RINGED KINGFISHER 131 



of the United States, along with several other tropical birds which 

 occasionally reach the Rio Grande valley." 



Col. A. J. Grayson, in his notes from western Mexico, sent to 

 George N. Lawrence (1874), says: 



I have seen the largest kingfisher only near the sea coast, in the vicinity of 

 Mazatlan River, but not on that stream. They seem, to prefer the stagnant 

 pools and lagoons, whose waters are murky and densely shaded with over- 

 hanging trees ; here upon some dried branch it sits quietly watching the opaque 

 water for whatever finny creature may make its appearance upon the surface, 

 when if not too large, it instantly darts or plunges headlong upon it ; after 

 securing the prey in its powerful bill, it bears it to the perch, and beating it a 

 few times upon the perch swallows it entire. Small fishes constitute almost its 

 principal food, but frogs and small water reptiles are often struck and devoured 

 by it. This species does not seem to be so wary as its near congener, the 

 Belted. I have approached it quite near, in order to observe its habits, and 

 it appeared to be very little concerned at my presence. In examining the 

 stomach of one shot by me, I found it crammed with the small fry peculiar 

 to muddy pools, among which was a mud catfish of considerable size. It 

 doubtless breeds in holes scratched in sand cliffs, like the other members of 

 this family, but I have never encountered the nest. 



Dickey and van Rossem (1938) say that in El Salvador — 



the ringed kingfisher is of general distribution along the coast where it shows 

 decided preference for mangrove lagoons. Locally, the species is almost equally 

 common on fresh water wherever there is a plentiful supply of small fish. 

 It is notable, though, that the species attains its upward limit at Lake Guija 

 at 1,450 feet, and seems to be absent from the higher lakes such as Ilopango. 

 It is customarily solitary, although local conditions such as a very favorable 

 stream may result in a number being found at one point. A great deal of ter- 

 ritory may be covered by individual birds, for they seem to have regular routes 

 along lake borders and rivers with lookout perches at intervals of every few 

 hundred yards. In activity this species is far ahead of any of the other resident 

 kingfishers and evidently prefers to range widely for its prey rather than to 

 stake out a limited, private preserve. 



Alexander F. Skutch tells me that in the Caribbean lowlands of 

 Guatemala and Honduras they are partial to the larger, more open 

 streams and lagoons, and avoid the narrow, tree-shaded waterways 

 that the smaller species of kingfisher sometimes frequent. 



Nesting.— Major Bendire (1895) quotes Dr. Herman Burmeister 

 (1856) as saying that "it nests in perpendicular banks, occasionally 

 quite a distance from water, in burrows from 5 to 6 feet deep, and 

 lays two white eggs." 



There are two sets of eggs, one of five and one of six eggs, in the 

 Thayer collection, taken for Frank B. Armstrong, on March 21 and 

 30, 1910, near Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. One of the 

 nests is described as a hole in the bank of a river, 8 feet deep and 10 

 feet above water. 



Dickey and van Rossem (1938) state that "at San Sebastian in late 

 July, 1912, nest holes were occasionally noted in vertical sandy 



