COMMON KINGFISHER. ga 
ALCEDO ISPIDA. 
COMMON KINGFISHER. 
(Prate 18.) 
Ispida ispida, Briss. Orn. iv. p. 471 (1760). 
Alcedo ispida, Zinn, Syst. Nat. i. p. 179 (1766); et auctorum plurimorum— 
Latham, Temminck, Naumann, Bonaparte, Newton, Dresser, &c. 
Alcedo hispida, Tunst. Orn. Brit. p. 2 (1771). 
Alcedo subispida, Brehm, Vig. Deutschl. p. 149 (1831). 
Alcedo advena, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 150 (1831). 
Alcedo pallasii, Reich. Handb, Alced. p. 3 (1851). 
Alcedo sindiana, Hume, Stray Feath. i. p. 169 (1873). 
The Kingfisher is a resident on the banks of most lakes, rivers, and 
brooks throughout the British Islands, except in the Outer Hebrides and 
the extreme north of Scotland. It is somewhat common in the Channel 
Islands ; but does not appear to have occurred on the Orkney or Shetland 
Tslands. 
The typical form of the Kingfisher has a comparatively restricted range, 
being confined to the southern half of the Western Palearctic Region, where 
it varies in length of wing from 3:2 to 2:95 inch. In birds from Egypt, 
Palestine, Asia Minor, Persia, Scind, Turkestan, and South-west Siberia the 
wing only measures from 3:0 to 2°8 inch, and they have received the name 
of Alcedo pallasii; whilst in those from South-east Siberia, India, China, 
Japan, and the Malay Archipelago the wing measures only from 2°95 to 
2°65 inch, a form which has received the name of A. bengalensis. The 
typical form only occurs accidentally north of the Baltic, and has not been 
known to breed regularly further north in any part of Europe than lat. 55°. 
It is a resident on the Canaries and Madeira; and Loche says that it breeds 
in Algeria and Morocco. In Egypt it is principally known as a winter 
visitor. It is a resident throughout South Kurope. 
Like most birds of brilliant plumage, the Kingfisher prefers a quiet and 
secluded haunt. It loves the little trout-streams with wooded and preci- 
pitous banks, the still ponds and small lakes, ornamental waters in parks, 
where it is not molested, and the sides of sluggish rivers, drains, and mill- 
ponds. It does not always frequent wooded districts ; if there is plenty of 
underwood, stunted bushes, and brambles on the banks of a stream it is 
quite content; yet at other times it takes up its quarters on the banks of 
a stream in-a wooded dell where the tall trees meet overhead, and its 
brilliant plumage flashes in the gloom. Here, in such a haunt, the bird 
often flits past like an indistinct gleam of bluish light; or the orni- 
