. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . racing a thread of azure andemerald ? Some authors separate the King-fishers, properly so called * In China a great number of species are to be found, all robed in the mostbrilliant plumage, nine of which I have collected. In America I have not beenso successful, its best-known species being nuout the size of a Blue Jay, and is solike that bird as sometimes to be taken for i^ by the most inexperienced.—Ed. 460 REPTILES AND BIRDS. or river-side Birds, from the b
. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . racing a thread of azure andemerald ? Some authors separate the King-fishers, properly so called * In China a great number of species are to be found, all robed in the mostbrilliant plumage, nine of which I have collected. In America I have not beenso successful, its best-known species being nuout the size of a Blue Jay, and is solike that bird as sometimes to be taken for i^ by the most inexperienced.—Ed. 460 REPTILES AND BIRDS. or river-side Birds, from the bee-eaters and other Fissirostral Birds,which, while they resemble each other in many physical charac-teristics, differ essentially in their habits; in short, while the onehaunts the river, feeds upon its inhabitants, and nests upon its margin,the other keeps to the woods and forests, feeds upon insects, andbuilds in holes in trees. The Ceyx tj^idadyla, inhabiting the Indian Archipelago, veryclosely resembles the King-fisher of Europe in its habits; it darts inshort rapid flight along the surface of lakes and rivulets, emitting. Fig. 182,—Common Bee-eater. shrill discordant sounds; it perches on trees on the river banks, andfeeds on small fishes and aquatic insects. Their tarsii are smooth, theinner toe wanting; in other respects its habits are those of theKing-fisher. The Bee-eaters {Me^^opidce) have the beak long, thin, slightlycurved, and pointed, the mandible having a trenchant edge; the tarsishort; the wings long and pointed; the tail well-developed, tapering,or forked. They are slender, graceful birds. Their cries, while theyskim through the air on rapid wing, are incessant. The name ofBee-eaters they receive from their principal food, which consists ofvarious Hymenoptera, especially bees and wasps. They seize their THE BEE-EATERS. 461 prey either on the wing, Hke the swallows, or secrete themselves at theentrance to a hive, and catch the inmates that enter or depart,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectrep
