ALCEDINID^E. 339 



Family ALCEDINID^E, OR KINGFISHERS. 



The Kingfishers are a well-defined group of birds, and were associated 

 by Forbes with the Woodpeckers and Hoopoes ; but Sclater places them 

 with the Rollers, Bee-eaters, and Hoopoes. They agree with the Wood- 

 peckers, Rollers, and Bee-eaters in having two notches on each side of the 

 posterior margin of the sternum, thus differing from the Hoopoes, though 

 Huxley places them in close proximity to the latter family, which they 

 are also said to resemble in their pterylosis. In their myology and 

 digestive organs they are nearly allied to the Bee-eaters, and still nearer 

 to the Rollers. 



The Kingfishers are said to moult only once in the year, in autumn ; but 

 some spring examples are in such perfect plumage as to lead to the sup- 

 position that they must have moulted very recently. 



The most prominent external characters of the Kingfishers are the 

 powerful Heron-like bill and small tarsus and feet, especially the hind toe 

 and claw. They vary greatly in general style of coloration, but chestnut 

 and metallic blues and greens are the predominant colours. The tail is 

 generally short ; but in some genera abnormally long, usually consisting 

 of twelve feathers, but occasionally only of ten. The wing is somewhat 

 long, slightly rounded, and contains ten primaries. 



There are about 130 species of Kingfishers, which are distributed through- 

 out the world, with the exception of the Arctic regions. They are most 

 abundant in the Austro-Malayan Subregion, and least so in the Nearctic 

 and Neotropical Regions. One species only breeds in Europe, and is a 

 resident in our islaads. Two other species occasionally visit South-east 

 Europe ; whilst an American species has occurred in Ireland. 



Genus ALCEDO. 



The genus Alcedo was recognized by Linnaeus in the 12th edition of his 

 'Systema Naturae' (i. p. 178), published in 1766. A. ispida (the Ispida 

 ispida of Brisson) is the type. 



The Kingfishers in this genus belong to a group which are distinguished 

 by having a depression on each side of the upper mandible from the nostril 

 to the tip, causing the ridge of the upper mandible to have the appearance 

 of a keel. The species belonging to the genus Alcedo may be separated 



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