670 ALCEDO. KINGFISHER. 



flattened ; its scales indistinct. Toes short and very slender ; 

 the hind toe proportionally small, beneath broad and flattened ; 

 the anterior toes parallel, the inner shorter, and free beyond the 

 second joint ; the third not much longer than the fourth, with 

 which it is united to half its length ; the scales indistinct. 

 Claws arched, compressed, acute, laterally grooved, the hind 

 claw not so large as the rest, the middle claw with a slightly 

 dilated thin inner edge, the sharp margins of the anterior claws 

 running, in our species, into the point, so as not to leave notches, 

 which, however, is the case in many. 



Plumage generally soft and blended, but varying in texture ; 

 the feathers oblong, with the barbs separated ; those of the hind 

 head generally, and of the rump often, elongated. Wings rather 

 short, very broad, concave, rounded ; the quills twenty-five ; 

 the primaries not much longer than the secondaries ; the first 

 quill extremely small, the second considerably shorter than the 

 third, which is about the same length as the fourth ; the other 

 primaries diminish slowly ; the secondaries of moderate breadth, 

 and rounded. The tail short, rounded, of twelve moderately 

 broad, soft, rounded feathers. 



The Kingfishers, as above characterized, are extensively dis- 

 tributed over the old continent, the Indian islands, and Aus- 

 tralia. They feed on small fishes and insects, which they 

 procure by darting upon them from an elevated place. They 

 generally nestle in holes, feed their young with fish, and are 

 of solitary habits. Only a single species occurs in Britain. 



