Woodpeckers.

Fig. 192.—Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus, Linn.).

Cuckoos are celebrated for the peculiar manner in which they raise their progeny. The females do not build a nest or cover their eggs, neither do they take care of their young. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, generally in those of little insectivorous Passerines, such as the Lark, the Robin, Hedge Sparrow, Redthroat, Nightingale, Thrush, Blackbird, and sometimes also in those of the Magpie, Turtle Dove, and Wood Pigeon. They leave the care of hatching their eggs to these strangers, and of feeding their young until they are completely developed. Different explanations have been proposed to justify the anomaly which seems to make a hard-hearted mother of the Cuckoo. We owe to M. Florenf-Prevost the possession of certain information on this point which had long remained in obscurity. According to this naturalist, Cuckoos are polygamous, but in a reverse sense to other birds. Whilst among them males have several females, with Cuckoos it is the females that have several males, because the stronger sex is much more numerous than the weaker. These ladies have nofixed home. At the breeding-time they wander from one district to another, reside two or three days with a male at one place, and then abandon him, according to inclination. It is at this time that the males so frequently utter the cry known to all the world, and from which the bird derives its name; it is a sort of call or challenge to the females, which in their turn reply by a peculiar clucking. Cuckoos lay eight or ten eggs in the space of a few weeks. When an egg has been laid, the female seizes it in her beak, and carries it to the first unoccupied nest in the vicinity, and there deposits it, profiting by the absence of the proprietor, which would certainly oppose such an addition. A Redthroat has been seen to return unexpectedly, and force the stranger to retire with her burden. The next egg is placed in a neighbouring nest, but never in the same as the first. The mother is doubtlessly conscious of the unfortunate position it would place her two nurslings in if she acted otherwise, for it would certainly be impossible for two little Passerines to supply the wants of two such voracious beings as young Cuckoos. Pertinent to this, we will mention a fact that we have not seen stated in any work on natural history. It often happens that the female Cuckoo takes from the nest one of the eggs of the Passerine, breaks it with her beak, and scatters theshell. Thus, when the mother returns, she finds the same number of eggs that she left. It is from this cause one frequently sees pieces of egg-shell surrounding the nests where Cuckoos have deposited their progeny. This action on the part of the birds denotes perfect reasoning powers, and consequently real intelligence. What say the great philosophers to it, who refuse this faculty to animals? When it has thus left its eggs to nurse, the female comes several times to see that they are well cared for, and does not leave the neighbourhood till she is assured that such is the case. She is not quite so free from solicitude about the welfare of her young as one at first thinks. Thus we can understand why the female Cuckoo does not herself discharge her maternal functions. Laying her eggs at considerable intervals, she would find that to cover several eggs and to raise a young one at the same time was incompatible, for the latter duty involves frequent absences which would destroy the eggs, to which, during incubation, an equal and constant temperature is necessary. It is not then indifference, but thought, that causes her to confide to others her maternal cares. The young Cuckoo is no sooner hatched than he employs his infant strength to get rid of the true children of his foster-parents, in order to be the only one to profit by their attentions; he glides under the frail creatures, gets them on his back—where he holds them by means of his raised wings—and precipitates them one after another from the nest. The mother, though thus cruelly treated in return for her affection, generally retains her love for this perfidious child of her adoption, and provides for all its wants until the time of its departure. Sometimes, however, she is so angry at the loss of her young, that she brings no nourishment to the monster, and lets it die of starvation.

Honey Guides, orIndicators(Indicator, Vall.), have their place next to Cuckoos. These are little birds inhabiting the interior of Africa. They feed on insects, and especially delight in the pupæ of bees; they employ very curious manœuvres in order to procure them, which denote perfect intelligence. When one of these birds discovers a hive, it endeavours to attract the attention of the first person it meets by frequently-repeated cries. When observed itproceeds to fly, and sometimes leads thus for great distances till it reaches the place where the hive is, which it takes care to point out by every means in its power. Whilst the honey is being taken, the bird remains in the neighbourhood, observing all that passes, and when that work is accomplished, it approaches to reap the fruits of its trouble. The bees make very little buzzing, but flutter round, trying to sting it (but its skin is impervious to their efforts). Often, however, the despoiled bees attack its eyes, and sometimes succeed in blinding it: the unfortunate bird, incapable of guiding itself, then perishes in sight of the place that witnessed its triumph. The Hottentots esteem Indicators very highly on account of the services which they render them in revealing the abodes of bees, and therefore scruple to kill them.

