300 



I'ASSI'.r.ES.- 



-BIRUS.- 



-AIAEUIXI1>,K. 



sists principally of insects, of wliich it devours great 

 quantities ; and Mr. Gould states that, on the banks of 

 the Hunter river, its favourite diet consists of the 

 larva3 of a species of ant, which it procures by digging 

 lioles into the nest. It will also devour small snakes 

 and lizards, and on the coast it feeds freely on crabs 

 and other Crustacea. It breeds in the hollow spouts 

 of the gum-trees, or in hcUow apple-trees, and tlie 

 breeding season commences in October. The eggs are 

 four or live in number, and pure white. 



Several other species of the genus Halcijon inhabit 

 Australia; they are all birds of brilliant plumage, but 

 their habits are very similar to those of the preceding 

 species. 



THE SACRED KINGFISHER {Halryon sacra), which 

 is a native (if the Society Islands, and of some other 

 parts of the Polynesian Archipelago, is of a blue colour 

 above, and whitish beneath ; over each eye is a pale 

 red streak, and underneath a blue stripe. It is called 

 the Sacred Kinglisher on account of the veneration 

 in which it was held by the natives of Otaheite, who 

 regarded it as a divinity, mider the name of Ealaa. 



THE WHITE-HEADED KINGFISHER {Halcyon Icuco- 

 cpphalu), a nalix'e of India and Java, measures about 

 twelve inches in length, and is of a bluish-green coloiir, 

 with the head and neck, and the lower surface, yel- 

 lownsh-white ; the crown of the head is streaked with 

 black ; the bill is of a blood-red colour. This S|)ecies, 

 which is called the Giirial by the Iliniloos of I'engal, 

 where it is more common than in other parts of India, 

 is a powerful and courageous bird ; one of theiii has 

 been seen to compel a hawk of considerable size to 

 quit his hold upon it b^' a severe blow upon the chest. 

 Unlike the preceding species, this bird is a fisher, 

 ]iercliing upon a bush or tree close to the water, and 

 watching there for the appearance of its prej', upon 

 which it darts down with a sudden and violent plunge. 

 Its note is a sort of screaming la\igh. 



THE INDIAN KINGFISHER {Ihdciion fmca), an 

 abundant species in the peninsula of Hindostan, and in 

 the countries to the eastward, is also a fishing bird, 

 commonly frcqui'nting the banks of rivers and brooks, 

 and the wet paddy-fields, where it preys vjpon small 

 fishes, frogs, tadpoles, and aquatic insects. It does 

 not confine itself to those situations, however, but also 

 visits the dry cultivated ground in searoli of small 

 lizards, grasshoppers, and other insects. Its voice is a 

 loud, harsh, rattling scream. Passing over several 

 other Indian species, we may notice — 



THE RED-BELLIED KINGFISHER [Halcyon semi- 

 cxndea), an inhabitant of Senegal, and other parts of 

 the west coast of Africa. This bird is of a bluish- 

 green colour above, with a black streak behind the 

 eyes, and a black spot on tlie wings; the lower sur- 

 face is yellowish-red. Tlie length of the bird is about 

 twelve inches. It is described by Forster as the Crab- 

 eating kingfisher, but this may be only an occasional 

 habit. Other African species arc the Senegal King- 

 fisher (//. scnc'jalcitsls) ; the Blue-collared King- 

 risilEK {H. cincrcifmns) ; the Ciielicuti Kinckisiikr 

 (//. Chclicuti); and the riEOWN-liOODKU KiNGEismoR 

 (//. fuscicnpilla), the last from the Cape of Good 

 Hope. 



THE TERN ATE KINGFISHER (Tanysiptera Dea), so 

 called from its Iiaving been originally discovered in the 

 island of Ternate, is also abmidant in New Guinea, 

 where, according to Lesson, it is named Mancsoukouo 

 by the natives. It is remarkable for having the two 

 middle feathers of the wedge-shaped tail excessively 

 elongated in the male ; they are narrowed in the 

 middle, and again expanded at the apex. Two other 

 allied species have been described. 



THE THREE-TOED KINGFISHER (CV»/,c tridaclyln), 

 with three or four allied species, inhabits the islands of 

 the Eastern Archipelago. Little is known of the 

 habits of these birds, which differ from Halcyon, as 

 Ceryle does from Alcrdo, namely, in the want of the 

 irmer front toe. The foot has only three toes, two in 

 front, and one behind, and the anterior toes are united 

 for the greater part of their length. The thiee-toed 

 Kingfisher is of an azure-blue colour above, and 

 yellowish-wliito beneath ; its bill is yellowish. 



THE GREEN JACAMAR {Galhida virtdis). The 

 group to which the name of Jacaraars is given by 

 ornithologists, is distinguished by having a long, slen- 

 der, straight, or slightly curved and pointed bill, less 

 powerful than that of the species described in the pre- 

 ceding pages ; a long, graduated tail, short tarsi, and 

 the toes arranged either in two pairs, or two in front 

 and one behind, the anterior toes being united. They 

 are all brilliant birds, and inhabit the tropical parts of 

 the western hemis])hcre. 



The Green Jacamar is an iidiabitant of Brazil and 

 Guiana, where it dwells in the recesses of the forest, 

 and passes its life in solitude. It feeds entirely npun 

 insects, which it pursues with a short but rapid flight. 

 According to some writers, this bird has an agreeable 

 song. The eggs are deposited in a hole of a ti-ee. 

 This bird is about eight inches in length, and is very 

 brilliant in its appearance, the whole upper surface of 

 the body being of a beautiful golden-green colour, the 

 breast yellow, traversed by a broad band of golden 

 green, and the belh' reddish. 



THE LONG-TAILED JACAMAR (Galbida leptiira)— 

 Plate 7, fig. '-2 — a native of Brazil and Guiana, is of a 

 golden coppery-green colour above and red beneath, 

 with a golden green band across the breast, and the chin 

 and throat white ; the tail is long, with the feathers 

 gradually increasing in length to the two middle ones, 

 which are the longest, and golden green, the rest being 

 red. The total length of the bird is rather more tliaii 

 ten inches. The Long-tailed Jacamar resides in the 

 moist woods, where it leads a solitary life, perching 

 upon branches at a moderate height from the ground, 

 and often sitting there motionless for a considerable 

 portion of the day. It is not uncommon, and its flesh 

 is sometimes eaten by the natives of Brazil. Its song 

 is said to be agreeable, although very short. 



THE PARADISE JACAMAR {Galbida paradisca) is 

 another long-tailed species, which inhabits Guiana. 

 It measures nearly a foot in length, but of this a gi'oat 

 deal is to be attributed to the tail, of which the two 

 middle feathers are six inches long; the feathers on 

 each side of these diminish rapidly in length, the outer- 

 most being only about one inch long. Its plumage is 

 green above, with various lustres, according to the 



