210 BIRDS OF BERMUDA. 



house, where it was busily employed eutering the large white bell- 

 shaped flowers of the giant Stramonium, its tail only at times being 

 visible. Another was seen about the same time, and within about 2 

 miles of the same place, by a Miss Watson, in her brother's garden." 

 Referring to the above, Mr. Hurdis says : " My endeavors to ascertain 

 the truth of the tradition alluded to by Colonel Wedderburn ended in 

 disappointment. The bird seen by Mr. Darrell was described to me as 

 greenish in color, with the tail — the only part visible at times — tipped 

 with white. I need not observe that this characteristic appertains to the 

 female." 1 was, therefore, much j)leased to establish its occurrence be- 

 yond a doubt, when going through Mr. Bartram's collection with him. 

 He has a genuine female specimen, shot with powdered rice by himself 

 close to his house, his attention having been called to the diminutive 

 stranger by one of his laborers, who thought it was a large moth. Two 

 others were seen at the same time, but not obtained. How these little 

 birds got to Bermuda is a marvel. They have powerful wings for 

 their size, calculated to keep u]) that humming vibratory motion neces- 

 sary for their mode of feeding ; but one would think that such a long 

 flight across the sea would induce weariness in so small a frame, and 

 leave them at the mercy of the winds and waves. 



Family ALCEDINID^. 

 Genus Ceryle, Boie. 

 66. Ceryle alcyon, (Linn.) Boie. Belted Kingfisher. 



Alcedo alcyon, Liuu., Gm., Lath., Vieil., WiLs., Bp., Sw. & Rich., Aiid.,Nutt., 



Gil'., Maxim., Trippe. 

 Ceryle alcyon, Boie., Bp., Gray, aud authors generally. 

 Ispida alcyon, Sw. 

 Megaceryh alcyon, Reich. 

 Chlorosceryle alcyon, Sol. 

 Alcedo ludoviciana, Gm. 



Length of adult, 12.75 ; wing, 6.00. 



Hab. — Over the waters of all jSorth and INIiddle America and many of 

 the West Indian Islands ; resident or imj)erfectly migratory, being in 

 the north forced away by the freezing of the waters; accidental in Ire- 

 land. (Coues.) 



"These birds arrive regularly about the middle of September, aud are 

 to be found in all the mangrove swamps, creeks, and ponds in the islands. 

 Many remain during the winter, but they all disappear about the middle 

 of April" (Nat. in B., p. 33). I have seen these birds as late as the 26th 



