BELTED KINGFISHER. 19 
This species is by some thought good eating, and is 
accordingly exposed for sale in the markets. 
Two of these birds have been killed in an evidently wild 
condition, in Ireland, so that, acting on the principles ex- 
pressed in the introduction to this work, I unhesitatingly 
give the present species a place in the ‘British Birds.’ One 
was shot at Annesbrook, in the county of Meath, on the 
20th. of October, 1845, by Frederick A. Smith, Esq.; and 
another on a stream connecting the Lake of Luggela with 
Lough Dan, by the gamekeeper of — Latouche, Esq., of 
Luggela, within the same month. 
It migrates to the south in the winter, and returns to 
the north in the summer to breed. 
The flight of this bird resembles that of its kinsman of 
the old world. It courses along the windings of the brook 
or river, sometimes suspending itself over its prey, and at 
other times settling on a branch to reconnoitre. 
The note is loud, harsh, and sudden, and is described as 
resembling the sound produced by the twirling of a watchman’s 
rattle. 
The nest, composed of a few feathers, and a little grass, 
is placed in a hole in the steep bank of a river, the excavation 
of the bird itself by means of its bill and claws, to the depth 
of one or two feet. The same situation is tenaciously re- 
visited from year to year. 
The eggs are five in number, and the bird has been known 
to go on laying, some of them having been from time to 
time removed, to the number of eighteen. The female sits in 
April. There seems to be two broods; of which the first 
is hatched the end of May, or beginning of June. 
Male; length, twelve inches and a half; bill, black horn- 
colour at the tip, and at the base of the lower part; iris, 
yellow; before it is a small white dot, and an elongated one 
beneath it; a crest of elongated feathers surmounts the head; 
the shafts black, as are those of the feathers of all the 
plumage except the white parts. The neck is surrounded by 
a collar of white; breast, white, variegated with the blue 
colour at the sides; on the upper part of the breast is a 
blue band, interspersed with some light brown feathers, and 
its edges are jagged, especially on the lower side, and most 
so in the middle; back, light bluish slate-colour. The wings 
expand to the width of one foot eight inches; greater and 
lesser wing coverts, slate blue, spotted with white; primaries, 
