KEEL-BREASTED BIRDS, 



273 



and lakes, dashing 

 into the water for 

 their prey, return- 

 ing to devour it 

 upon some branch, 

 and uttering a harsh cry. 

 The nest is a tunnel often 

 six feet long, formed by 

 the male and female in a 

 cliff or bank adjoining the 

 water. The eggs, gen- 

 erally six, are pure white. 

 The Australian and 

 Indian kingfishers are re- 

 markable for their beauty 

 of coloring. The Aus- 

 tralian laughing jackass is 

 one of the largest, and 

 noted for its demoniac 

 laughter. The racket- 

 tailed kingfisher, of the 

 Malay Archipelago (Fig. 

 305), is one of the most 

 beautiful of the group. 



VALUE. The feathers are 

 used in trade. 



The Toucans (Rham- 

 phastidce) are remarkable 

 for their enormous, ser- 

 rated, highly colored bills. 

 The tongue is long and 

 fringed with barbs. They 

 are confined to South 

 America. 



The red-billed toucan 



FIG. 305. Racket-tailed kingfisher. 



