FAiL A'A'i//. KINGFISHERS 179 



Length, 12.^ ; wing, 6 (5i-6i); tail, 41; culmen, If. Nortli America 

 from the Plains eastward, breeding throughout and wintering mainly south 

 of the Middle States. 



ORDER IV. CUCKOOS, KINGFISHERS, ETC. 

 (COCCYGES) 



An order of tropical, Old World birds containing families 

 differing widely in their characteristics, and classified together 

 in one miscellaneous group only because they belong under no 

 other order, and it would be inconvenient to classify each 

 family by itself. We have representatives belonging to three 

 of these families. 



FAMILY XXIIL KINGFISHERS (ALCEDINID^) 



A large family (nearly 200 species, mainly Malayan) of 

 chiefly tropical birds. The American species are solitary and 

 exclusively fish-eating birds, found only near the water. A few 

 Old World species feed upon insects, snails, etc., and live in 

 the forests, though most of them have the habits of our forms. 

 They are heavy-straight-billed, large-headed, bright-colored 

 birds, with small feet and short tails. 



Key to the Species 



* Wing, 5-7 long ; culmen about 2 1. Belted Kingfisher. 



* Wing, 3-4 long ; culmen less tlian 2 2. Texas Kingfisher. 



* Wing over 7 long ; culmen over 3. Ringed Kingfisher (390-1. Ceryle 



torquata). A Mexican species casually found in southern Texas. 



1. Belted Kingfisher (390. Ceryle dkyon). — A noisy, short- 

 tailed, large-straight-billed, crested, blue-backed bird, with 

 white lower parts and bluish band across the breast. The 

 wing quills and tail feathers are black, more or less blotched 

 and barred with white. The female is similar, but has a brown 

 band across the belly. A common inhabitant of the wooded 

 shores of streams and lakes, where its harsh, rattling cry can 



