BIRDS OF MAINE. 71 



A common summer resident, but on account of its somewhat retir- 

 ing habits it is a bird more often heard than seen. Feeding to a 

 large extent upon the larva* of the "Tent Moth" and other injurious 

 catapillars, it is one of the most beneficial of our birds. 



County Records. Audroscoggiu, "common summer resident" (John- 

 son) ; Aroostook, "occurs at Houlton" (Batchelder, Bull. Nutt. Orn. 

 Club, Vol. 7, p. 150;) Cumberland, "common summer resident" (Mead) ; 

 Franklin, "common summer resident'' (Swain); Hancock, "summer 

 resident" (Dorr) ; Keunebec, "common summer resident'" (Royal) ; Knox, 

 "summer" (Rackliff) ; Oxford, "breeds common" (Nash) ; Penobscot, 

 "common summer resident" (Knight) ; Piscataquis, "common, breeds" 

 (Homer) ; Sagadahoc, "common summer resident" (Spinney) ; Somerset, 

 "common summer resident" (Morrell); Waldo, (Spratt); Washington, 

 "common" (Boardman) ; York, "abundant breeder" (Adams). 



Suborder ALCYONES. Kingfishers. 

 Family ALCEDINID^E. Kingfishers. 



Genus CERYLE Boie. 

 Subgenus STREPTOCERYLE Bonaparte. 

 175. (390). Ceryle alcyon (Linn.). Belted Kingfisher. 

 A common summer resident, and while it is usually found in the 

 vicinity of water, I have found nests situated at least a mile from 

 the nearest stream or brook. The nest is always situated in a 

 burrow dug in the perpendicular face of a sand bank, and the exca- 

 vation varies in length from three to twelve feet. 



County Records. Androscoggin, "common summer resident" (John- 

 son) ; Aroostook, "rather common at Fort Fairtield" (Batcheld^r, Bull. 

 Nutt. Orn. Club, Vol. 7, p. 150); Cumberland, 'common summer resi- 

 dent" (Mead) ; Franklin, "common summer resident" (LeeandMcLain) ; 

 Hancock, "summer resident" (Murch), "breeds on Deer Isle" (Knight) ; 

 Kenuebec, "common summer resident" (Gardiner Branch) ; Knox, "sum- 

 mer" (Rackliff) ; Oxford, "common, breeds" (Xash) ; Penobscot, "breeds 

 commonly along the Peuobscot River and elsewhere throughout the 

 county" (Knight) ; Piscataquis, "common, breeds" (Homer) ; Sagadahoc, 

 "common summer resident" (Spinney) ; Somerset, "common summer 

 resident" (Morrell); Waldo, "summer resident" (Knight); Washington, 

 "abundant summer resident" (Boardman) ; York, "common on Saco 

 River" (Adams). 



