. Cassell's natural history . at the base ; and in the sid(> of the head, for a large spaceround tlie eye, being destitute of feathers, and exhibiting a naked granulated skin. Thewings are short; the tail is long and graduated. THK RED-HEABEI) . The island of Ceylon, so famous for its profuse vegetation, especially for its aromatictrees, and no less so for its animals of various kinds, among which the pearl-bearingoyster is peculiarly conspicuous, is the habitat of the Red-headed Malcoha. This bird isabout sixteen inches in length; the general plumage above is shining greenish-bl
. Cassell's natural history . at the base ; and in the sid(> of the head, for a large spaceround tlie eye, being destitute of feathers, and exhibiting a naked granulated skin. Thewings are short; the tail is long and graduated. THK RED-HEABEI) . The island of Ceylon, so famous for its profuse vegetation, especially for its aromatictrees, and no less so for its animals of various kinds, among which the pearl-bearingoyster is peculiarly conspicuous, is the habitat of the Red-headed Malcoha. This bird isabout sixteen inches in length; the general plumage above is shining greenish-black ;the tail is tipped with white and very, graduated ; the under surface is white; the largenaked space round the edges is orange-red, bordered along its under margin with a Iimof white. It frequents the deo]) woods, and is said to live chiefly on fruits. But of itshabits, as of those of the rest of the group, naturalists have at present much to learn. * PlKrnioophaiLS.—Vieill. t Phocnicopliaus pynlioecphalus. waV^ -«. TlIK ]) BAD BET.* Wo now come to tlic family termed Ih-i(la>, wliicli iucliulcs the barbets, the wood-peckers, and the wrynecks, birds of true scansorial habits, climbing about the trunks andlarger branches of trees with great fticility, and feeding chiefly on such insects as secretthemselves cither in the crevices, beneatli the bark, or in tlie soft wood of decayedtrees. The Barbets are distinguished by their large conical beak, which appears, as it were,swollen or puliod out at the sides of the base, and is bearded, from \\ hence the namc^ ofthese birds is derived. The beak has five tufts of bristles, directed forwards. One ofthese tufts is behind each nostril, one on either side of (he lower mandible, and the tillliis under tlie symjihysis. Tlieir short wings and heavy proportions do not admit of swift fiiglit; and their preyconsists of insects and young birds, whicli they surpri^e^ and also of fruits. Their n(-s1sarc generally built
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1854
