BEE-EATERS, MOTMOTS, TODIES, COLIES, TROGONS III 
These two, as well as the 
members of the genus to which 
the British bird belongs, ap- 
parently breed in colonies. 
Unfortunately for the bee- 
eater, its flesh is palatable, 
whilst its plumage is in great 
demand for millinery purposes. 
Its persecution is of long stand- 
ing, since more than 300 years 
ago Belon witnessed a particu- 
larly cruel experiment practised 
by the boys in Crete. Transfix- 
ing a beetle with a bent pin, 
to the head of which a thread 
was tied, and then holding its 
other end with their hand, they 
would let the insect fly. The 
bee-eater, which catches most 
of its prey on the wing, would 
dart upon it, and, swallowing 
the bait, be caught by the 
hook. 
Not unlike the Bee-eaters 
in general appearance and 
coloration, the Motmots are 
birds of peculiar interest, and 
this on account of a remarkable 
habit of one of their tribe — a 
habit which is perfectly unique, 
and to which we shall return presently. Belonging, as we have already remarked, to the 
New World, they range from Southern Mexico to Paraguay, inhabiting dense forests, and 
being but rarely seen. The plumage is somewhat loose in character — • green, blue, cinnamon, 
and black in colour. The beak has the margins serrated, or saw-like; whilst the feet 
resemble those of the Kingfishers and Bee-eaters. As with the Bee-eaters, no nest is made. 
The eggs, three or four in number and creamy white in colour, are deposited in a hole bored 
by the birds themselves in a tree or bank, both sexes sharing in the work of incubation. 
Their food consists of insects caught in the air, small reptiles, and fruit. 
The remarkable habit to which we have referred is displayed by the species known as 
the Racket-tailed Motmot, from the fact that the two middle tail-feathers project beyond 
the others, and have the greater part of the shaft bare, but terminating in a spoon-shaped 
expansion. In this there is nothing unusual, for such racket-feathers are common amongst 
birds. In this particular case, however, the feathers were originally entire, and acquired their 
characteristic shape artificially, the bird nibbling away the vane on either side of the shaft 
with its bill until the required shape is obtained. Such an act of conscious decoration on 
the part of a bird is elsewhere unknown throughout the whole class. 
The Todies are diminutive allies of the Motmots, frequenting hilly districts and woods. 
They sit with the beak pointed upwards, the head drawn in close to the body, and the plumage 
puffed out, apparently oblivious of all around them — at least it would seem so, since at such 
times they may be caught with a butterfly-net. Like their larger allies, they are green in 
coloration, but have a light red throat, and yellowish-white or pinkish under-parts, with green 
or pink flank-feathers. They vary in length from 3 to qp inches. 
Photo hy A, S, Rudland &* Sons 
BEE-EATER 
A native of the Malay countries. The long feathers on the throat are bright scarlet 
