Page:Bird-lore Vol 07.djvu/187

 The Motmots of our Mexican Camp By C. WILLIAM BEEBE Curator of Ornithologfy, New York Zoological Park With photographs by the author NEXT to actually discovering a new and interesting fact of natural history, comes the pleasure of verifying one of which we have read ; and our first meeting with the Mexican Motmot {Momotus mexi- canus), and the observing of his peculiar habits, brought as sincere a thrill of delight as if we had been the first to report them. It was a sultry day in late January in the mountains of west -central Mexico when we first saw a live Motmot. Our camp was pitched near a grove of magnificent wild fig trees bordering a stream in one of the great gorges or barrancas which radiate from the majestic sister peaks ever loom- ing over us, — one dead and hoary with snow, the other vital with earth - fire, pouring forth smoke and ashes. Following the wise custom of most of the creatures of this tierra caliente, we were taking a midday siesta in the shade of a flowering acacia. A Black -throated Gray and a Pileolated Warbler were feeding fearlessly within a few feet, snatching tiny insects from the sweet -pea-like blossoms. Every green and golden feather on the body of the little Pileolated was unruffled, and his tiny monk's cap shone in the sunlight like burnished jet. My glance slipped past him and there, sitting motionless, was a Motmot. I had often wondered when I saw mounted specimens in museums with what special immunity from danger these birds are blessed; their beautiful coloring would seem to be such a startling advertisement of their where- abouts. But in reality the very diversity in tint is their protection, and they merge perfectly into the green foliage and bright sunlit spots. One's first impression of a Motmot, as seen at a distance, is of a large-headed, brown and greenish bird, with a broad bar of black on the head; but we were fortunate enough to be able to study one of these birds in our very camp. A slightly injured bird soon recovered, and remained about the camp for more than a week, retaining its full liberty, feeding upon scraps of meat or