JACAMARS. BEE-EATEES. 
55 
its keen eye on the look-out^ as soon as butter% or wheel- 
ing beetle/^ or fly passes by^ the jacamar darts at it^ and 
having secured it returns to the branch, waiting again in 
motionless expectation. 
Many of the brilliant birds appear to be unsocial, seemingly 
an unamiable trait in their manners, but doubtless there is 
design in it. Among these is the jacamar, for he shuns the 
society of other species of his class, and is, generally speak- 
ing, an indolent, sedentary bird. Mr. Waterton met with 
four species during his Demerara excursions ; one of these 
is common in the dry savannas, while the largest species is 
found in the interior, where stones begin to appear in the 
ground. According to the Indians, one of the jacamars lays 
its eggs in the nests of the wood-ants so frequently seen 
on the trees in Gmana, where they look like large black 
balls (Wanderings, p. 282). 
The birds of the family MEROPiDiE, or the Bee-eaters, are 
for the most part brightly coloured, green being the predo- 
minant hue, but often prettily varied with red and yellow. 
The beak is long, and shghtly bent, and sharp at the end. 
The wings are long and pointed ; and in their flight, the birds, 
being dependent for their food on flying insects, make great 
use of them. The skin of the bee-eaters is particularly 
