CHAPTER VII. 
The Picarian Birds,—O rder Picarle. 
Jacamars to Toucans. 
Families Galbulid.e to RhaMPHASTID^E. 
GREAT BLACK WOODPECKER. 
The assemblage of birds commonly known as 
Picarians presents at first sight a marked resem¬ 
blance to the perching birds just considered, and 
yet possesses certain common features not found 
amongst them. They have, for instance, the 
hinder margin of the breast-bone doubly notched ; 
such a feature being very rarely seen among Passerines. 
Then, again, nearly all the members of the group lay 
white eggs, which are deposited, often without any 
attempt at constructing a nest, in some concealed position, 
such as a hole in a tree or bank. It is true that the 
Picarians are by no means the only birds which adopt this 
mode of nesting, since many Passerines also lay white 
eggs and equally conceal them; the sand-martin, for instance, burrowing out a 
tunnel like the kingfisher, and depositing its eggs deep in the ground. There 
are, moreover, instances to the contrary, as in the case of pigeons, which lay two 
vol. hi.— 35 