The group of Cuckoos is supplemented by several more species nearly allied to the genus Cuckoo, upon which it is useless for us to enlarge. These are Courols, Coccyzus, Couas, and Guiras. All these birds are strangers.

Anishave bulky, short, very compressed beaks, surmounted by a slight and sharp crest. They inhabit the countries of Equatorial America, and live in troops of from thirty to forty in the midst of savannahs and marshes. They feed upon reptiles and insects; they are often seen to alight upon cattle to devour the insect parasites which torment them. Hence comes their scientific name ofCrotophaga(Linn.), or eaters of insects. They are of very gentle, confiding natures, and the sight of man does not frighten them; besides, there is no advantage in killing them, for their flesh exhales a repulsive odour. Taken young, they become very familiar, and are as quick as Parrots in learning the art of speaking. They possess the instinct of sociability in the highest degree; so much so, that they do not even isolate themselves at pairing-times as other birds do. They build a common nest either in the trees or bushes, in which all the females lay and sit on their eggs. This nest is sometimes divided by walls into a certain number of compartments, each of which belongs to a female, but generally all the eggs are mixed, and the females cover them indiscriminately. This admirable understanding does not cease after the young are hatched. These are nourished by all the mothersin common. Are not these little republics models of peace and concord? and does not man find in them salutary examples of disinterestedness and affection? The two principal species of the genus are the Razor-bill of Jamaica and the Crow Blackbird of America. The former is the size of a Blackbird, the latter of a Jay.

Fig. 193.—African Barbet (Pogonias hirsutus, Sw.).

Barbets(Fig. 193) owe their name to a number of straight hairs which they have upon their beak. They are massive in form, and their flight is heavy. Inhabiting warm countries of both continents, they conceal themselves in thick forests, either alone or in small bands. They feed on fruits, berries, and insects. Certain species even attack and devour young birds. They build in the trunks of trees. The number of eggs they lay is two, sometimes (though rarely) three. Levaillant asserts that the old and infirm Barbets are cared for and fed by those in the enjoyment of all their vigour. He says that, having taken five Barbets in a nest of Republicans, one of which was so old that it could not stand on its legs, and having enclosed them in a cage, "the four healthy Barbets hastened to give food to the one lying in a dying state in a corner of the cage." He adds that the nest whence he had taken them was filled with husks and the remains of insects, which led him to think that the old invalid hadbeen fed a long time by these kind and thoughtful birds. If this is true, it is worthy the attention of moralists.

Fig. 194—Resplendent Trogons (Trogon(Calurus resplendens, Gould).

Trogons, like Barbets, have the bases of their beaks covered with hairs. Their soft and silky plumage glitters with the most brilliant hues, and their tails are extremely long. They very strongly resemble the birds of night by their unsociable nature and melancholy dispositions, and by the solitary lives they pass in the wildest parts of woods. Like them, also, they only go out in the morning and evening to seek the insects and caterpillars which form their principal nourishment. The presence of man does not frighten them; and this confidence often leads to their death, for they are actively pursued for their flesh, which is said to be excellent, and also for their very beautiful feathers. Their name Couroucous arises from the cry which they utter at breeding-times. They inhabit the intertropicalregions of both continents. The most remarkable species is the Resplendent Trogon (Fig. 194), indigenous to Mexico and Brazil. The plumage of this bird is of a magnificent emerald green frosted with gold: its head is surmounted by a beautiful tuft of the same colour. The daughters of the Caciques in the New World formerly used its feathers in their dresses. At the present time creoles employ them for the same purpose. The most common species is theTrogon mexicanus(Fig. 195).

Fig. 195.—Mexican Trogon (Trogon mexicanus, Gould).

Touracos, orPlantain-eaters(Musophagidæ), are African birds, of which the general forms bear some analogy to the Hoccos. They live in forests, and perch upon the highest branches of trees: their flight is heavy and little sustained.

The birds which compose this family are characterised by a rather long, conical, pointed beak, and by a very extensible tongue. They form two genera, Woodpeckers and Wry-necks.

Fig. 196.—Black Woodpeckers (Picus(Dryocopus)martius, Gould).1. Female.2. Male.

Fig. 197—Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers (Picus minor, Gould).

