GREAT AFRICAN KINGFISHER. 55 



European ass, lately introduced among them. In 

 Mr. While's Journal of a Voyage to New Soutii 

 Wales we find an excellent figure of this bird. 



GREAT AFRICAN KINGFISHER. 



Alcedo Afra. A. cristata cinerea albo-maculata, sub t us ferrugintu, 

 gttla aWo nigroque maculata. 



Crested cinereous Kingfisher, spotted with white, beneath ferru- 

 ginous, with the throat spotted black and white. 



Alcedo maxima. A. ntacroura cristata albo ?naculosa ) cot-pore 

 supra plumln-o subtus ferrugineo, jugulo nigro, striga collar i 

 gulaque ulbis. Lath, ind orn. 



Alcedo maxima. Pall. spic. zoo/. 6. p. 15. Lin. Gmcl. 



Martiu-pescheur huppe. Buf. ois. PI. Enl. 679. 



Great African Kingfisher. Lath. syn. 



THIS species is equal in size to a common crow, 

 and measures from fourteen to sixteen inches in 

 length. It is well described by Dr. Pallas, in his 

 work entitled Spicikgia Zoologica, and also by Dr. 

 Latham in his Synopsis of Birds. The bill is large, 

 strong, compressed, and of a black colour; the 

 upper mandible longest: the feathers of the head 

 and nape are lengthened into a slight crest, and 

 marked with numerous white streaks: the upper 

 parts of the body are of a deep lead-colour; the 

 under parts ferruginous, in some specimens deep 

 red: the crown of the head and the wings are 

 darker than the rest of the plumage, which is co- 

 vered with numerous white spots, five on each 

 feather, viz. two on each side, and one at the tip: 



