2Q2 BRITISH BIRDS. 



but the terminations of the shoulder feathers, 

 which fall over the scapulars, partake of pale or 

 whitish yellow; the chin and upper part of the 

 neck are yellow, boundered by a black line ; below 

 this, towards the shoulders, and all the under 

 parts are of a glossy verditer green; the lesser 

 coverts are green; the scapulars, some of the 

 secondaries, the primaries, and the tail are also of 

 that colour, but shaded off with yellow brown; the 

 tail is long, the two middle feathers longest, and 

 pointed or forked at the tip; the legs and feet, 

 which are similar in conformation to those of the 

 King-fisher, are black; and, like that bird, it 

 makes its nest in the banks of rivers, at the end of 

 a long hole; the eggs are white, and nearly oval; 

 from these circumstances, the general contour of 

 its figure, and its brilliant plumage, it bears some 

 affinity to the genus Alcedo. This beautiful and 

 rare visitant has sometimes been met with in 

 Devonshire. 



Through the medium of the late Lieut. J. A. 

 Howard, of the seventy-third regiment, we have 

 obtained from Mr. Leadbeater the specimen from 

 which the foregoing figure was taken, and beg to 

 acknowledge our obligation for the facilities thus 

 afforded to the work. 