Woodpeckersexcel in the art of climbing, but they do not perform it in the same manner as Parrots. They accomplish their ascensions by extending their toes, supplied with bent claws, upon the trunk of a tree, and maintain themselves hanging there; then move themselves a little farther by a sudden and jerked skip, and so on. These movements are facilitated by the disposition of the tail, formed of straight resistant feathers, slightly worn away at their extremities, which, pressed against a tree, serve as a support to the bird. Thanks to this organisation, Woodpeckers traverse trees in every direction—downwards, upwards, or horizontally.Woodpeckers are of a timid and restless disposition; they live alone in the midst or on the borders of large forests. Insects and their larvæ form their nourishment; there they seek them in the trunks and clefts of trees. Their tongue is wonderfully suited to this work of exploration. It is very long, and, by a peculiar mechanism, can be projected out far enough to reach objects three or four inches away. The beak is terminated by a horny point bristling with small hooks. In many species it is overlaid with a sticky humour, secreted by two voluminous glands, the effect of which is to catch the insects which it touches. Whenever the bird darts this tongue into the crevices, it draws it out more or less laden with insects. If it perceives an insect that it cannot reach by means of this organ, ithas recourse to its strong beak: striking the tree with redoubled blows, it cuts the bark, breaks an opening, and seizes the coveted prey. It often also strikes with its beak to sound the tree, and assure itself that there is no cavity in the interior which would serve as a refuge for its prey. If the trunk is hollow, it examines all parts to find the entrance to the cavity. When it has discovered it, it introduces its tongue; and if the canal is not large enough to permit it to explore the hiding-place with success, it increases the size of the aperture. It is not only to seek for food that Woodpeckers make holes in trees, but also to establish their nests. Some species, it is true, select the anfractuosities which they find, but others hollow out their resting-places according to their tastes. When such is the case, they inspect soft-wood trees, such as the beech, aspen, &c., to ascertain those that are decayed in the interior. When they have made their choice, the male and female peck the bark off the tree by turns, and do not cease to labour till they have reached the decayed portion. The cavity which they bore is generally so oblique and so deep that perfect darkness must surround them. It is doubtless a measure of security against the little mammals, especially the rodents, the natural enemies of their family. The female deposits her eggs upon a bed of moss or the dust of worm-eaten wood. The young birds grow slowly, and receive in the nest the care of their parents for a long time. In general they have little voice, or only utter disagreeable cries. At breeding-time they frequently employ a language peculiar to themselves:they strike the trunks of dead trees with their beaks, and these blows, which are heard at a great distance, attract all the Woodpeckers of the neighbourhood.

Fig. 198.—Wry-necks (Yunx torquilla, Yarrell).

Woodpeckers are generally considered noxious birds, because they are supposed to injure the trees of forests and orchards, and for this reason a relentless war is made against them. They should, on the contrary, be protected; for they destroy innumerable insects, the real enemies of timber. Besides, they scarcely ever attack healthy trees—they reserve their labours for those which are worm-eaten. There are a great number of species of Woodpeckers known, which are spread over the two continents: Europe possesses eight, seven of which live in France either in a settled state or as birds of passage. The principal are the Black Woodpecker, the Spotted Woodpecker, and the Grey Woodpecker.

Wry-necksowe their name to the curious property which they possess of being able to twist their necks in such a manner as to turn the head in all directions. They repeat this movement every instant, especially when surprised or angry. At the same time their eyes become fixed, the feathers of the head stand up, and the tail expands itself. Like Woodpeckers, they can hang upon trees, and sustain themselves in a vertical position for a long time; but they are incapable of climbing. The weakness of their beaks does not permit of their boring trees; therefore they seek their nourishment upon the ground, principally amongst the ant-hills. They lead a solitary existence, which they only relinquish at pairing-time. They possess a characteristic confidence, never in the least avoid the presence of man, andbecome very familiar in captivity. They build in the natural holes of trees, or in those hollowed by Woodpeckers. Their plumage is pleasing, and their size is the same as the Lark. They inhabit all the Old Continent.

Fig. 199.—Paradise Jacamar (Galbula paradisea, Latham).

Jacamars (Fig. 199) inhabit Equatorial America. They are characterised by long and pointed beaks, short tarsi, and short or obtuse wings. They have three or four toes, according to the species. Their habits are little known; but it is certain that they live isolated or in pairs, that they are stupid, move but little, and rarely depart from the neighbourhood where they have chosen their dwelling. All species do not frequent the same places—some like thick woods, others prefer plains, while some select damp localities; but all are insectivorous. In their manners, as well as in their physical characteristics, Jacamars appear to resemble King-fishers, of which we shall speak in the following order.

