SOUTH AMERICA. 133 

 species of the King-fislier. They make then* nest in a Second 



Journey. 



hole in the sand on the side of the bank. As there is 



always plenty of foliage to protect them from the heat 

 of the sun, they feed at all hours of the day. Though 

 their plumage is prettily varied, still it falls far short 

 of the brilliancy displayed by the English king-fisher. 

 This little native of Britain would outweigh them alto- 

 gether in the scale of beauty. 



A bird called Jacamar is often taken for a king-fisher, TheJaca- 



mar. 



but it has no relationship to that tribe ; it frequently sits 

 in the trees over the water, and as its beak bears some 

 resemblance to that of the king-fisher, this may probably 

 account for its being taken for one ; it feeds entirely 

 upon insects ; it sits on a branch in motionless expect- 

 ation, and as soon as a fly, butterfly, or moth pass by, it 

 darts at it, and returns to the branch it had just left. 

 It seems an indolent, sedentary bird, shunning the society 

 of all others in the forest. It never visits the plantations, 

 but is found at all times of the year in the woods. There 

 are four species of Jacamar in Demerara ; they are all 

 beautiful ; the largest, rich and superb in the extreme. 

 Its plumage is of so fine a changing blue and golden 

 green, that it may be ranked Avith the choicest of the 

 humming-birds. Nature has denied it a song, but given 

 a costly garment in lieu of it. The smallest species of 

 Jacamar is very common in the dry savannas. The 

 second size, all golden green on the back, must be looked 



