270 KINGFISHER. 



southward we find it in suitable localities throughout Europe down 

 to the Mediterranean. It occurs in the Canaries and Madeira; in 

 Morocco and Algeria it is said to breed ; and it inhabits Egypt 

 during the winter. Further east, variations from the type are noticed : 

 examples from between Asia Minor and South-western Siberia have 

 been named A. pallasi, while those from further south, as far as the 

 Malay Archipelago, have been called A. bengalensis \ but the differ- 

 ences are very trifling. 



For the nesting-place a hole in a bank is either bored or selected ; 

 generally near water, but sometimes in a dry sand-pit, and occasion- 

 ally in some crevice in a wall. It usually slopes upward from the 

 entrance, and at the end, upon the bare earth or upon a layer of 

 small fish bones, the roundish glossy-white eggs, 6-8 but sometimes 

 10 in number, are deposited : average measurements "9 by 75 in. 

 The young are known to have been out of the nest by March nth, 

 and they have been found inside as late as July 24th, so that two 

 broods are probably produced in some seasons. The food consists 

 of small crustaceans, insects such as dragon-flies and water-beetles, 

 minnows, sticklebacks, and the small fry of other fishes ; the 

 quantity consumed being extraordinary. In autumn the young are 

 driven by the parents from the nesting-place and become partially 

 migratory. The note is a shrill tit, tit, tit, somewhat like that of the 

 Common Sandpiper. The legends and superstitions relating to this 

 bird are too numerous for mention here. 



The adult male has the moustache, head and wings dark greenish- 

 blue, slightly mottled ; lores and ear-coverts chestnut ; back azure- 

 blue; tail dark blue; throat white; under parts chestnut ; bill black, 

 orange at the base; feet reddish-brown. Length 7*5 ; wing 3 in. 

 The female is slightly greener and duller ; the young bird further 

 diff"ers in having a wholly black bill. 



Two examples of the North-American Belted Kingfisher, Ccryle 

 alcyoJK are, respectively, in the Museum of Science and Art, and in 

 Trinity College, Dublin. One of these is said to have been shot in 

 CO. Meath on October 26th 1845, and the other in co. Wicklow the 

 following November. No other instance of the occurrence of 

 this species in Europe is known, nor has it been obtained in Green- 

 land or Iceland ; it seems, therefore, inexpedient to admit to the 

 British list an American bird which — assuming the accuracy of the 

 records — had probably escaped from confinement. 