The Passerines (frompasser, the Latin name for Sparrow) form the least natural group of the class Aves. Here one seeks in vain for the homogeneous characteristics which distinguish the preceding races. Indeed, it is difficult to detect the bonds which connect them together. For example, where is the link which unites the Crow to the Swallow or to the Humming-birds? Nevertheless, all these winged creatures, though so different externally, belong to thePasserinæ. It may be said that this order presents only negative characteristics, bringing together in a somewhat odd assemblage all birds which are neither web-footed, wading, gallinaceous, climbing, nor rapacious. The only physical feature on which much stress can be laid, which is common to all Passerines, and even that not of much value, is that the outward toe is united to the middle one in a more or less extended manner. Their food consists of seeds, insects, and fruit. They live singly or in pairs; they fly gracefully and easily; their walk consists of a leap; and they build their nests and take their rest under the thick foliage of trees, or under the eaves of buildings.

In this extensive group we find most of the songsters whose melodious voices so charmingly wake the echoes of the woodlands. Some of them have even the gift of imitating to a certain extent the human voice, as well as the cries of wild animals. Many are remarkable for their brilliant plumage; others are appreciated for their delicacy on the table. Man has reduced numbers of them to comparative tameness, but has altogether failed in bringing them to a domestic state.

Cuvier divides thePasserinæinto five great families—theSyndactyles,Tenuirostres, Conirostres, Fissirostres, andDentirostres. The first is based on the structure of the feet; the other four on the formation of the bill. But this classification is very arbitrary, as it is not always possible to assign a place to certain groups by an inspection of the beak alone. We shall, however, follow this distribution, as being that generally adopted.

TheSyndactyles(having the toes united) have the external toe nearly as long as the middle one, and united to it up to the last articulation. The birds which constitute this group have little analogy with each other, the physical characters which we shall have occasion to notice being purely artificial as a means of classification. The family includes the Hornbills (Buceros, Linn.), the Fly-catchers (Muscicapidæ), the King-fishers (Alcedo, Linn.), the Bee-eaters (Merops, Linn.), and the Momots (Prionites, Ill.).

TheHornbills, orCalaos, are remarkable for their enormous development of beak, which is long, very wide, compressed, and more or less curved and notched, and in some species surmounted by a large helmet-like protuberance. This immense beak is nevertheless very light, being cellulose, as in the Toucans. The Hornbills have in some respects the bearing of the Crow: this led Bontius to class them among the Crows, under the name of Indian Crow (Corvus indicus). They walk with difficulty, and their flight is clumsy, their favourite position being on a perch at the summit of lofty trees. Great flocks of these haunt the forests of the warmer regions of the Old World, especially Africa, India, and the Oceanic Archipelago. They build their nests in the hollows of trees. They are omnivorous, and the fruits, seeds, and insects of those regions are their principal food; yet they feed also on flesh. In India they are domesticated, their services in destroying rats and mice being much appreciated. The plumage of the Hornbill is black or grey, of various shades; but there is a species described by Dr. Latham and Dr. Shaw, under the name of the Crimson Hornbill, which Mr. Swainson thinks may prove to be a link between Toucans and Hornbills, and thus combine the beauty of plumage of the former with the peculiarity of form of the latter. Theirflesh is delicate, especially when fed on aromatic seeds. Many species are described, varying in size, among which the Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros),Fig. 200, is the most worthy of notice. This bird is so named from the singular protuberance with which its bill is surmounted: this is a smooth horny casque or helmet, curving upwards from the bill, somewhat resembling the horn of the rhinoceros. It is a native of India and the islands of the Indian Ocean.

Fig. 200.—Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros, Gould).

TheFly-catchers(Muscicapidæ) are a family of insectivorous birds, many of which are British, comprehending, according to Temminck, the Todies (Todus), distinguished by long, broad, and very flat bills, contracting suddenly at the tip. Characteristics:—Tail short, slender, and rounded; legs long and weak; toes short, the outer one more or less united to the middle one.T. viridis, the only species, according to Temminck, has a bright greenplumage above, whitish beneath; a scarlet throat; sides rose colour; and the tail-coverts yellow. It is a native of South America and the Antilles; and Sir Hans Sloane, under the name of "Green Humming-bird," describes it as "one of the most beautiful small birds he ever saw." Mr. Browne states that it is a familiar little bird, and will often let a man come within a few feet to admire it before becoming alarmed. "It keeps much about the houses in country parts," he adds, "flies slow, and probably may be easily tamed."

