ALCEDINID.E — THE KINGFISHERS. 39^ 



Family ALCEDINIDiE. — The Kingkisueks. 



Char. Head large ; bill long, strong, straight, and sub-pyramidal, usually longer than 

 till! liend. Tongue very small. Wings short; legs small; the outer and middle toes 

 united to their middle. Toes with the usual number of joints (2, 3, 4, 5). 



The gape of tlie bill in the KiugHshers is large, reaching to beneath the 

 eyes. The tliird primary is generally longest ; the first decidedly shorter ; 

 the secondaries vary from twelve to fifteen in number, all nearly ecpial. 

 The secondaries cover at least three quarters of the wing. The tail is sliort, 

 the leathers twelve in number ; they are rather narrow, the outer usually 

 shorter. The lower part of the tibia is bare, leaving the joint and the tarsus 

 uncovered. The tarsus is covered anteriorly with plates ; behind, it is 

 shagreen-like or granulated. The hind toe is connected with the inner, so 

 as to form with it and the others a regular sole, which extends unl)roken 

 beneath the middle and outer as far as the latter are united. The inner toe 

 i" much shorter than the outer. The claws are sharp ; the middle expanded 

 on its inner edge, but not pectinated. 



The North American species of Kingfisher belong to the subfamily 

 Ccrylincp, characterized by the crested head, and the plumage varying with 

 sex and age. The single genus Ccryle includes two types, Strqitoccryk and 

 Chloroceryle. 



Genus CERYLE, Boie. 



Cmih, BoiE, Lsis, 1828, 316, cli. (Type, Alccdo ntdis of Africa.) 

 hpida, Sw. Hirds, II, 1837, 336. (Type, A. aki/un, in part.) 



Gkn. Char. Bill long, straight, and strong, the culmen slightly advancing on the fore- 

 head and sloping to the acute tip ; the sides much compr'esscd ; the lateral margins rather 

 dilated at the base, and straight to the tip ; the gonys long and ascending. Tail rather 

 long and broad. Tarsi short and stcut. 



This genus is distinguished from typical Alcedo (confined to the Old 

 World) by the longer tail, an indented groove on each side the culmen, 

 inner toe much longer tlian the hinder instead of equal, etc. 



The two species of North American Kingfishers belong to two different 

 subgenera of modern systematists, the one to Streptoceryk, Bonap., the other 

 to Chloroceryle, Kaup. The characters of these subgenera are as follows : — 



Streptoceryle, Bonap. (1854). Bill very stout and thick. Tarsns about 

 equal to the hind toe; much shorter than the inner anterior. Plumage 

 without metallic gloss ; the occipital feathers much elongated, linear, and 

 distinct. Type, C. aki/on. 

 Chloroceryle, Knup (1849). Size smaller and shape more slender than in 



