nyctibius, with seven purely Neotropical species. The second sub- 

 family has 19 genera, mostly with few species, but the typical one (Caprim- 

 idgus) contains 65 species, which are found in every zoogeograpliical region. 

 Three occur in Europe, one of which is a common summer visitor to Britain, 

 and bears the name of the Common Nightjar or " Goatsucker " (C. europseus). 

 Of the remaining genera, 10 are pecular to the Neotropical Region, three to- 

 the Ethiopian Region, and one to the Australian. 