It lives almost entirely on the ground, feeding on insects, which it catches in the evening. It builds its nest in the crevices on river banks, or in the soft rocks, in which it hollows out a dwelling by means of its bill and feet.

TheKing-fishers(Alcedo), the Martin-fishers of some authors, form a highly interesting group, of whichAlcedo ispida(Linn.) is the only known species indigenous to Britain. M. Vigors finds an intimate resemblance between them and the Todies. The King-fishers are very singular birds. Their bill is strong, straight, and angular, being of immense length compared with their size; the tip of both mandibles acute; the commissure perfectly straight; the head strong and elongated; wings and tail of moderate size; tarsi short, and placed far back (Fig. 201). The King-fisher (A. ispida) has behind each eye a patch of light orange brown, succeeded by a white one; from each corner of the mandible proceeds a line of rich blue, tinged with green; the crown of the head is deep olive green; the feathers are tipped with a verdigris shade; chin and throat with yellowish white; breast, belly, and vent with orange brown; tail a bluish green; shafts of the feathers black; and the legs a pale brick red. This beautiful bird is as interesting in manners as in appearance. Living on the banks of rivers, they feed almost exclusively on fish. The King-fisher watches patiently from a fixed station, generally a naked twig overhanging the water, or a stone projecting above the surface, for its prey: in this position it will sometimes wait for hours, absolutely immovable. When the fish comes within reach, with great rapidity it pounces upon it, seizing it in its powerful mandibles, and after destroying it by compression, or by knocking it against a stone or the trunk ofa tree, it swallows it head foremost. When fish is scarce it feeds also upon aquatic insects, which it seizes on the wing. Its aërial movements are rapid and direct, but weakly maintained, being performed by a series of quick, jerking beats of the wings, generally close to the surface: the action of the wings is so rapid as to be scarcely perceptible. The short tarsi render the King-fisher a bad walker.

Fig. 201.—King-fishers (Alcedo ispida, Linn.).

The King-fisher is a solitary bird, living generally in secluded places, and is rarely seen even with birds of its own species, except in the pairing season. Like the Todies, they build their nests in the steep banks of rivers, either in the natural crevices, or in holes hollowed out by water rats; and these dwelling-places are generally disfigured by the fragments of their repast. Father and mother sit alternately, and when the young are hatched they feed them with the produce of their fishing. The bird has a shrill and piercing note, which it utters on the wing. Their flesh is very disagreeable.

The King-fisher is the Halcyon of the ancients, who attributed to it after death the power of indicating the winds. The seven days before and the seven days after the winter solstice were the Halcyon days, during which the bird was supposed tobuild its nest, and the sea remained perfectly calm. To its dead body the attributes of turning aside thunder-bolts, of giving beauty, peace and plenty, and other absurdities were ascribed. Even now, in some remote provinces of France, the dead birds are invested with the power of preserving woollen stuffs from the attack of the moth; hence they are called Moth Birds by drapers and shopkeepers. They are inhabitants of almost every region of the globe, and comprehend a great number of species, spread over Asia, Africa, and America.32Europe possesses one species not larger than a Sparrow, and which is remarkable for the rich colouring of its feathers. What, indeed, can surpass the brilliancy of the King-fisher as it suddenly darts along some murmuring brook, tracing a thread of azure and emerald? Some authors separate the King-fishers, properly so called, or riverside birds, from the Bee-eaters and other Fissirostral birds, which, while they resemble each other in many physical characteristics, differ essentially in their habits; in short, while the one haunts the river, feeds upon its inhabitants, and nests upon its margin, the other keeps to the woods and forests, feeds upon insects, and builds in holes in trees.

TheCeyx Menintingof Lesson (Alcedo Biruof Horsfield) very closely resembles the King-fisher of Europe in its habits; it darts in short, rapid flight along the surface of lakes and rivulets, emitting shrill, discordant sounds; it perches on trees on the river banks, and feeds on small fishes and aquatic insects. The tarsus is smooth, the inner toe suppressed; in other respects its habits are those of the King-fisher.

