1O4 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Male : above pale ash, mottled and vermiculated with 

 darker grey and brown ; feathers of crown barred with 

 brownish-black, and nape, centre of mantle, and scapulars 

 streaked with same ; tail crossed by several irregular 

 bands of brownish-black ; throat buff with fine trans- 

 verse bars of blackish-brown ; under parts dull white, 

 more or less marked with dusky spots and bars ; 

 bill and tarsi brownish. Length nearly 7*00. Female : 

 similar. 



Common throughout southern and midland counties, 

 but scarce in northern counties and in Wales ; to 

 Scotland a very irregular visitor ; in Ireland has occurred 

 twice. About April ist in the southern counties it makes 

 known its arrival by its loud vociferous call-note. The 

 7 or 8 eggs are laid in holes in trees, but it never 

 excavates its own nesting-hole ; they are larger and 

 more oval than those of D. minor, shell being much 

 less glossy and of a dead white ; size '83 by "62. Feeds 

 largely on ants. 



Family Alcedinidee* 



GENUS LXVII. ALCEDO, Lmndsus (1766). 

 Bill long, almost straight, stout and wide at base, 

 diminishing to an acute point. Wings rather short, 

 rounded ; tail of 12 feathers, very short. Legs bare 

 above tarsal joint ; tarsus rather short ; toes rather 

 small, three in front, one behind, the fore toes united 

 at base by a membrane. 



140. Aleedo ispida, Linn. KINGFISHER. 



Hab. Europe, south of lat. 60 ; also N.W. Africa. 



Adult : crown, nape, wing-coverts, and a moustache-like 

 stripe below the chestnut side of head deep greenish-blue, 

 barred with azure-blue ; back and upper tail-coverts 



