HALCYONID.E. 



HALCYONID^E. 



10 



Mr. Vigors thinks that it must necessarily be placed, if we look to 

 natural affinity rather than the strict dictates of artificial arrange- 

 ment ; and with it he fancies may be placed some apparently con- 

 terminous groups, Capita of Vieillot, and some of its affinities, &c., of 

 which the toes are equally disposed in pairs. The relationship of all 

 to the true Scantorei may, he says, be accounted for by the considera- 

 tion of that tendency which opposite sides of a circle of affinity 

 generally evince to approach each other. The very difference however 

 between the feet of Alcedo and Galbula (which two groups, at the same 

 time, he adds, it must be remarked, agree more intimately in every 

 particular of the leg and foot, except the scansorial disposition of the 

 toes, than Galbula accords with any of the &awores in the same 

 characters), is lost in a species of Galbula which Mr. Vigors had 

 lately inspected from Brazil, where one of the hind toes is wanting, 

 and where the foot thus exactly corresponds with that of the three- 

 toed Halcyonid(e, or the genus Ceyx of M. Lace'pede. The singular 

 and beautiful species of the Liuntuan A Icedo, the Ternate Kingfisher, 

 which Mr. Vigors characterises as a genus under the name of Tanyrip- 

 tera, shows, in his opinion, the equal approximation of that genus to 

 Galbula, and a deviation from its own type, its tail deserting the 

 shortened character of that of the true Kingfisher, and assuming the 

 lengthened and graduated conformation of the same member in the 

 Paradise Jacnmar and the other long-tailed Galbula. Having now 

 arrived at the last family of the tribe, Mr. Vigors directs us to look 

 for that connecting affinity which will lead us back to that other 

 family of it with which he commenced his observations. Here again, 

 he remarks, the universally-acknowledged relationship between the 

 HalcyonidiV and the Mcropidte leaves him nothing to observe. He 

 refers to the gradually-attenuated bills of Alcedo and Galbula, and the 

 increasing length of the tail in the latter genus, as softening down the 

 differences by which these families, united by general habits and 

 economy, alone appear to be separated. Thus the circular succession 

 of affinities by which the tribe of I'uiirottra returns into itself appears 

 to Mr. Vigors to be complete. 



The fifth and last family of M. Latreille's second order (Passcreaux) 



cousi.ita of the Bee-Eaters, Motmots, Todies, Kingfishers, the genus 



mil the Hornbills. The fourth family comprises the Tenuiros- 



tret, and the Scantortt (Grimpeurs) form the order which immediately 



follows the Passereaux. 



Prince Bonaparte, in his ' Tabella Analitica de' Generi' ('Specchio 

 Comparative,' 1827), makes the tribe Ambulatora immediately follow 

 the tribe Scanioret. The first family of the Ambulatora consists of 

 the genera A Icedo and Meropt. 



In M. Lesson's ' Projet' the third tribe (Syndactyles) of the first 

 order, luttuora or Scamorei (Grimpeurs), includes four families, in 

 the following order: Meropidtc, Holcyonidoc (Alcyonees), Rupicolida 

 (Kupicolees), and Bucerida. 



Ju the ' Table MSthodique,' at the end of his 'Manuel,' Lesson makes 

 the family Meropida comprise the genera Meropt, Alcedo, Dacelo, 

 Ceyx, Si/ma, Todiramphut, itomotui, and Bucerot. 



Mr. Eyton, in his arrangement, published in his ' History of the 

 Rarer Species of British Birds' (1836), makes his fourth family 

 irotlrei, CUT.) of his second order (Pauera, Linn.) consist of 

 three divisions : 1st, the Anitodactyli, Temm. ; 2nd, the Syndactyli, 

 Cuv. ; and 3rd, the Alryonet, Temm. The latter division contains the 

 genus Alcedo, Ray, whilst Meropi is arranged under the Syndactyli. 



