92 
NATURAL HISTORY. [EAST. ZOOL. 
gaping mouths; they live principally on insects, though a 
few of the larger kinds catch fish. 
The family of Goat-suckers (Caprimulgidce) are noc¬ 
turnal birds, and have the soft downy plumage, and dingy 
colours of that tribe. They are generally solitary, living 
on moths, and laying their eggs on the ground without 
any nest. The Leona Goat-sucker, from Africa, is peculiar 
for having a very long feather arising from the middle of 
each of its wings. The New Holland and South Ame¬ 
rican Podargi , are much larger than any of the individuals 
belonging to the family of the true Goat-suckers, and lay 
their eggs in hollow trees; and the Steatornis is peculiar 
as yielding oil that is used for domestic purposes in South 
America, and also as furnishing large quantities of manure. 
The family of Swallows ( Hirundinidce , Case 38) have a 
close plumage, short bill, extremely long wings, and fiv 
with great rapidity; they are generally birds of passage, 
and often live in flocks, as the Swifts, which have all the toes 
in front. Some have the end of the tail feathers rigid like 
the Woodpeckers; and the Esculent Swallow forms a 
nest of sea-weed, which is used as food in China, and forms 
no unimportant article in the commerce of that country. 
The family of Todies ( Todidce , Case 39) have a broad 
depressed flattened beak, blunt at the end, with rather 
elongated legs, and a short tail. They live on flies, build¬ 
ing their nest on the ground. 
The family of Curucuis ( Trogonidce , Case 40) have a 
short conical beak. They are covered with very fine, soft 
feathers ; many of them are beautifully coloured; they 
live chiefly in low damp woods, in tropical parts of 
America and Asia, flying early in the morning and in the 
evening; they build in holes in trees, living on insects, 
and often sit for hours at a time alone on the low branches 
of trees. Some have the upper tail and wing-coverts much 
elongated, and drooping over the wings and tail. 
The King-fishers ( Alcedinidce , Cases 41 and 42) have 
a long quadrangular bill, long wings, and very small 
feet, with the toes united to the base; they are generally 
of a brilliant blue, or green colour, and live on fish, which 
they catch by diving. They build in holes on the banks 
of rivers, and are found in both hemispheres. 
The family of Bee Eaters ( Meropidce , Case 42), which 
