506 FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ZOOLOGY, VOL. IX. 



yellow-billed species in Wisconsin, while the opposite seems to be the 

 case in Illinois. 



The nest is a mat of small sticks and twigs built in low trees or 

 bushes. The eggs are pale greenish blue, three or four in number, 

 and measure about 1.15 x .85 inches. 



The Field Museum collection contains several sets of eggs of this 

 species taken near Joliet, 111., between June 8 and n, 1906. 



Suborder ALCYONES. Kingfishers. 

 Family ALCEDINID^. Kingfishers. 



But one species of this large family occurs in eastern North Amer- 

 ica. It is a familiar bird, being common wherever there is water. 

 They are solitary birds, being usually found singly or in pairs. The 

 nest is built in a hole in some bank near a stream or pond. There are 

 about 125 known species, those found in America being fish eaters, 

 while many of the Australian and Indian forms are insectivorous 

 and live in forests, nesting in holes in trees. 



Genus CERYLE Boie. 



187. Ceryle alcyon (LINN.). 



BELTED KINGFISHER. 



Distr. : The whole of North America and south to the West Indies 

 and Mexico, and Central America to Panama. 



Adult male: Upper parts, bluish gray, the elongated feathers of 

 the crown, blackish; wing coverts with small spots of white ; terminal 

 third of primaries, black; the rest, heavily marked with white, and 

 rest of feathers narrowly edged with bluish gray, the centers of the 

 feathers, black, spotted and banded with white; a white spot in front 

 of the eye; throat, white; a band on the breast and sides of body, 

 bluish gray (tinged with rufous brown in immature specimens), rest 

 of under parts, white. 



Adult female: Similar to the male, but having the sides of the body 

 and a band on the upper belly rufous brown. 



Length, 12; wing, 6 to 6.40; bill, 1.90; tail, 3.50 



The Kingfisher is a common summer resident in Illinois and Wis- 

 consin. It arrives in April and remains with us until October, and 



