PASSERES. BIRDS. AI.CEDINIDJ 



of adorning themselves with tufts of the long and 

 brilliant tail-coverts. The tenderness of the skin, and 

 the ease with which the feathers are detached, render 

 the skinning of these birds a very difficult operation, 

 and this applies to the whole of the Trogona. Most of 

 the specimens obtained from the Indians of America 

 are simply dried without skinning. Several other 

 species of Trogons, scarcely yielding to the preceding 

 in beauty, are found in the tropical parts of America ; 

 but to these our space prevents our alluding. We shall 

 therefore pass to 



THE NARINA TROGON (Apaloderma narina), the 

 only African species. This bird approaches very 

 closely in its general characters to its American rela- 

 tions, differing only in some particulars of little import- 

 ance. Like them it displays a brilliant lustre on its 

 green plumage, which is replaced by a deep rose tint 

 on the lower parts of the body. The greater wing- 

 coverts are grey, with fine black lines and dots ; the 

 wings are black. The four middle feathers of the tail 

 are of a fine golden green colour,- and of equal length ; 

 the three outer feathers on each side become rapidly 

 shorter, so that the outermost is only about half the 

 length of its next neighbour ; these feathers are white, 

 with black bases. The whole length of the bird is 

 about fourteen inches. 



This species is an inhabitant of the southern part of 

 the African continent. It nestles in the hole of a tree, 

 where it lays four eggs of a delicate pale rose colour, 

 which are remarkable for their transparency and 

 extreme fragility. During the breeding season the 

 male emits sounds of the most melancholy nature ; at 

 other times he is very silent. 



THE FASCIATED " TBOGON (Harpactes fasdatus). 

 The Indian species of the family Trogonidae are dis- 

 tinguished from all the preceding forms by the want 

 | of serratures on the margins of the mandibles, these 

 being smooth nearly to the tip, where they exhibit 

 a notch, or tooth, somewhat similar to that occurring 

 in many dentirostral birds. Nearly a dozen species 

 have been met with in different parts of India and 

 the islands of the Eastern archipelago. 



The Fasciated Trogon, which is an inhabitant of the 

 Indian peninsula and of Ceylon, is a fine and striking 

 species, about ten inches in length ; its colour is fer- 

 ruginous above, tawny red beneath ; its wing-coverts 

 are barred with black and white ; its head and neck 

 are black, with a naked blue patch surrounding the 

 eyes ; its breast has a band of white, its tail-coverts 

 are grey, and the quill feathers of its wings and tail 

 dusky ; the latter tipped with black. 



This bird occurs in the dense jungle amongst lofty 

 trees, where it is generally seen seated motionless 

 upon a branch, occasionally flying off in pursuit of 

 some passing insect. More than two are rarely seen 

 together. 



HODGSON'S TROGON (Harpactes erythrocephalus), 

 an inhabitant of the elevated regions of Northern India, 

 and of Tenasserim, is said by Captain Tickell to fly in 

 small troops, and to be active and vociferous in the 

 morning, a behaviour which indicates more sociability 

 of character than is usually attributed to the Trogons. 

 Captain Tickell states, however, that in the heat of the 



day this species takes up a position in the- shade, and 

 sits there solitary and quiet, so that it is possible the 

 other species have similar habits. We need not refer 

 to the other species, of the habits of which little is 

 known. 



FAMILY V. ALCEDINID^:. 



This family, which includes the well-known King- 

 fishers, and a great number of nearly allied forms, is 

 characterized by the form of the bill which is elon- 

 gated, generally quite straight, stout, broad at the 

 base, and acute at the tip by the small size of the tail, 

 and the shortness of the tarsi. The toes are variable, 

 both in number and arrangement ; sometimes they are 

 placed in pairs, as in the preceding family ; sometimes 

 three in front and one behind, as in birds in general ; 

 whilst in some cases, one toe is altogether deficient, 

 and the foot has two toes in front and one behind. 

 The wings are long and rounded, and the birds possess 

 considerable powers of flight. 



Their food consists of animal matters ; some, like 

 our common kingfisher, capturing fish with great dex- 

 terity ; whilst others feed more upon insects, or upon 

 these and small reptiles, or other terrestrial creatures. 

 In other respects, they exhibit a great variety of habit, 

 and they occur in almost all parts of the world, although 

 most numerous in warm countries. 



THE COMMON KINGFISHER (Alcedo js^Wa) Plate 



7, fig. 21 the only European representative of the 



family, is one of the most beautiful of British birds ; 



its appearance, as it dashes along in the sun, giving 



one the idea of a living emerald. The top of the head, 



the wing-coverts, and a stripe on each side of the 



neck, are green, covered with most beautiful azure 



spots ; the back is dark green, with its hinder part and 



the rump azure ; the throat, and a streak on each side 



! of the neck, are yellowish-white, and all the rest of the 



j lower surface of the body is pale chestnut. The qtiill 



| feathers of the wings are greenish-black, and those ot 



the tail deep blue. The beak, which is an inch and 



a half long, is black, with the base of the lower man- 



j dible orange. The feet are of a reddish-brown colour ; 



1 they have three toes in front and one behind, and the 



outer front toe is united to the middle one, as far as 



the second joint. 



The Kingfisher is an inhabitant of all parts of Europe, 

 except in the extreme north ; thus it occurs, although 

 rarely, in Denmark, but does not appear to inhabit 

 the Scandinavian peninsula. It is also met with in 

 the temperate parts of Siberia, and extends thence to 

 the southern parts of Asia, whilst in Africa it occurs 

 as far south as the Senegal. It is always found in 

 the vicinity of water, frequenting the banks of rivers 

 and brooks, and also of large ponds, over the surface of 

 which it may be seen shooting along rapidly, like a 

 little green meteor. Its food consists not only of small 

 fishes, but also of aquatic insects and leeches, and pro- 

 bably any other production of its favourite element will 

 hardly come amiss. When watching for food, the 

 Kingfisher takes his post on a bush or tree overhang- 

 ing the water, or on a rail by the bank side, and here 

 he waits patiently until his expected prey comes within 



