HALCYONIDE. 273 
the primary and secondary quill-feathers verditer- 
blue at the base, the rest dark bluish black; chin 
greyish white; throat verditer; all the under surface 
of the body and the under wing-coverts pale bluish 
green; under surface of primaries and secondaries 
rich Berlin-blue for two-thirds of their length, then 
tipped with greyish blue; the outer elongated tail- 
feather on each side almost wholly blue, but tipped 
with dark blue; these longer outside tail-feathers 
distinguish the male bird; the legs and toes yellow- 
ish brown; the claws black.” Any one comparing 
this description with the painted picture in Meyer's 
smaller edition of ‘British Birds’ would hardly 
imagine they could be meant for the same bird. 
Yarrell says that the egg of this bird is white, and 
resembles that of the Kingfisher in everything but 
size. 
Family Haucyonip2. 
KINGFISHER, Alcedo ispida. ‘There are now two 
species of Kingfisher included in the list of British 
Birds. The present species, the brightest and most 
beautiful of all our commoner British birds Gt may 
may perhaps be equalled, if not excelled, by some of 
our rarer summer visitors) is still tolerably plentiful 
near all our streams and rivers, though it has 
suffered considerable persecution and had its num- 
bers much diminished by the mania of young ladies 
