294 SYNDACTYL.E. 



some poor minnow that happens to come into their 

 vicinity. 



The type of this sub -family is — 



The Common Kingfisher (Alcedo Ispida), the only 

 European I'cpresentative of the group. It is one of the 

 most beautiful of our British birds, and its appearance 

 as it dashes along in the sunsliine is extremely brilliant. 

 It is an inhabitant of all parts of Europe except the 

 extreme north, and is also widely spread over Asia and 

 Africa. This species is always found in the vicinity of 

 water, over which it may be seen shooting along like a 

 little meteor. Its food consists not only of small fishes, 

 but also of acpiatic insects and leeches. 



The appetite of the Kingfisher is voracious, and his 

 manners shy and retiring ; dwelling near lonely and seques- 

 tered brooks and rivers, he sits for hours together, motion- 

 less and solitary, on some bough overhanging the stream, 

 jijatiently watching the motion of the smaller fishes which 

 constitute his food, waiting for a fitvourable moment to 

 dart with the velocity of an arrow upon the first that 

 comes near enough to the surface, and seldom failing in 

 his aim. He then returns to his former station on some 

 large stone or branch, where he kills his captive by shift- 

 ing its position in his bill, so as to grasp it firmly near 

 the tail, and striking its head smartly against the object 

 on which he rests ; he then revei-ses its position and 

 swallows it, head foremost : the indigestible parts are 

 afterwards ejected in a manner analogous to that of Owls 

 and other birds of prey. The Kingfisher, however, does 

 not confine himself to this mode of watching in motion- 

 less solitude ; but should the stream be broad, or no 

 favourable station for espionage present itself, he may be 

 seen poising himself over it at an altitude of ten or fitteen 

 feet, scrutinizing the element below for his food, and 

 phuiging upon it with a velocity which often carries him 

 considerably below the surface. For these habits his 

 muscular wedge-shaped body, increasing gradually from a 

 long pointed bill, and his sleek plumage, which, while it 

 passes freely through the water, is impervious to wet, 

 seem expressly to adapt him ; and his wings are short 

 but powerful : hence his flight is smooth, even, and ex- 

 ceedingly ra})id. Silent, except during the pairing and 



