THE KINGFISHER 



ALC^DO ISPIDA. 



Back azure-blue ; head and wing-coverts bluish green, spotted with azure-blue ; 

 under and behind the eye a reddish band passing into white, and beneath this 

 a band of azure-green ; wings and tail greenish blue ; throat white ; under 

 plumage rusty orange-red. Length seven inches and a quarter, width ten 

 inches. Eggs glossy white, nearly round. 



HALCYON days, every one knows, are days of peace and 

 tranquillity, when all goes smoothly, and nothing occurs 

 to ruffle the equanimity of the most irascible member of 

 a household ; but it may not be known to all my younger 

 readers that a bird is in any way concerned in bringing 

 about this happy state of things. According to the ancient 

 naturalists the Halcyon, our Kingfisher, being especially 

 fond of the water and its products, chooses to have even 

 a floating nest. Now the surface of the sea is an unfit 

 place whereon to construct a vessel of any kind, so the 



