RINGED KINGFISHER 139 



heard before. It was really not so much a new note as a different 

 manner of using the old familiar one, for their entire vocabulary con- 

 sists of a sound that to our ears is suggested by the syllable kleck^ 

 but they employ their single word in a great variety of ways to 

 express different meanings and emotions. A single loud kleck^ ut- 

 tered at measured intervals, punctuates their flight ; a softer, rapidly 

 repeated Meek is the signal that a bird wishes to relieve his mate on 

 the nest ; and now there were nestlings to guard they expressed their 

 anxiety by a very loud, rapid, mechanical klecking, continued with 

 momentary pauses so long as danger seemed to threaten. This 

 harsh, deafening rattle was uttered while the bird perched with the 

 bill open, the mandibles held motionless, and the tail vibrating 

 rapidly up and down. I never heard another bird make more noise 

 when its nestlings seemed to be in danger, nor give more evident 

 signs of distress, yet, in common with other birds which nest under- 

 ground, they never darted at me nor made any demonstration. They 

 merely perched in full sight and rattled interminably." 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Mexico, the Lesser Antilles, Central and South America ; 

 casual in the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas ; nonmigratory. 



The range of the ringed kingfisher extends north to Nayarit (Tres 

 Marias Islands and San Bias) ; Tamaulipas (Rio Cruz and Tampico) ; 

 Honduras (Toloa and Lancetilla) ; northern Colombia (Cartagena, 

 Sabanilla, and Santa Marta) ; northern Venezuela (Lake Valencia) ; 

 the Lesser Antilles (Goyave) ; British Guiana (Georgetown and 

 Blainnont) ; Surinam (Paramaribo) ; and northern Brazil (Santarem 

 and Capim River). East to Brazil (Capim River and Cantagalla) ; 

 Uruguay (Rio Negro) ; and Argentina (Villegas, Puerto Santa Elena, 

 and Tierra del Fuego). South to southern Argentina (Tierra del 

 Fuego) ; and southern Chile (Chonos Archipelago). West to Chile 

 (Chonos Archipelago and Chiloe Island) ; western Peru (Huachos 

 and Lima) ; western Ecuador (Tumbez, Bucay, Babahoyo, and 

 Vinces) ; western Colombia (Cali and Honda) ; Panama (San Miguel 

 and Alminante Bay) ; Costa Rica (Pozo Azul and Bolson) ; western 

 Guatemala (Rio Morja) ; Jalisco (Las Penas Island) ; and Nayarit 

 (Tres Marias Islands). 



Casual records. — The only United States record of this species is 

 a specimen in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia that 

 was collected on the American side of the Rio Grande, near Laredo, 

 Texas, on June 2, 1888. 



Egg dates. — Guatemala: March. 



Mexico : March 21 and 30. 



Peru : May 29. 



