136 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



and it is only in the breeding-season that one sees even 

 a pair together. Their plumage is usually very showy, 

 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. Kingfishers generally 

 are called Kilkila in Hindustani, and Machranga in 

 Bengali. 



THE WHITE -BREASTED KINGFISHER (Halcyon smyrn- 

 ensis) 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 



