138 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



strain or that the conditions of life there are easier for 

 dark birds. It only needs the disappearance of the dark 

 complexion anioni:; Indian specimens to establish the 

 Andaman Kingfisher as a species, whereas now it has 

 to rank as a variety only. 



The White-breasted Kingfisher breeds from March to 

 July and differs from other Kingfishers in occasionally 

 making a rough nest of moss. But the birds that do this 

 must be constructive geniuses of an uncommon kind 

 for the ordi]iary squalid burrow is good enough for most 

 of them. When courting they lift up their tails and 

 droop their wings, showing off the white patch. At this 

 time too they fly wildlv al^aut, uttering a peculiar 

 wailing cry, whereas in the ordinary way their flight is 

 direct, and announced in a most business-like way by an 

 abominably harsh cackle ; for this Kingfisher seems to 

 think that his movements are of importance in local 

 feathered society and always gives due warning when 

 he is making a change of quarters. 



THE HOOPOES. 



The Hoopoes are a small family of birds widely distri- 

 buted over the Old World. They are all very much 

 alike, having pale brown iilumaLic with the wings and 

 tail black-and-white, and thci!' hni'j thin bill and fan- 

 like cre.st will always distinguish them from other birds, 

 esi)ecially as the plumage does not difT<'r with age and 

 sex. The crest is ordinarily kept folded down and then 

 lo(>ks merely point rd. but when the bird is angry or 

 afraid or eouiling, or has ju.^t alighted, it is fully exi)anded 



