212 HALCYONID.E, 



In form tlie Kingfisher is bulky, and licavy for its size and 

 length, reminding the observer of the powerful body and 

 short wings of the Dipper. The beak is about one inch and 

 a half long from its point to the feathers on the forehead, and 

 two inches long from the point to the angle formed by the 

 gape ; both mandibles black, except the base of the lower 

 one, which is orange ; the irides red ; lore and ear-coverts 

 reddish brown ; behind the ear-coverts on the lower part of 

 the side of the neck, an elongated white patch ; from the 

 lower mandible a green stripe passes under the eye, extending 

 below the ear-coverts, and the white patch to the shoulder ; 

 top of the head and back of the neck dark green ; some of 

 the feathers tipped with verditer blue ; upper part of the back 

 dark green ; lower part of the back, rump, and upper tail- 

 coverts, verditer blue ; wing-coverts and tertials dark green, 

 the former spotted with verditer blue ; primary and secondary 

 quill-feathers greenish black, tinged with lighter green on the 

 outer webs ; tail-feathers indigo blue ; but all the upper parts 

 of the body, which are green in a reflected light, have more or 

 less an appearance of blue when seen by transmitted light ; 

 chin and throat white, tinged with buff; breast, under wing- 

 coverts, belly, vent, and under tail-coverts, pale chestnut ; 

 legs, toes, and claws, reddish brown. 



The whole length about seven inches. From the carpal 

 joint to the end of the wing, three inches : the first four 

 quill-feathers nearly equal in length, but the second and 

 third are rather longer than the first and fourth. 



The female has rather a smaller beak than the male, and 

 her plumage is rather darker ; there is otherwise but little 

 difference. 



Young birds have the beak wholly black, and the irides 

 darker reddish brown. 



