162 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA, 



feeding- principally on insects and fruits, procures fresh-water shell-fish 

 and aquatic larvae for its sustenance. It is, therefore, more frequently 

 seen on the ground, near the edges of the water, or descending along 

 the drooping branches of trees to their extremities, to seize the insects 

 in the water beneath them." In the adult plumage the Yellow-billed and 

 the Black-billed Cuckoos, when flying, can be distinguished, if you bear in 

 mind that in the former the long tail feathers, with large white tips, are 

 very conspicuous ; on the other hand, the white tips on the tail feathers 

 of the Black-billed are not well marked. This bird, as well as the Yel- 

 low-billed Cuckoo, I have observed, subsists largely on the tent cater- 

 pillars, which are so numerous at times on our various fruit and shade 

 trees. It also feeds on beetles, grasshoppers, snails and earth-worms. 



SUBORDER ALCYONES. KINGFISHERS. 

 FAMILY ALCEDINID^E. KINGFISHERS. 



GENUS CERYLE BOIE. 

 Ceryle alcyon (LiNN.). 



Belted Kingfisher. 



PESCBIPTION (Plate 20"). 



Length about 13 inches ; extent of wings about 22 inches. 



Bill long, straight and sharp ; legs small ; outer and middle toes united to their 

 middle ; head has long crest ; plumage of upper parts, dull leaden blue, more or less 

 streaked with black ; feathers of sides, wings, and broad band across breast, dull blue 

 like back ; spot in front of eye, white ; tail with transverse bands and white spots. 

 Female similar but barred across belly, and feathers on sides reddish-brown. 



Habitat. North America, south to Panama and the West Indies. 



Kingiishers are common along- our rivers, streams and ponds, about 

 which they are found at all seasons, unless forced to migrate southward 

 by excessively cold weather. The loud and harsh cry of this bird, as 

 Wilson has properly stated, is not unlike the noise made by twirling a 

 watchman's rattle. "It is uttered while moving- from place to place, 

 always on being disturbed, and even sometimes when he is about to 

 plunge into the water for a fish. But especially it is heard at night 

 when the male bird is returning to the nest with food for his mate and 

 young." Gentry. Their eggs are deposited in holes which they exca- 

 vate in the sides of banks, usually about the streams and ponds they 

 frequent. On many occasions, I have discovered their nests in high em- 

 bankments along public roads, railroad cuts and old quarries. The ex- 

 cavations vary greatly in depth, but average about four or five feet ; oc- 

 casionally you find one straight, commonly, however, they are directed 

 to the right or left of the main opening and terminate in quite a large 

 cavity. The eggs (1.30 by LOG inches) are white and usually sixinnuiu- 



