126 BULLETIN 17 6, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



There, Mr. Forbusli (1927) says, "they go into winter quarters in 

 December, especially about river mouths where at that time the little 

 frost-fish come in, and there they remain, unless extreme cold locks 

 rivers and shores in ice." 



They are occasionally seen in winter in the northern tier of States. 

 Dr. L. H. Walkinshaw writes to me from Battle Creek, Mich. : "Along 

 open stretches of water, a few kingfishers can be found during the 

 entire winter. I have several dates for southern Michigan for De- 

 cember, January and February. I have watched them on zero, or 

 near zero, days dive from some dead branch after minnows in the 

 open stream." 



Mr. Skinner says in his notes from Yellowstone Park : "Ordinarily 

 this is a migratory bird, but here a few remain all winter along the 

 streams kept open by hot water. During cold winds and storms, 

 they are often seen in the most protected places, but with feathers 

 all fluffed out. The winter birds noticed have been males, the fe- 

 males not appearing until March IT. In winter, I believe they roost 

 in the tops of the thick cedars in the Gardiner Canyon, but I have 

 no data about the other localities." 



Most of the kingfishers migrate to the more southern States during 

 the late fall, where they find open water and plenty of fish. There 

 they establish regular fishing stations and live their solitary lives, 

 each in its own territory. We often saw one in Florida perched 

 day after day in practically the same spot, presumably the same 

 bird in each case. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — North America south to northern South America; acci- 

 dental in the Azores, Ireland, and the Netherlands. 



Breeding range. — The breeding range of the belted kingfisher ex- 

 tends north to central Alaska (Kowak River, Fairbanks, and prob- 

 ably Fort Yukon) ; Mackenzie (Fort McPherson, Fort Wrigley, Fort 

 Providence, and Fort Smith) ; central Saskatchewan (Knee Lake and 

 Pelican Lake) ; central Manitoba (Oxford Lake) ; Ontario (Rossport 

 and North Abitibi River) ; Quebec (Lake Mistassini, Godbout, and 

 Romaine River); and east-central Labrador (Grand Falls). From 

 this northeastern station the range extends southward through New- 

 foundland and along the coasts of Nova Scotia and the Eastern 

 United States to central Florida (Micanopy and Clearwater) . South 

 to Florida (Clearwater, probably St. Marks, and Chipley) ; southern 

 Louisiana (Bird Island and Bayou Sara) ; Texas (Giddings, Corpus 

 Christi, Kerrville, and Pecos) ; southern New Mexico (Carlsbad and 

 Chloride) ; and southern California (Escondido). The western limits 

 extend northward through California, Oregon, Washington, and 