TheBee-eaters(Meropidæ) have the beak long, thin, slightly curved, and pointed, the mandible having a trenchant edge; the tarsi short; the wings long and pointed; the tail well developed, tapering, or forked. They are slender, light, and clamorous; their cries are incessant, while they skim through the air on rapid wing with well-sustained flight. Their name of Bee-eaters they take from their principal food, which consists of various Hymenoptera, especially bees and wasps. They seize their prey either on the wing, like the Swallows, or they hide themselves atthe opening of their hives, and snatch up all that enter or depart. They are skilful in avoiding their sting. Living together in numerous flocks, they rapidly clear a district of wasps and wild bees.

They build their nests in the banks of rivers or rivulets, in holes which they excavate to the depth of six or seven feet. Some species are highly esteemed as table delicacies by the French.

Fig. 202.—Common Bee-eater (Merops apiaster, Sw.).

The Bee-eaters inhabit the warmer regions of the Old World, such as Bengal, the west coast of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, Morocco, and Malta. One species alone is found in Europe, the Common Bee-eater (Merops apiaster),Fig. 202. From the coast of Africa it migrates in small flocks into the countries skirting the northern shores of the Mediterranean. Some individuals proceed into France, Switzerland, and Germany; others spread themselves over Turkey and the southern parts of Russia. In England it is occasionally met with in Cornwall, Devonshire, and along the Hampshire coast. It has been shot in the Mull of Galloway. In France it arrives in the month of May, and remains but a short time. As a rule it rarely ventures further north than the South of France.

TheMomots(Prionites, Illiger) are birds still very imperfectlyknown. They are remarkably massive in form, heavy and slow on the wing. They are placed by systematists near the Toucans (Ramphastos), from similarity of habits, and especially from the structure of the tongue, which is in both long, and so much ciliated at the sides as to resemble a feather. The feet, however, are totally different from those of the Toucans. In the Momots the beak is long, robust, and crenated at the edge. They are very wild, and lead an isolated life in the thick forests of South America, where they build in holes in trees.

Fig. 203.—Momot (Prionites, Sw.).

The Passerine Tenuirostres are characterised by a long slender beak, straight or curved, but always without indentation. They are insectivorous, and comprise the Hoopoes, Humming-birds, Creepers, and Nuthatches.

TheHoopoes(Upupa, Linn.) have the beak long, slender, triangular, and slightly curved. This group, which Mr. Gray designates theUpupidæ, includes a number of birds whose general form presents the greatest analogy, but which possess their own peculiarities of plumage and special physiognomy. This has necessitated its subdivision into sub-genera, of which the Hoopoes (Upupa), the Promerops (Brisson), and the Epimachus are worthy of notice.

Fig. 204.—Hoopoes (Upupa epops, Linn.).

The Hoopoes are easily recognised from the double range of plumes which form an arched crest on their head, which they have the power of raising at pleasure. These feathers are, in the Common Hoopoe, of a ruddy buff colour, tipped with black. They are solitary birds, living by preference in low grounds and humid places, where they prey on the worms, insects, and terrestrial mollusks. They are migratory, and are occasionally found in the British Islands in autumn: instances have occurred of their breeding there. They take their departure for warmer regions in September. They have a light and graceful walk, and nearly pass their existence on the ground, rarely perching, and flying with visible effort. They have no song, and only utter two notes, which may be rendered by the syllableszi, zi; houp,houp. They nest in the clefts of rocks or walls, and in holes in the trunks of trees. When captured young, they become very tame, and seem to be susceptible of great attachment to those who take care of them.

The Hoopoe (Fig. 204) is found in summer as far north as Denmark and Sweden; and southward, in France and Italy, at Gibraltar and Ceuta, and in Egypt, where it breeds, as it probably does over Northern Africa. It has been seen occasionally at Madeira, and is abundant at Trebisond, whence it comes every year to pass the summer season in Europe. During the spring and summer it abounds all over France. At the period of its departure—that is to say, in the month of September—it is plump enough to be a choice morsel for the table, as its flesh is very delicate.

TheEpimachusare remarkably beautiful birds. When at maturity the side-feathers develop themselves in delicate lines or elegant panicles, while their plumage, richly coloured, is brilliant with diaphanous metallic reflections. Little is known of their habits. They are natives of Australia and New Guinea. The very remarkable species,E. multifil(Fig. 205), has six long fillets on each side of its body. The equally striking species,E. magnus, has the elongated side-feathers raised and curling, of a glittering steel blue, azure, and emerald green; the breast and belly lustrous with the same diaphanous tints. This bird is an inhabitant of New Guinea.

