281 



2nd Sub-Order, Anisodactyli. With unequal toes. 

 Three toes in front, one behind, the outer toe generally 

 grown up with the middle toe. 



Fam. 1. ANGULIKOSTRES, 111. 



Legs very short, naked above knee ; all front toes grown 

 together at the bottom ; beak below and above edged. All 

 the birds belonging to this family frequent the neighbour- 

 hood of streams. They lay their pure white, round, shiny 

 eggs, usually six, in a hole in a bank. 



Gen. Alcedoj L. 



Beak straight, long, pointed; legs short; body small, 

 plump; wings and tail short; colouring always brilliant, 

 and no difference between the plumage of the sexes. 



44. ALCEDO ISPTDA, L. Bla ryggig Isfogel. The King- 



fisher. D. 

 Length 7 in.; colour on the back beautiful azure 



blue ; head and wings strewed with azure blue spots ; 



under parts, and a streak through the eyes, rusty 



red. 



Is exceedingly rare here ; and although occasionally seen 

 in the southern provinces of Sweden, has never, I believe, 

 been detected breeding in Scandinavia. Is said to breed in 

 Denmark. Many years since I was standing below the falls 

 of Trolhattan, and I saw a king-fisher dash down the stream. 

 I scarcely deemed the circumstance worth notice, for I did 

 not know then how rare this bird was in Sweden. I have 

 never seen one since. This was in the autumn. 



Is generally but sparingly dispersed over the whole of 

 Denmark, and I could never account for its scarcity in 

 Sweden a country apparently so well suited to its habits. 

 Its place in the latter country appears to be taken by the 

 water-ousel, a bird which is very rare in Denmark during 

 the summer. 



Gen. Meropsj L. 

 Beak long and crooked ; wings long and pointed ; tail 



