BAEBETS 
iCapitonidee) 
Barsets occur m tropical America and Africa but are 
particularly characteristic of the Oriental region where a larg^e 
number of handsome species are found. Most of the Malayan 
species, abont a dozen kinds^ are green with the head and neck 
gorgeously patterned with vi%nd red^, blues and yellows. 
In stature barhets are * 'stumpy" birds^ with a stout busi- 
ness-like bill which has strong black bristles at its base. 
They live almost entirely in the trees and are essentially 
forest birds* In Malaya the food consists of frnit and perhaps 
insects. 
In habits they are rather shiggish but their presence is 
often betrayed by their noisy notes; in some species, such as 
XantJtol^ina hcemacephala, of such a metallic character that 
the bird is well-known to Europeans in India as ^'tlie copper- 
smith'' and to the Malays in the north of the Malay Peninsula 
as fukaug be si ("blacksmith''), 
Barbets are by no mt^ans common in Singapore but a small 
brownish species, the brown biirbet iCdlorhantJfhus fuUg'mom 
hayi) and a larger kind, the Malayan blue-tliroated Wrbet 
iCIiotorhea raffji'si) are not rare, C. rtrffiess is of the typical 
appearance indicated above. We have seen it in trees on the 
shores of the local reservoirs. 
[.60] 
