136 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 
and it is only in the breeding-season that one sees even 
a pair together. Their plumage is usually very showy, 
the cock and hen being nearly or quite alike ; the young 
also have nearly the same plumage from the first. They 
are hatched naked, and when fledging are most curious 
little objects, covered with spine-like pin-feathers, and 
with a remarkable power of running backwards, which 
must be useful to them in their underground tunnel at 
home. <A Kingfisher’s nest is always in a very filthy 
state, and there is no bedding except the fish-bones, etc., 
cast up in quids after the flesh has been digested by 
the birds. 
Young Kingfishers are easily reared on fish, and may 
be trained to eat raw meat; but these birds cannot be 
called desirable pets, and are better left at large. The 
beautiful little Kingfisher of Europe (Alcedo ispida) is 
very common in India, as also is the pretty black-and- 
white Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle varia) ; but only one of the 
family can be called a garden-bird.. Kingfishers generally 
are called Kilkila in Hindustani, and Machranga in 
Bengali. 
THE WHITE-BREASTED KINGFISHER (Halcyon smyrn- 
ensis) is a very showy bird about as big as a House- 
Mynah, with avery big head and bill and fairly long 
tail. Its plumage isa most brilliant blue above and 
rich bay on the head and below, but the throat and 
breast are pure white, and there is a pure white patch 
on the pinion-quills. The bill and feet are scarlet, so 
that the whole effect is very brilliant indeed. The cock 
and hen are exactly alike, but young birds have the bill 
