THE KINGFISHERS. 105 



3. Alcedo (Plate VI, figs. 5 7). In the form of the tracts this group agrees pretty closely 

 with Upupa ; but the main bands are broader, especially those of the ventral surface of the trunk ; 

 and the spinal space is wanting, although nearly at the same spot the dorsal tract is dilated into 

 an elongated lanceolate saddle. But the Kingfishers are chiefly distinguished from Upupa and 

 the other Picarise by the presence of a tolerably distinct downy coat on the spaces, which is also 

 continued between the contour- feathers of the tracts, and is deficient, or at all events very 

 weak, only on the dorsal tract. On the lateral neck-spaces the down-feathers are very small, but 

 rather large on the lateral spaces of the trunk ; they everywhere present a simple main shaft, but 

 no after-shaft. The feathers of the rather large, cordate, feathered oil-gland presented no 

 umbellate form, but rather a short, flat shaft, furcate at the end, having five or six barbs on each 

 side, and emitting three or four barbs from each end of the fork. It struck me as particularly 

 remarkable that the young birds have no nestling-down, but are at first perfectly naked, and 

 soon afterwards, when the contour-feathers sprout forth and still remain in the closed follicles, 

 present somewhat the aspect of a young Hedgehog. How does this agree with the dense downy 

 covering of the old birds ? The presence of the latter is evidently to be accounted for by the 

 residence of the Kingfishers on the shores and banks of inland waters, and appears, as in the 

 case of Cindus, to indicate a certain faculty of diving. At the breeding season this downy coat 

 is interrupted, presenting five large brood-spots, namely, one on each side between the outer 

 branch and the main stem of the inferior tract, a third in the inferior space exactly upon the 

 crest of the sternum, and two others on the belly close to the inner margin of the main stems of 

 the inferior tract. On all these spots the down-feathers are deficient, and the skin presents a 

 great turgescence of the subjacent blood-vessels ; a trace of weakening may even be observed 

 on the neighbouring bands of contour-feathers. The specimen that I examined was a male, 

 which had been taken on the nest sitting on four eggs ; among the Kingfishers, therefore, both 

 sexes incubate. 



The characters of the tracts presented but slight differences in the species examined. In all 

 of them the inferior tract, which is very narrow at its commencement at the angle of the chin, was 

 simple as far as the lower extremity of the neck, and became divided only immediately in front 

 of the furcula ; at the same spot as in Cuculus, Picas, Rhamphastus, and others, it gave off a 

 row of feathers to the axillary tract, and then passing on the breast, formed an outer branch 

 stronger than the main stem, but parallel to it and of the same width. From its outer surface 

 originates a somewhat sparse plumage running to the hypopterum. The main stem is continued 

 nearly parallel to the crest of the sternum, curves somewhat outwardly on the belly, and then 

 passes on in a strong curve to the anus, near which it terminates. Tho dorsal tract appears to be 

 less uniform. In A. ispida, and the very similar A. bengalensis, a more densely feathered vertical 

 tract could be distinguished among the uniformly sparse plumage of the head, originating at the 

 bill and embracing its base ; but this ceased at the nape, where the dorsal tract commenced at 

 first very weakly (PI. VI, fig. 6), continuing of the same width of four feathers as far as behind 

 the shoulder-blades, but with its feathers very strong from the middle of the neck. From imme- 

 diately behind the shoulders to the caudal pit it widened into a lanceolate saddle, which gradually 

 passed into the narrow triserial rump-band, terminating at the oil-gland. In all the other species 

 examined by me, namely, A. omnicolor TEMM. (PL Col., 135), A. coromanda (Dacelo LESS.), 

 A. sencgalensis (PL EnL, 594), A. maxima, A. smyrnensis, A. capensis, A. rudis, and A. collaris, 

 the dorsal tract was of .uniform strength as far as the commencement of the shoulder-blades, but 



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