10 
THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 
[upper 
Broadbills, and Motmots, living chiefly on insects and fruits; the 
plumage of many of these is very showy. Case 40. The Trogons, living 
in low damp woods in the tropics, particularly of the New World ; one 
of the most conspicuous is the long-feathered Quezal, a sacred bird 
of the ancient Peruvians. Cases 41, 42. The Kingfishers, large-billed 
birds with short tails, living on fish, insects, and other small animals ; 
they are generally of bright plumage. One of the largest and most som- 
bre-coloured is the Laughing Kingfisher of Australia, which lives on 
snakes and reptiles ; the colonists call it the Jackass, from its loud and 
singular note. Gases 43-47. Among the Tenuirostral Birds may be 
noticed the Hoopoes and Sunbirds ^of Africa and Asia ; the latter have 
brilliant metallic plumage, and have often been taken for Humming- 
birds ; they feed on the nectar of flowers and on insects which they find 
in the tubes of flowers. Case 44 contains the Humming-birds, which 
have been named " flying gems"; they are peculiar to America. The 
males are of the most resplendent colours. Among the finest may be 
mentioned the topaz, garnet-throated, and tufted-necked Humming- 
birds. The beak in some of the species is of enormous length, in 
most it is straight or bent down, in a few it is turned up. The 
racquet- tailed Humming-bird is a singular species. Their food con- 
sists of minute insects and the honey of flowers. They fly with a 
humming noise, and never settle on the ground. 
Case 45. The Honey-eaters, peculiar to Australia and New Zealand. 
They have curiously-feathered tongues, which assist them in sipping 
their food. Cases 46, 47. The Creepers, Nuthatches^, and Wrens, most 
of which can creep up and down trees, their long hind claws taking a 
firm grasp of any inequality in the bark. The Nuthatches have great 
strength in the beak, in this respect resembling Woodpeckers, and, 
like them, tapping on trees. Cases 48-61. The tooth-billed Passerine 
Birds feed chiefly on insects and grubs. Case 48. The Tailor-birds, 
forming curious nests of leaves, which they stitch together ; the superb 
warblers and Emu Wren of Australia, and the Lyre-bird or Menura 
of Australia, the largest of song birds. Case 49. The Warblers, 
birds of plain plumage, but famed for their agreeable song ; the Black- 
cap and Nightingale are placed here. Case 50. The Wheatears and 
Titmice ; the latter are very active in flitting from branch to branch 
and suspending themselves in all kinds of attitudes whilst seeking for 
insects on trees. Case 51. The American Wood Warblers. Cases 
53-55. The Thrushes: some of these have long legs and short tails, 
such as the tropical Ant-Thrushes ; many have brilliant plumage ; 
others of more sombre plumage inhabit jEurope and the temperate 
parts of the world, and are famed for their powers of song. Cases 56, 
57. The Flycatchers, so named from their feeding on insects which 
they capture when flying. The Tyrants of North and South America 
pursue and catch small birds as well as insects. One of the most 
curious is the King Tody of South America, with a finely coloured 
and peculiar radiated crest on its head. Cases 58, 59. The Chatterers : 
many of these are of beautiful plumage and feed on berries and insects ; 
remarkable among them is the white Chatterer of the American 
