XXX 
THE KINGFISHER FAMILY 
(Alcedinide) * 
Most of the Kingfisher family belong to the 
tropics, but we have one who is found all over 
the United States. This is the BELTED Krnc- 
FISHER. 
The belted kingfisher is large and rather 
chunky. He is dark blue above and white be- 
low, with a bluish band across the breast. He 
has a fine crest and a big head, and he sits up 
straight as a hawk. 
The tail of the kingfisher is short, and square 
at the end. His plumage is thick and oily, so 
that it does not hold wet. This is very impor- 
tant to him in the way he gets his food, for he 
is an expert fisherman. He lives alone, or with 
his mate, near the water, — a lake, or pond, or 
small stream. 
This bird’s way of getting fish is to dive for 
them. You may have seen him splash into the 
1 See Appendix, 23. 
