VES. 
225 
brown, black in the centre, and a cobalt-blue line at its top; 
abdomen and outer tail feathers fawn-colour; quills with a 
broad patch of reddisb-brown; bill black; two central tail fea¬ 
thers double the length of the others. Seven inches long. In¬ 
habits Java. 
Genus 2 —ALCEDO.— Linnceus. 
Generic Character. —Bill long, straight, quadrangular, point¬ 
ed, sometimes, though rarely, depressed; edges of the mandi¬ 
bles sharp ; nostrils basal, lateral, oblique, and nearly closed by 
a naked membrane ; legs short ; tibia naked ; the exterior toe 
attached as far as the second joint, and the interior as far as the 
first joint of the intermediate toe. 
Alcedo ispida. — The Common Kingfisher. 
Plate LI I. fig. 1. 
Upper parts bluish-green; the head and back of the neck 
with transverse undulated bars of black; wing-coverts beauti¬ 
fully spotted with azure-blue, the back and rump being of the 
same colour, but darker; ear-coverts and abdomen orange, be¬ 
low the ear-coverts a patch of white; the throat white ; upper 
mandible dusky, under one and irides orange; legs and feet 
scarlet, nails black. Seven inches long. Inhabits Europe. 
Genus 3.—DACELO.— Leach. 
Generic Character. —Bill thick, strong, quadrangular, and 
conical; mouth with a wide gape, extending to the eyes; upper 
mandible longer than the under one, and notched towards its 
point, on each side; nostrils oblong, partly closed by a feathered 
membrane; tarsus shorter than the middle toe; the external toe 
attached as far as the third joint of the intermediate one, and the 
internal toe as far as the first joint; wings of medium length- 
Dacelo gigantea .— The Gigantic Dacf.lo. 
Plate LIV. fig. 2. 
Brown above, white beneath, with gray undulated bars on the 
abdomen; feathers of the head elongated; wing-coverts and 
rump green; tail with transverse black bars. Eighteen inches 
long. Inhabits New Holland. 
