682 ALCEDO ISPIDA. 



been selected, generally contains large quantities of fish bones, 

 which are castings. They lie scattered irregularly, and can 

 scarcely be called the nest, although the bird deposits her eggs 

 upon them, and the young are reared in the same situation. 

 Rennie makes the Kingfisher a miner ; but I have never seen 

 it digging. The nesting-places which I have inspected had no 

 hollow scooped out for the fish bones, or castings, but the bones 

 were strewn without any order, from the mouth of the hole to 

 the place where the eggs or young were. The Kingfishers 

 will use the same holes from year to year ; and this even if 

 their nests have been plundered. Last year, we had one near 

 the town, but from the frequent floods which happened in June, 

 the young never came abroad. I have seen both birds enter- 

 ing their breeding places in May and June, and therefore I 

 think that the male may assist in feeding the female during 

 the process of incubation, and the young also while they are 

 helpless, and before they come abroad." 



Young. — According to M. Temminck, "the young have the 

 upper parts of a very deep bluish-green ; the lower parts of a 

 yellowish-red ; the bill black ; the iris of a very dark brown ; 

 the feet flesh-colour, shaded with blackish." 



