266 BIRDS. ANISODACTYLI. 



A. biru, Tern. Plumage above azure-blue ; wings externally brown ; 

 throat, jugulum, abdomen, and vent white ; bill arid legs black. 

 5 1 inches long. Inhabits Java Tern. PL Col 239, fig. 1. 



A. ccerulocephala, Lin. Plumage above blue, rufous beneath; the 

 crown undulated with black ; breast white ; bill and legs red. 4 

 inches long. Inhabits Madagascar. Shaw, viii. pi. 9. 



A. cristata, Lin. Crown of the head with long blue green feathers, 

 varied with black lines ; back, rump, wings, and tail ultra-ma- 

 rine blue ; fulvous beneath, with whitish throat and vent. 5* in- 

 ches long. Inhabits Africa Shaw, viii. pi. 12. 



Gen, 3. DACELO, Leach. Alcedo, Lin. 



Bill thick, strong, four-sided conical ; mouth gaping to the eyes ; 

 upper mandible longest, broadly notched towards its point 

 on each side ; nostrils oblong, half sbut by a feathered mem- 

 brane ; tarsus shorter than the middle toe ; the external toe 

 united to the third joint, the internal to the second; wings of 

 medium size. 



D. giganlea, Tern. Plumage brownish above ; feathers of the head 

 elongated ; whitish beneath, with black undulations ; wing-co- 

 verts and rump pale sea-green, and the tail crossed by numerous 

 black bars. 18 inches long. New Holland Shaw, xiii. pi. 43. 



D. pulchella, Horsfield. Sea green, fasciated with white and dusky 

 above ; head chestnut brown, the vertex azure ; throat and jugu- 

 lum whitish ; abdomen dilute ferruginous. 8 inches long. In- 

 habits Java. Tern. PL Col. 277. 



ORDER VIII. CHELIDONES. 



Bill very short, much depressed, and very wide at the base ; the 

 upper mandible curved at the point ; legs short ; three toes 

 before, either entirely divided, or connected at the base by a 

 short membrane, the hinder often reversible; claws much hook- 

 ed ; wings long. 



The flight of these birds is rapid and abrupt, their sight piercing, neck short, 

 throat wide, bill broad, and often gaping for the reception of insects, which constitute 

 their only food. 



Gen. 1. HIRUNDO, Lin. 



Bill short, triangular, broad at the base, depressed, cleft near 

 to the eyes ; upper mandible slightly hooked at the tip ; 

 nostrils basal, oblong, partly closed by a membrane, surmounted 

 by feathers in front ; legs short, with slender toes and claws ; 

 three toes before, the exterior united to the first joint of the 

 middle one; one behind; wings long, the first quill the longest ; 

 tail of twelve feathers, mostly forked. 



The Swallow tribes manifest a predilection to the neighbourhood of water, and 



