File:The royal natural history (1893) (14761772636).jpg

Identifier: royalnaturalhist47lyde (find matches)
Title: The royal natural history
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Lydekker, Richard, 1849-1915 Sclater, Philip Lutley, 1829-1913 Frostick, W. B., former owner. DSI Brooks, W. T., former owner. DSI
Subjects: Zoology Natural history
Publisher: London and New York : Frederick Warne & Co.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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r sandy beds may be traced for miles inland.One gully, in particular, where most of my observations on the habits of the todieshave been made, has a wide and tortuous course, and banks that vary in placesfrom low, weed - covered mounds to precipitous cliffs of clay, between ten andtwenty feet in height. In their choice of a situation for nesting, the birds aresomewhat particular, preference being given to low, overhanging, weed-coveredbanks, where the soil is light and friable. The tunnels are rarely, if ever, in TODIES. 49 high situations, but, on the contrary, may frequently be found at the sides ofthe shallow ditches and hollows that are connnonly formed in soft soil duringheavy rains. I have often surprised the todies at work. In beginning a tunnel,they cling in an awkward manner to the face of the clitf or bank, flutteringtheir wings frequently, as if for support. So far as I have been able to observe, indigging they appear to employ the beak only, and I once took a tody that had
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JAMAICA TODY (nat. size). almost the entire half or side of the upper mandible worn away: this, however,was during a period of drought, when all vegetation was burnt and shrivelled,and the eartli haid and unyielding. In most cases the whole work of excavationwould seem to be performed by the birds, yoi I have noticed (in the gullies at least)that those portions of the banks usually selected for nesting are nearly alwaysriddled with lioles and cavities of diflerent depths. Wliether the birds ever takepossession of one of these, or enlarge others to suit their needs, I have not dis-covered ; but such a proceeding would seem highly probable in view of tlie labour VOL. IV.—4 50- PICARIAN BIRDS. which the work of excavation frequently entails. When digging into some of theseholes in a search for the true nest of a tody, I often find them in the occupation ofstrange tenants, such as field-mice, lizards, and spiders. The latter, black, repulsive-looking objects, are of common occurrence, e

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