Fig. 205.—Epimachus (Epimachus multifil).

ThePromeropsare distinguished from the otherUpupinæby the absence of the crest, by their very long tail, and by their forked and extensible tongue. They are natives of Africa, and their habits, like those of the former, are little known.

TheColibriof Cuvier may be divided into Humming-birds (Trochilidæ), or species having the beak straight, and trueColibri, having the beak curved. With this slight difference, theTrochilidæandColibriclosely resemble each other. They have the same slight, elegant figure, the same brilliancy of plumage, and the same habits—describe the one, and you describe the other. We must be permitted, therefore, to treat of them together.

TheHumming-birds(Trochilidæ) are the most lovely of the winged race. Nature seems to have endowed them with her rarest gifts. In creating them she surpassed herself, and exhausted all the charms at her disposal; for she imbued them with grace, elegance, rapidity of motion, magnificence of plumage, and indomitable courage. What can be more delightful than the sight of these little feathered beauties, flashing with the united fires of the ruby, the topaz, the sapphire, and the emerald, flying from flower to flower amid the richest tropical vegetation? Such are the lightness and rapidity of some of the smaller species, that the eye can scarcely follow the quick beat of the wings. When they hover they seem perfectly motionless, and one might fancy they were suspended by some invisible thread.

Specially adapted for an aërial life, they are unceasingly in motion, searching for their food in the calyx of flowers, from which they drink the nectar with so much delicacy and address that the plant is scarcely stirred. But the juice and honey of flowers, as some authors affirm, are not their only food—such unsubstantial diet would be insufficient to sustain the prodigious activity displayed almost every moment of their existence.

The tongue of the Humming-bird is a microscopic instrument of marvellous arrangement. It is composed of two half-tubes placed one against the other, capable of opening and shutting like a pair of pliers. Moreover, it is constantly moistened by a glutinous saliva, by which it is enabled to seize and hold insects—an arrangement not without its analogy in the Woodpeckers.

Proud of their gay colours, the Humming-birds take the greatest care to protect their plumage. They frequently dress themselves by passing their feathers through their bills. Their vivacity often amounts to petulance, and they frequently manifest belligerent propensities not to be expected in such minute creatures.They attack birds much larger than themselves, harassing and pursuing them without intermission, threatening their eyes, and always succeeding in putting them to flight. They frequently contend with each other. If two males meet on the calyx of a flower, bristling with anger, and uttering their cry, they rush on one another. After the conflict is over the conqueror returns to reap the reward of his valour.

Fig. 206.—Nest of Humming-bird.

The nest of the Humming-bird (Fig. 206) is a masterpiece. It is about the size of half an apricot. The materials are brought by the male, and arranged by the female. These consist of lichens, and are most artistically interwoven, the crevices being closed up with the bird's saliva: the interior is padded with the silky fibres furnished by various plants. This pretty cradle issuspended to a leaf, sometimes to a small branch, bundle of rushes, or even to the straw roof of a hut. The hen bird lays twice a year a pair of eggs of a pure white, about the size of a pea.

After an incubation of six days the young are hatched; a week later they are capable of flight. During the breeding season the males are tender and demonstrative, and both parents show much affection for their progeny.

These little creatures are universally admired for their elegance and beauty, and the names given them are generally descriptive of their excessive minuteness. The creoles of the Antilles call them Murmurers; the SpaniardsPicaflores; the BraziliansChupaflores, or Flower-suckers; finally, the Indians call these darlings Sunbeams.

Humming-birds are much sought after—not for their flesh, which is valueless from its minute quantity, but for their feathers: these ladies turn to various uses, such as collars, pendants for the ears, &c. Some of the Indian races which have been converted to Christianity employ them to decorate the images of their favourite saints. The Mexicans and Peruvians formerly employed them for trimming mantles. The French soldiers who shared in the Mexican expedition report that pictures with the feathers of the Humming-bird are fresh, brilliant, and effective.

Humming-birds cannot be preserved in captivity—not that they do not become familiar and affectionate, but their extreme delicacy unfits them for confinement, and in spite of the utmost care that can be bestowed on them, they will die in a few months. In their habitat they are killed with very small shot or with thesarbacane: if desired alive, they are taken with a butterfly net.

