136 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



the cock and hen being nearly or quite alike ; the young 

 also have nearly the same plumage from the first. 

 They are hatched naked, and when fledging are most 

 curious little objects, covered with spine-like pin-feathers, 

 and with a remarkable power of running backwards, 

 which must be useful to them in their underground 

 tunnel at home. A Kingfisher's nest is always in a 

 very filthy state, and there is no bedding except the 

 fish bones, etc., cast up in quids after the flesh has been 

 digested by the birds. 



Young Kingfishers are easily reared on fish, and 

 may be trained to eat raw meat ; but these birds cannot 

 be called desirable pets and are better left at large. 

 The beautiful little Kingfisher of Europe (Alcedo ispida) 

 is very common in India, as also is the pretty black- 

 and-white Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle varia) ; but only 

 one of the family can be called a garden-bird. King- 

 fishers generally are called Kilkila in Hindustani, and 

 Machranga in Bengali. 



THE WHITE-BREASTED KINGFISHER (Halcyon smyrnensis) 

 is a very showy bird about as big as a House-Mynah, 

 with a very big head and bill and fairly long tail. 

 Its plumage is a most brilliant blue above and rich 

 bay on the head and below, but the throat and 

 breast are pure white, and there is a pure white patch 

 on the pinion-quills. The bill and feet are scarlet, so 

 that the whole effect is very brilliant indeed. The 

 cock and hen are exactly alike, but young birds have the bill 

 and feet nearly black, and some dark fringes on the 

 white breast. 



