IIALCVONES— ALCEDIMD.i: 155 



ALCEDINID^. 



Cliaracters those of the Order. 



Alcedo. 



Bill compressed sideways; tail short; plumage brilliant: 

 food, fish and aquatic insects, caught by plunging from 

 a perch on bank of river or lake, or from a hovering 

 position. 



Alcedo atthis atthis L. ("Alcedo ispida pallida" of 

 authors.) 



(^ 9 Crown, nape, and wing coverts dull green, barred or 

 spotted blue ; back, rump, and upper tail coverts brilliant blue, 

 scapulars greener ; lores, ear coverts, and underparts reddish 

 chestnut ; throat and spots on neck white. Bill black, reddish 

 at base below. Legs and feet coral red. Wing 71-79 (H.). 

 Young have some blue grey feathers on breast. 



Resident. — N. Africa (Morocco to Egypt) and Syria. 



A. atthis ispida L. Kingfisher. F?'. Martin pccheur ; Ger. 

 Gemeiner Eisvogel ; Itai. Piombina ; Swed. Kungsfiskare. 



(^ 9 Like "atthis" but bill stouter, underparts generally 

 darker and young have generally more and also bluer grey 

 feathers on breast. Wing 74-79. Tarsus 9-10. Bill 33-40. 



Breeds. — British Isles, Europe from S. Scandinavia and about 

 55" in Russia (rare Denmark and Baltic Provinces) to Mediter- 

 ranean, Cyprus, Sicily. Chiefly resident. Occurs Corsica and 

 Sardinia in winter. Rare visitor Madeira. 



A. atthis pallasi Reichenbach. Smaller. Wing 70-75 (H.). 

 Bill shorter than in "ispida." Doubtfully separable from typical 

 form. 



Breeds. — Caucasus, Volga and Ural Rivers and in W. 

 Siberia ; probably also Asia Minor. 



Ceryle. 

 Plumage l)lack and white ; bill straight, compressed 

 sideways ; head crested. 