Among the most formidable enemies of theTrochilidæmay be reckoned the Monster Spider (Mygale avicularia), which spins its web round their nests, and devours eggs or little ones; even the old birds are sometimes its victims. Humming-birds are scattered over the whole of South and North America, even as far north as Canada; but in Brazil and Guiana they are most abundant. At least five hundred species are known. Cuvier included them in his genusColibri. Mr. Gould has described three hundred of which he has actual specimens; these he divides into fifty-two genera.Among the more remarkable species we may note the Topaz-throated Trochilus (T. pella, Gould), a native of Brazil; the Sickle-winged Humming-bird (Trochilus falcatus, Sw.); Gould's Humming-bird (Ornismya Gouldii, Less.); the Double-crested Humming-bird (Trochilus cornutus, Wied.); Cora Humming-bird (Ornismya cora, Less.); the Giant Humming-bird, which attains the size of the Swallow; the Dwarf Humming-bird, whose size does not exceed that of a bee; the Bar-tailed Humming or Sapho Bird of Lesson (Fig. 207), a native of Eastern Peru; and the Racket-tailed Humming-bird, so named from the shape of its tail, which spreads out at the extremity in the form of a racket.

Fig. 207.—Bar-tailed Humming-bird (Trochilus sparganurus, Lesson).

TheClimbers(Scansores, Vig.) among birds, such as the Woodpeckers, are characterised by an arched beak and a stiff pointedtail. The family comprehends several genera and sub-genera, of which the principal are the Climbers, properly so called, as the Creepers (Certhia), the Wall-Creepers (Tichodroma), the Picumnus, the Furnarius, the Sucriers, the Soui-mangas, and the Nuthatches (Sitta).

Fig. 208.—The Creeper (Certhia familiaris, Linn.).

TheCreepers(Certhia) are small Climbing birds which live and build their nests in the holes they bore in the trunk or in the natural hollows of trees: the insects to be found under the bark are their food. Looking at the form of their slender beak, it is difficult to imagine how it can penetrate the hard covering of an oak, for which they exhibit a marked preference. The Tree-Creeper (Certhia familiaris) is spread over nearly every European country, and is very common in France. The Wall-Creeper (Tichodroma muraria, C. Bonap.), called also Wall-Climber (theGrimpereau des Muraillesof French authors), owes its name to its habit of climbing the walls of dwellings. Supporting-points are not found in their tails, as in the Woodpeckers. Grasping the tree with their claws, they assist their feet by a slight movement of the wings. They feed on insects, and lead a solitary life on the mountains, only descending into the plains with theearly frosts of winter. They are found diffused over all the South of Europe.

ThePicumnus(Climacteris picumnus, Temm.) have form and habits very similar to the Creeper, but the beak is stronger and more boldly curved. They are natives of Brazil and Guiana.

Fig. 209.—Furnarius (Furnarius, Lesson).

TheFurnarius(Furnarius figulus, Spix.) live singly or in pairs in the plains of Chili, Brazil, and Guiana. They feed principally on seeds, but also on insects. They take up their residence with much confidence in the neighbourhood of man. Their nests (Fig. 209) are remarkable for their construction, being in the form of an oven, whence their name. This structure it builds upon trees, on palisades, or on the window of a house. It is remarkable for its size as compared with its inhabitant, measuring not less than from twelve to fourteen inches in diameter; it is entirely formed of clay, and the interior is divided by a partition into two compartments, the outer and inner, the latter being that in which the female lays her eggs. The male and female alternately bring small balls of earth, out of which the edifice is constructed, and they labour so industriously that it is sometimes finished in two days. Some species construct their nests on trees, interlacing them with spiny branches, and providing one or many openings;that of theAnnumbiis fifteen inches in diameter by twenty inches in height.

TheSucriers(Cinnyridæ) are American birds, so called from their attachment to saccharine substances. They feed on honey they extract from flowers, and the sap from the sugar-cane, the juice of which they suck through crevices in the stem. Like the Humming-birds, they have the tongue divided into two parts, by which they are enabled to seize insects, which form a part of their food. They are small in size, and their plumage is brilliantly coloured. Among theCinnyridæwe find theGuits-guits, ingenious little creatures which construct a nest in the form of a horn, which is suspended from the flexible branches of a shrub: in order to protect their young from the attacks of earwigs, the opening is below.

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