28o KINGFISHER. 



— where, from its habit of congregating on the ice round any open 

 water, it is known by the name of ' Eisvogel ' — it is uncommon ; but 

 southward it is found in suitable locah'ties throughout Europe down 

 to the Mediterranean. It breeds near Gibraltar, and is said to do 

 so in Morocco and Algeria ; while it visits Egypt in winter, and 

 occurs in the Canaries and Madeira. Variations from the type are 

 noticed between Asia Minor and South-western Siberia, while those 

 from further south, as far as the Malay Archipelago, have been 

 called A. bengalensis ; but the differences are very trifling. 



For a nesting-place a hole in a bank is either bored or selected ; 

 generally near water, but sometimes in a dry sand-pit, and occasion- 

 ally in some crevice in a wall. It usually slopes upward from the 

 entrance, and at the end, upon the bare earth or upon a layer of 

 small fish bones, the roundish glossy-white eggs, 6-8 but sometimes 

 lo in number, are deposited : measurements '9 by 75 in. The 

 young are known to have been out of the nest by March nth, and 

 they have been found inside as late as July 24th, so that two 

 broods are produced in some seasons. The food consists of small 

 crustaceans, insects (such as dragon-flies and water-beetles), minnows, 

 sticklebacks, and the small fry of other fishes ; the quantity con- 

 sumed being extraordinary. In autumn the young are driven by 

 the parents from the nesting-place and become partially migratory. 

 The note is a shrill tit, tit, tit, somewhat like that of the Common 

 Sandpiper. The legends and superstitions relating to this bird are 

 too numerous for mention here. 



The adult male has the lower cheek-stripe, head and wings dark 

 greenish-blue, slightly mottled ; lores and ear-coverts chestnut ; back 

 cobalt-blue ; tail dark blue ; throat white ; under parts chestnut ; bill 

 black, orange at the base; feet reddish-brown. Length 7*5; wing 

 3 in. The female is slightly greener and duller; the young bird 

 further differs in having a wholly black bill. 



Two examples of the North-American Belted Kingfisher, Cer)>ie 

 alcyon, are, respectively, in the Museum of Science and Art, and in 

 Trinity College, Dublin. One of these is said to have been shot in 

 CO. Meath on October 26th 1845, and the other in co. Wicklow the 

 following November. This species has not been obtained in 

 Greenland, Iceland, or on the Continent of Europe ; and it seems 

 inexpedient to admit to the British list an American land-bird 

 which— even assuming the accuracy of the records— had probably 

 escaped from confinement. 



