210 



AVES. 



Fitj. 98, — Sternum of Kiiifjfisber. 



r)Oth mandibles of which are serrated, and by having the tongue barbed like a feather, as in t!-.? 

 Toucans; [also short and round wings]. They are handsome birds, approaching the size of a Magpi?, 

 with lax feathers on the head, as in the Jays, [and similar loosely-webbed plumage generally,] a long 

 graduated tail, the two middle feathers of which are stripped of their barbs in the adults for a short 

 space near the end, which occasions a particular form of tail, [this singular mutilation being performci 

 by the birds themselves]. They fly badly, Uve solitarily, nestle in holes [burrowed in sand-hilL] 

 subsist on [fruit and] insects, and even prey on small birds and other animals. 



[Tliey are intermediate to the Bee-eater and Roller a^roiip, and that of the Toucans, but perfectly distinct from 

 either : the stomach is stated by Le Vaillant to be tolerably fleshy. Six or seven species are known]. 



The Kingfishers {Alcedo, Lin.) — 

 Have feet still shorter than in the Bee-eaters, the beak longer, straight, angular, and pointed ; the 

 tongue and [in some instances] the tail very short. Their sternum (fig. 98) has two posterior emargina- 

 tions, as in the Rollers and Bee-eaters. They live on small fish, which they take by precipitating 



themselves into the water from some branch, [or ar- 

 resting themselves suddenly during rapid flight, poising 

 for an instant and then plunging], and return to their 

 perch to gulp their prey, [which they tirst kill by 

 repeatedly beating it against the bough]. Their sto- 

 mach is a membranous sac, [the intestines very long 

 and slender, and without cceca]. They nestle like the 

 Bee-eaters in holes of banks, and are found in both 

 continents. 



That common throughout Europe {A. ispkla, Lin.), is little 

 larger than a Sparrow, of a mottled verditer green above, 

 with a broad band of splendid ultramarine-blue along the 

 back ; the under-parts rufous. [It exemplifies the group to 

 which Alcedo is now more particularly restricted, with lie- 

 ron-like beak, short and rounded wings, splendid colouring, and very short soft tail ; the members of which, all 

 of small size, are peculiar to the eastern hemisphere. 



Others, with similar beak, have little or no vivid colouring, longer wings and tail, and some are of much larger 

 size,— the Ceryle of BoiJ;. Species are found in both continents, and one (A. rudis, Lin.) inhabits the east of Eu- 

 rope. Of the natural group of Rollers, Bee-eaters, and Kingfishers, the present subdivision is the only one found 

 in the New World. 



Numerous other species have lighter and inflated bills, resembling those of Storks ; the wings and tail as in 

 Cerple, the latter in a few instances uneven : they prey on insects, and some of the larger species on crustaceans, 

 and are known as the Halcyons (Halcyon, Swainson). 



Others, again, inhabit desert regions, which they traverse in search of Snakes and other reptiles : they have the 

 general form of the Halcyons, with beak rather more approaching that of the true Kingfishers. They constitute 

 the Dacelo of Leach, which comprehends the largest species of any: are peculiar to Australasia and Australia, 

 in which latter country the most celebrated species (D. gigantea), which is remarkable for its loud and grating 

 prolonged cry, is not uncommon.] 



The Ceyx, Lacepede, — 

 Merely differs from the ordinary Kingfisher in the absence of the inner toe. 

 There are three species in India, [which less require to be separated than the preceding]. 



The Todies {Todus, Lin.) — 

 Are small American birds, nearly similar to the Kingfishers in their general form ; and whicli have the 

 same feet and elongated bill, except that the latter is horizontally flattened, and [generally] obtuse at 

 its extremity, the tarsi being also more elevated, and the tail less shortened. [They have a small and 

 tolerably muscular gizzard, and shorter intestines than perhaps any other bird, with great pedicillate, 

 dilated coeca, resembling those of the Owls : the sternum is doubly emarginated, and similar to that of 

 the Kingfisher (fig. 98), except that it is much shorter, with the crest very low : the tongue is pro- 

 longed into a very thin lamina, like that of the Jacamars.] They live on insects, and nestle in the 

 ground, [burrowing like the Kingfishers, but laying fewer eggs, which are spotted with buff or 

 rust-colour. 

 Three or four species are now known, all chiefly vivid-green, varied with other colours on the throat. Tliey 



