136 (JARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



the cock and lieu being nearly or quite alike ; the young 

 also have nearly the same plumage from the first. 

 They are hatched naked, and when Hedging are most 

 ruiious little objects, covered with spine-like pin-feathers, 

 and with a remarkable power of running backwards, 

 which nnist be useful to them in theii' undergTound 

 tumu'l at home. .V Kingfisher's nest is always in a 

 very lilthy state, and there is no bedding except the 

 fish bones, etc., cast up in (juids after tlie flesh has been 

 digested by the birds. 



Young Kingfishers are easily reared on lish. and 

 may be trained to eat law meat ; but these birds camu)t 

 be called desirable pets and are better left at large. 

 The beautiful little Kingfisher of Euiope {Alccdo ispicki) 

 is \ery conunoii in India, as also is the pretty black- 

 and-white Pied KiuLifishei- {('cri/Jc nind) : but only 

 one of the family can be called a garden-bird. Kinu- 

 lishers generally are called Kilkila in Hindustani, and 

 M<ichrnn(ja in Bengali. 



TlIK Will IK-HRKASTKI) K I \( ; FISH KK {fl(llcf/(»l .iUi i/mousus) 



is a very showy bird about as big as a llouse-Mynah, 

 with a very big head ami bill and fairly long tail. 

 Its plumage is a most biilliant blue alx^ve and rich 

 bav oi\ the head and below, but the throat and 

 breast are ))ure white, and there is }i pure white patch 

 on the [)inion-(piilN. The. bill and feet are scarlet, so 

 that the whole elVect is very biillianl indeed. The 

 ruck and lim are exact Iv alike, but young binls have t he hill 

 ai\d le,et neaiK' Maelc. aTul ^ome dark' fi'inu'es on the 

 white breast. 



