292 BIRDS. | 
banks of streams, and are found in both continents. The European 
species, 
A. ispida, Enl. 77; Naum. 144, The size of a Finch; greenish, 
waved with black above; underneath, and a band on each side of the 
neck, reddish; a wide band of the most beautiful aquamarina blue 
along the back. 
The species foreign to Europe have almost all also a smooth 
plumage variegated with different shades of blue and green. 
They may be distinguished among themselves by the bill; which 
in some is simply straight and pointed as in the common species*, 
and, in others, has an inflated lower mandible +. 
Of those found in New Holland and its neighbouring countries, 
some have a mandible hooked at the pointf. The greyish and dull 
plumage of several of the latter is an indication of their not visiting 
the water; and, in fact, they feed on insects, whence they have been 
called King-hunters. 
Cryx, Lacep. 
King-fishers with the usual bill, but in which the internal toe is defi. 
cient. Three species are found in India §. 
Tonous, Lin. 
The Todies are small birds of America, resembling the King-fishers in 
their general form, as well as in their feet and elongated bill; but the 
latter is horizontally flattened, and obtuse at the point. The tarsus also 
is higher, and the tail not so short. They feed on flies, and build on the 
ground ||. 
We terminate the history of this order with the most singular of its ge- 
* Alc. (afra, Sh.) maxima, Enl. 679;—alcyon, 715 and 593, and Wils., Am. ITT, 
Rxxili, 1;—torquata, 284;—rudis, 62 and 716 ;—bicolor, 592;—americana, 591;—ben- 
galensis, Edw. 11;—ceeruleo-cephala, Enl. 356, 2;—cristata, 756, 1;—madagascariensis, 
778, 1;—purpurea, 778, 2;—superciliosa, 756, 1 and 2;—cinerifrons, Vieill. Gal. 187; 
—Biru, Horsf. Jav., and T. Col. 289, 1;—semi-torquata, Swains. Il. 154:—asiatica, 
Tb. 50. 
+ AL. capensis, 599;—atricapilla, 673;—smirnensis, 232 and 894, one of the two 
species distinguished by Aristotle;—dea, 116, of which Vigors makes his genus Ta- 
NYSIPTERA;—chlorocephala, 783, 2;—coromanda, Somer. 218;—leucocephala (java- 
nica, Sh.), 757 ;—senegalensis, 594 and 356;—eancrophaga, Sh. 334;—melanorhynca, 
T. Col. 391;—omnicolor, T. Col. 185;—diops, Id. Col. 212;—Dacelo eoncreta, Id. Col. 
346;—Dacelo cinnamominus, Swains. Ill. 67. Itis from this division that M. Leach 
has made his genus DactELo. 
N.B. In several of the fig. Enl. the bills are not sufficiently inflated. 
t Alcedo fusca (gigantea, Sh.), Enl. 663; Vieill. Gal. 188 ;—Dacelo pulchella, Horsf. 
Jav. and T. Col. 262;—Dac. Gaudichaud, Quoy and Gaym. Voy. de Freycin. pl. xxv. 
N.B. M. Lesson separates the species with denticulated bills from the King-fishers, 
by the name of Syma; and by that of ToprIRAmMPHEs, those whose bill is a little de- 
pressed and without a ridge, such as dlcedo sacra, Lath. See his Mém. among those 
of the Soc. d’ Hist. Nat. tom. IIT, pl. xi and xii. 
§ Aleedo trydactyla, Pall. and Gm.; Pall. Spic. VI, pl. 11, £2; Sonner, pl. xxvii; 
—Ale. tribrachys, Sh. Nat. Mise. XVI, pl. 681;—Ale. meninting, Horsf., C1. 239, 2. 
\| Todus viridis, Enl. 585, 1 and 2, and Vieill. Gal. 124;—7. ceruleus, En). 788, 1. 
Authors have very improperly placed among the Todies, true Muscipete, with an 