Mr. Swainson, in the first volume of his ' Classification of Birds ' 

 (1836), when treating of the Syndactyle foot, allows the term to be 

 good, if limited to such feet, with united toes, as are of a different 

 formation to all others; and would not, even if the toes were free, 

 come under any of the definitions which he had previously given. 

 Sui'li a form of foot, he says, will be found in the genera Meropt and 

 Alcedo, containing the Bee-Eaters and Kingfishers, to whose feet, 

 ' par excellence,' he limits the term Syndactyle. " The habits of these 

 two groups," continues Mr. Swainson, " as far as concerns the use of 

 their feet, are nearly the same, for in neither are these members ever 

 employed but to rest the body. The Kingfisher watches patiently 

 from a fixed station, generally a naked twig overhanging the water, for 

 uch fish as come within its reach ; and then, after a time, flies to 

 another station, where it alights and remains. The feet, from not 

 being used for walking or standing, are consequently very small, and 

 the toes imperfectly developed : there are three in front and one 

 behind, but two of the former might almost be reckoned as only oue, 

 since they are united together even to the commencement of their 

 respective claws ; the inner toe is not half the length of the others, 

 and seems rudimentary ; it has a claw, and is rather more detached 

 at its tip than the other two ; in some, as in the three-toed King- 

 fishers, this inner toe disaopears. The hinder toe is very short, and 

 scarcely longer than the inner one ; the scales of the whole foot are so 

 thin and transparent that they can scarcely be seen in the small 

 species by the naked eye. Those who have seen so much of the true 

 Kingfishers, so scarce in Englaud but so common in Tropical America, 

 know that they never perch upon any other than small or slender 

 branches; ami this we may infer from the shape of the foot. The 

 two outer anterior toes are very long, so that they would completely 

 clasp two-thirds of the circumference of a small branch, the other 

 third being embraced by the hinder toe. This fact is further con- 

 firmed by the unusual flatness of the soles of all, and by the acuteuess 



of the claws, which from being but slightly curved would not upon a 

 small branch come into contact with the wood ; the union of the three 

 anterior toes, by producing considerable breadth of sole, gives an 

 unusual degree of steadiness to the bird, highly conducive to its 

 remaining very long in one position. Thus we see that the foot of 

 the Kingfisher, which at first appears so very imperfect, and so totally 

 useless for ordinary purposes, is that which is most of all suited to 

 the habits and the wants of the bird. The Bee-Eaters, like the 

 Swallows, feed upon the wing, yet, unlike those birds, they never 

 perch upon the ground ; at least we can affirm this of the European 

 species (Merops Apiaster), which visits the island of Sicily every year 

 in great numbers, and remains for near a mouth, on its passage from 

 Africa to middle and southern Europe. During this period we have 

 sought for many years every opportunity of detecting these birds iu 

 their resting position, but never were successful in finding them 

 otherwise than on the tops of the olive-trees, where they rest immove- 

 able until they again dart off for another long excursion. It is indeed 

 obvious that they could not walk, for their feet are much the same 

 as the Wood Kingfishers (Dacelo), with this ouly difference, that the 

 three anterior toes are divided the whole length of their last joint, 

 the scales being rather more conspicuous." 



In the second volume of the same work Mr. Swainson speaks of the 

 Halcyonida, or Kingfishers, as obviously connected with the Meropiilce, 

 next to which he arranges them. These comprise, he observes, several 

 well-marked genera, agreeing among themselves in the great length 

 of their bill and in the extreme shortness of their feet. These cha- 

 racters, he adds, it is true, belong also to the true Bee-Eater ; but a 

 remarkable difference in economy is developed iu the Kingfisher. 

