SWALLOW-TAILED NAUCLERUS. J9L 
and, having seized the prey, devour it in the air. 
“ At other times they dash along the trunks of 
trees, and snap oft' the pupae of the locust, or that 
insect itself or, “ in calm and warm weather, 
they soar to an immense height, pursuing the 
large insects called mosquito hawks, performing 
the most singular evolutions that can be con- 
ceived, and using their tail with an elegance of 
motion peculiar to themselves.”* 
The same author we have just now quoted, 
records the breeding places of this bird to be on 
trees, the nest resembling that of a crow, being 
composed of dried sticks, and lined with grass 
and a few feathers. The eggs are of a greenish 
white colour, with a few irregular blotches of 
dark brown at the larger end. 
Not possessing a specimen, we abstain from 
giving a minute description of the plumage. Our 
figure will, however, give a tolerable idea of the 
rich contrast which the prevailing tints of pure 
white and deep glossy blackish green afford. The 
young birds are said to be at first covered w ith 
buff coloured down, aud, in their first plumage, 
to want the changing tints of the adults. The 
length appears to be from twenty-three to twenty- 
six inches. 
We now proceed to the third aberrant form, — 
the 
Audubon’s Orn. Iiir£. I. p. 3G9. 
