454 THE BELTED KINGFISHER. 



average in measurement 1.60X.99 inches. A week often elapses between 

 the laying of the first and the last egg. 



Upon one occasion I noticed a most interesting trait in these birds, 

 which I never observed in any other species. While standing in an open 

 woodland listening to a pair of Cuckoos calling to each other, I saw. the 

 male suddenly fly past with a large green worm in his bill. He flew directly 

 to the female, who was perched in a tree a few yards distant, and for a 

 moment or two they sat motionless a few inches apart looking at each other. 

 The male then hovered lightly over his mate and, settling gently upon her 

 shoulders, gracefully bent over and placed the worm in her bill. It was a 

 pretty and daintily performed piece of love-making. 



J. H. Bowles. 



No. 181. 



/ BELTED KINGFISHER. 



A. O. U. No. 390. Ceryle alcyon (Linn.). 



Synonym. — Commonly called plain Kingfisher. 



Description. — Adult male: Above, bright bluish gray, feathers with blackish 

 shafts or shaft-lines; loosely crested; edge of wing white; primaries dusky, white- 

 spotted on outer web, narrowly white-tipped, broadly white on inner web ; coverts 

 often delicately tipped or touched with white ; tail bluish gray above, the central 

 feathers with herring-bone pattern of dusky ; remaining feathers only blue-edged, 

 dusky, finely and incompletely barred with white ; lower eyelid white, and a white 

 spot in front of eye; throat and sides of neck, nearly meeting behind, pure white; 

 a broad band of bluish gray across the breast ; remaining underparts white, sides 

 under wing, and flanks, heavily shaded with blue-gray ; bill black, pale at base 

 below; feet dark. Adult female: Similar, but with a chestnut band across lower 

 breast, and with heavy shading of the same color on sides. Immature: Like 

 adults, except that the plumbeous band of breast is heavily mixed with rusty 

 (suggesting chestnut of female). Length 12.00-14.00 (304.8-355.6) ; wing 6.21 

 (157.7) ; tail 3.84 (97.5) ; bill from nostril 1.69 (42.9). 



Recognition Marks. — "Kingfisher" size; blue-gray and white coloration; 

 piscatorial habits ; rattling cry. 



Nesting. — Nest: at end of tunnel in bank, four to six feet in, unlined. Eggs, 

 6-8, pure white. Av. size, 1.31x1.04 (33.3x26.4). Season: May; one brood. 



General Range. — North America from the Arctic Ocean south to Panama 

 and the West Indies. Breeds from the southern border of the United States 

 northward. 



Range in Washington. — Summer resident, chiefly at lower levels ; partially 

 resident west of the Cascades, and casually resident on the East-side. 



Authorities. — [Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Biddle: Coues. Vol. 

 II., p. 189.] Ceryle alcyon, Boie, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX., 1858, p. 158. 

 T. C&S. L 1 . D'. Sr. Kb." Ra. D 2 . Ss". Ss 2 . Kk. J. B. E. 



Specimens.— U. of W. P. Prov. B. BN. E. 





