BRITISH BIRDS. 



293 



THE KING-FISHER. 



(Alccdo Ispida, Linn. Mar tin-pec heur ^ 1 Icy 'on, 

 Temm.) 



THIS splendid little bird is of rather a clumsy 

 shape, the head being large in proportion to the 

 size of the body, and the legs and feet very small. 

 The length is only seven inches, breadth eleven; 

 weight about two ounces and a quarter. The bill, 

 measured from the corners of the mouth, is two 

 inches long, vertically compressed on the sides, 

 strong, straight, and tapering to a sharp point; 

 the upper mandible is black, fading into red to- 

 wards the base; the under one as well as the 

 inside of the mouth, reddish orange ; irides hazel, 

 inclining to red. A broad stripe passes from the 

 bill over the eye to the hinder part of the neck, 

 of a bright orange, but margined on the side of 

 the mouth, and crossed below the eye, by a narrow 



