BIRDS OF KANSAS. 323 



Iris brown; legs, feet and claws darkish bine. 



These birds are similar in actions and habits to the Yellow- 

 billed; but more inclined to nest in open groves, and bushes 

 upon the uplands; and their nests are a little more compactly 

 built, though at best a loose, flat structure. Eggs smaller, a 

 shade darker, and more rounded in form. 



SUBORDER AlLCYONES. KINGFISHERS. 



Toes, three before, one behiiid. (Ridgway.) 



The outer and middle toes with basal phalanges united. 



FAMILY ALCEDINIDJE. KINGFISHERS. 



Bill longer than head, with straight outlines, the cutting edges smooth (in all 

 American species); tail much shorter than wing, with middle feathers (in Amer- 

 ican species) not longer than the rest; tarsus only about half as long as middle 

 toe. (Ridgway.) 



GENUS CERYLE BOIE. 



"Bill long, straight and strong, the culmen slightly advancing on the fore- 

 'head and sloping to the acute tip; the sides much compressed; the lateral margins 

 rather dilated at the base and straight to the tip; the gonys long and ascending. 

 Tail rather long and broad. Tarsi short and stout." 



STTBGENTJS STREPTOCERYLE BONAPARTE. 



Wing 6.00, or more; tarsus about as long as hind toe, much shorter than Inner 

 anterior toe; plumage without metallic gloss. Upper parts plumbeous blue, or 

 bluish plumbeous, more or less streaked with black (especially on top of head ), 

 the tail feathers transversely spotted with white, these markings usually more 

 or less hidden in closed tail; chin, throat and collar round hindueck pure white. 

 (Ridgway.) 



Ceryle alcyon (LINN.). 



BELTED KINGFISHER. 

 PLATE XXI. 



A common summer resident, and, when the winters are mild, 

 an occasional resident. Begin laying about the last of April. 



B. 117. R. 882. C. 423. G. 177, 151. U. 390. 



HABITAT. The whole of North America; south to Panama, 

 including the West Indies. 



SP. CHAR. "Head with a long crest. Above, ashy blue, without metallic 

 luster. Beneath, with a concealed band across the occiput, and a spot anterior 

 to the eye, pure white. A baud across the breast, and the sides of the body under 

 the wings, like the back. Primaries white on the basal half, the terminal spotted. 

 Tail with transverse bands and spots of white. Female and young with sides 

 of body and a band across the belly (below the pectoral one) light chestnut; the 

 pectoral band more or less tinged with the same." 



