KINGFISHER. 



235 



blue ; wing-coverts and tertials dark green, the former 

 spotted with verditer blue ; primary and secondary quill- 

 feathers greenish black, tinged with lighter green on the 

 outer webs ; tail-feathers indigo blue ; but all the upper 

 parts of the body, which are green in a reflected light, 

 have more or less an appearance of blue when seen by 

 transmitted light ; chin and throat white, tinged with buff; 

 breast, under wing-coverts, belly, vent, and under tail- 

 coverts, pale chestnut; legs, toes, and claws, reddish brown. 



The whole length is about seven inches. From the 

 carpal joint to the end of the wing, three inches ; the first 

 four quill-feathers nearly equal in length, but the second 

 and third are rather longer than the first and fourth. 



The female has rather a smaller beak than the male, and 

 her plumage is rather darker ; there is otherwise but little 

 difference. 



Young birds have the beak wholly black, and the irides 

 darker reddish brown. 



The representation below is that of the outline of the 

 breastbone of the Kingfisher, to show its accordance in 

 form with the same part in the Roller and the Bee- eater 

 already figured. 



