ALCEDO ISPIDA. 



FAMILY. SYNDACTYLI. GENUS. ALCEDO. 



THE KINGFISHER. 



By Robert Mudie. 



Generic Characters. — Bill long, straight, angular in the section, thick at 

 the base, rarely depressed, trenchant in the tomia, and pointed at the tip. . Nos- 

 trils basal, lateral, pierced obliquely, and nearly closed by a naked membrane. 

 Feet short, placed far backward, tarsi rather stout and rounded, a portion of the 

 tibiae bare of feathers. Four toes, the hind one enlarged at its base, the external 

 and middle front ones of equal length, and united as far as the second joint, the 

 inner shorter, and united to the first joint. Tail very short and rounded. Wings 

 of mean length, rather broad, hollow, and rounded, the third quill being the 

 longest. 



The species of Alcedo are rather numerous, and there are some differences in 

 the form of the bill and the structure of the feet. Some have an enlargement on 

 the middle part of the lower mandible ; others have the bill a little curved, and are 

 less aquatic in their habits than the others. These last have the toes united to 

 the third and second joints, and the inner one little more than rudimental. The 

 greater number of the genus are found only in tropical and other warm countries, 

 but there is one which inhabits Europe as well as Asia and Africa. That one is 



The Common Kingfisher (Alcedo ispidaj, of which we have annexed a 

 figure, drawn and coloured after nature, in that attitude which the bird assumes 

 when it has captured a small fish, which it can swallow entire without quitting the 

 wing. This figure will give a notion of the shape and colours of the bird, and 

 thus spare us the tediousness of verbal description ; and both the form and the 

 colours are so unique that, once known, the Kingfisher is never forgotten. 



The Kingfisher is a resident British bird, and pretty widely dispersed over 

 those parts which are suited to its habits ; but it is no where very abundant, and 

 it is rarely seen in proportion to its actual numbers. Its haunts are the rich and 

 shaded banks of streams and rivulets, being seldom seen where the ground is open 

 and bare, and never running on the sand-banks or beaches. The foot is not adapted 

 for walking on the ground, both on account of the backward articulation and of 

 the peculiar structure of the toes. This is the case with all syndactylic feet : they 

 amount, in fact, to little more than, a foot of two toes, one to the front and the 

 vol. i. 2c 