 " We have seen," continues Mr. Swainson, "that the Goat Suckers, 

 Swallows, and Bee-Eaters traverse the air to search after and pursue 

 their prey ; their wings are consequently adapted for long aud con- 

 tinued flight ; but the family before us have a different economy, and 

 therefore a different organisation. The whole of the genera are 

 sedentary, watching for their food from a fixed station, which they 

 only quit as soon as their prey approaches sufficiently near to come 

 within the sweep of their wings; if unsuccessful in their first attack 

 they do not pursue their game, but return again to their post, and 

 patiently wait for another luckless straggler ; if their first attack is 

 successful they return with their victim to the same station, and then 

 proceed to swallow it. Every oue knows that these are the habits of 

 the European Kingfisher (Alcedo ispida), and travellers affirm that the- 

 Kinghunters (Halcyon) pursue the same method in the forests of the 

 Old World. But it has unfortunately happened that systematic 

 naturalists, totally unacquainted with the natural habits of the other 

 genera (nearly all of which are confined to Tropical America), have 

 fancied they were climbing-birds, and have consequently placed them 

 in other orders whose organisation and economy are widely different. 

 Thus the Jocamars in the ' Regne Animal' are placed after the Horn- 

 bills, aud the Puff-Birds (Tamatia) are associated with the Cuckoos." 



The following characters are assigned by Mr. Swainson to the 

 Ualcyonidie : Wings rouuded, not formed for rapid flight. Feet 

 very feeble. Toes in pairs. He makes the family consist of the 

 following genera and sub-genera : Genus Tamatia, comprising 

 Tamatia, Cuvier ; Capita, Vieillot ; Lypornix, Wagler ; Mona.-m, 

 Vieillot ; and Brachypetet, Swainson. Genus Halcyon, Swaiusou, 

 including Dacelo, Leach ; Halcyon, Swainson ; Syma, Lesson ; Todi- 

 ramphut, Lesson; and Ceyx, Lace'pede. Genus Alcedo, Linnaeus, 

 comprehending Alcedo; Ispida, Swainson; Tanysiptera, Vigors; and 

 Alcyone, Swaiuson. Genus Lamprotila, Swainson. Genus Galbttla, 

 Linuuuis (Brisson, we suppose, ia meant ; Linmcus has no such 

 genus). 



Tamatia (Puff-Birds). Bill straight, compressed. Nostrils defended 

 by lorg stiff incurved feathers and bristles. Rictus strongly bristled. 

 Toes versatile, as in Cuculut. (Swainson.) 



Under the article BARBETS is a figure of Tamatia macrorhynckoa, 

 with Mr. Swainson's description of the habits of the Puff-Birds in 

 general. In his ' Classification of Birds,' vol. ii., the same author 

 states that the Hermit-Birds (Monosao) have similar habits, and fre- 

 quently rise up perpendicularly in the air^ make a swoop, and return 

 again to their former station. 



The sub-genera he characterises as follows : 



Tamatia. Bill moderate, thick, conic ; the tip but slightly bent. 

 Tail narrow. Conirostral. T. maculata, 'Brazil. Birds,' pi. 11. 



Capito. Bill long ; the tip abruptly bent, so as to form a hook. 

 Tail narrow. Dentirostral. C. leucotis, 'Brazil. Birds,' pi. 11; 

 C. lomnolenttu, ib., pi. 9. 



Lypornix. Bill moderate, defended by very long bristles. Both 

 mandibles nearly equal. Wings very short, rounded. Tail narrow. 

 Temiirostral. L. striata, 'Brazil. Birds,' pi. 34; L. rubicula, ib., 

 pi. 25. 



Monaaa. Bill as in Lypornix, without the basal bristles, but with 

 short setaceous feathers. Wings short. Tail lengthened, and very 

 broad. Scansorial. M. leucopt, ' Brazil. Birds,' pi. 12. 



Brachypeta. Bill as in Lypornix, but shorter, higher, and more 

 curved ; the margins greatly inflexed. Wings long. Tail short and 

 even. Fissirostral. B. tencbrota, ' Brazil. Birds,' pi. 35. 



All these are inhabitants of the New World. 



Halcyon. Bill long, very straight, cylindrical ; the sides widened ; 



