146 THE LIVING ANIMALS OL THE WORLD 
situations, placing its nest on branches, in the forks of trees, on posts, rocks, or house-tops. 
Another species, known to the Spaniards as the CasARITA, or Little House-BUILDER, builds its 
nest at the bottom of a narrow cylindrical hole, which is said to extend horizontally under- 
ground for nearly six feet. Other species build nests of sticks and twigs or of grass, which 
are divided into chambers after the fashion of the mud nest of the oven-bird, the inner 
chamber being lined with wool and feathers. 
The variation in the form, habits, and coloration of these birds is very great, some 
recalling the Woodpeckers and Tree-creepers, others the Titmice. 
The family of the Tyrant Fly-catchers, though numbering some 400 species, is less 
interesting, or rather contains fewer peculiar forms, than the Manakin Family. The tyrant 
fly-catchers are American birds, and represent the fly-catchers of the Old World. One of the 
best known is the King-bird, which is renowned rather for its pugnacious disposition than for 
beauty of plumage. 
The CRE.STED Tyrant-bird has a curious habit of lining its nest with the cast-off skins of 
snakes, a habit which has caused a great 
deal of discomfort both to juvenile as well 
as adult egg-collectors, who, recognising 
the skin by the touch, have hurriedly with- 
drawn the hand, lest the owner of the 
cast-off coat should be in the vicinity. 
All the tyrant-birds are active and 
restless in their habits, and frequent marshy 
districts, sitting alone, perched on the dead 
branches of trees or bushes, whence they 
dart forth like the Old World fly-catchers 
on their prey. Some species, however, 
frequent bare plains; others, also ground- 
dwellers, associate occasionally in flocks. 
Though the prey, which consists 
chiefly of insects, is, as a rule, captured 
on the wing, it is not invariably so. One 
species, for example, pounces down on 
crawling beetles, grasps them in its claws, 
and eats them on the ground. Some other 
species eat mice, young birds, snakes, frogs, 
fishes, spiders, and worms, the larger 
victims being beaten on a branch to kill them. One or two species will eat seeds and berries. 
The nest is often domed, and skilfully felted with moss, lichens, and spider-webs. 
The Broad-bills are the sole representatives of the final sub-division of the Perching- 
birds. After the brilliant coloration, the next most striking feature is the great breadth of 
the bill. Their range is very limited, extending from the lower spurs of the Himalaya, 
through Burma and Siam, to Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. They seek the seclusion of forests 
in the neighbourhood of water, exhibiting great partiality for the banks of rivers and lakes, 
and feeding on worms and insects, many of the latter being captured on the wing. 
The nest of the broad-bill is a large and not very neat structure, oval in shape, with an 
entrance near the top, which is often protected with an overhanging roof. It is generally 
suspended from a low branch or plants near the water, and made of twigs, roots, and leav'es, 
and lined with finer materials. From three to five eggs are laid. 
With these birds, probably the most primitive of the Perching-birds, this section ends. 
Many forms have inevitably been crowded out, whilst others have been but briefly noticed; 
nevertheless, all the really important groups have been moi'e or less completely described, and 
in the majority of cases well illustrated. 
Phc^tc by $. Rudland <5r* Sftns 
COCK-OF-THE-ROCK 
Thd cock-of-the-rock is a South American bird, of gorgeous coloration 
