194 CERYLE ALCYON. 



The sternum is stout, with short coracoids which are set on at an angle. The keel is 

 produced forward, approximating quite closely to the strong furcular which has no termi- 

 nal expansion. There is no distinct manubrium but the lower portion of the keel projects 

 out and occupies its place, yet it is not forked. The oesophagus is straight, being without 

 any dilatation, and is lined throughout with a mucous membrane which lies in longitudinal 

 ridges. It emerges into the proventriculus which is provided with a zonular band of sim- 

 ple, oval glands. The stomach is somewhat peculiar in form, being an irregular spherical 

 body, not muscular, and lined with a thin, somewhat smooth, yellow membrane. The 

 pancreas is not large and occupies but about one half of the fold of the duodenum which 

 encloses it. The intestines are quite long. There are no coeca and the spleen which is a 

 spherical body and quite dark in color lies on the stomach near the cardiac opening. The 

 trachea is straight. Larynx, provided with a strong sterno-trachealis, also a thick bron- 

 chialis which adheres to the two upper half rings. The tympaniform membrane is present 

 and also the os transversale but there is no semilunar membrane. 



GENUS I. CERYLE. THE BELTED KINGFISHERS. 



GEN. Cn. Keel, hiyhcr than one half the width of the sternum. Coracoids, greatly exceeding one half the length of 

 the keel. Two outer toes joined for one half the basal portion. 



The colors of this genus are dull in comparison with other members of the family but they are conspicuously banded 

 below. The young are born naked and acquire *he feathers without any transitional downy stage. 



CERYLE ALCYON. 

 Belted Kingfisher. 

 Ceryle alcyon BOIE, Isis; 1829, 316. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. CH. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout. Tongue, short, broad, flat and somewhat fleshy, provided with 

 a triangular tip, yellow in color. Feathers of the crest, long, and loosely constructed. 



COLOR. Adult male. Upper portion of body, including upper wing and tail coverts, slaty-blue, darkest on the head. 

 Wings, black, with the outer portion of outer webs of secondaries, slaty-blue, and two thirds of the basal portion of inner 

 webs of all the feathers, spots and bars on the middle of the outer webs of primaries, white. This color encroaches upon 

 the blue of the of the inner webs of the secondaries in bars. The extreme tips of the two rows of wing coverts are also 

 white, forming indistinct bars. Primaries and secondaries, slightly tipped with white. Tail, black, with the two central 

 feathers and outer portion of outer webs, blue, with both webs of all but central pair, spotted and barred with white. Be- 

 neath, including under wing and tail coverts, white, with a band across breast, sides, and flanks, slaty-blue. There is a 

 white ring nearly around the neck, being interrupted on the nape by a bar of slaty-blue. Sides of the head, dark-slaty, 

 witli a spot in advance of the eye and a crescent-shaped mark beneath it, white. 



Adult female. Similar to the male but with the central tail feathers barred similar to the others. There is a second 

 band of chestnut across the middle of the breast, and this color extends along the sides to the exclusion of the slaty-blue, 

 as far as the flanks which are slaty. 



Young male. Similar to the adult above but with the white tippings to the secondaries more extended. There is less 

 white on the wing coverts but the central tail feathers are barred as in the female. There is but one band below, the up- 

 per, yet that is overwashed with chestnut which also occupies the anterior portion of the sides, and the slaty of the remain- 

 ing portions are overwashed with it. 



Young female. With a duller bluish-slaty band on the breast, the chestnut markings are more extended and the col- 

 or on the top of the head is darker, being nearly black. 



Nestlings. At first the young are completely naked, then the faathers appear without any intermediate downy stage. 

 When the young are fully fledged, both sexes aresimilar and quite like the young male, for the female has only an indica- 

 tion of the chestnut bands. There is, however, more white on the wings, where it appears in irregular spots. The feathers 

 of the crown are black, edged with bluish. Bill and feet, black in all stages. 



