564 AVES— BEE-EATER. ..EUROPEAN KINGFISHER. 



THE BE E-E ATERi 



Is well known on the continent of Europe, though it has never been seen in 

 England. It is about ten inches in length. The forehead is of a blue green ; 

 the top of the head, and upper part of the back, chesnut and green ; the 

 throat is yellow ; and the under parts of the body blue green. Flocks of 

 these birds are seen in Germany. It feeds chiefly upon insects, and is good 

 food. There are about twenty different species, foreign and domestic. 



The Indian bee-eater is about the size of a common blackbird. Its bill is 

 nearly two inches long, and its eyes are of a fine red; on each side of the 

 head extends a black stroke, which begins at the corners of the mouth, and 

 passes beyond the eyes. The base of the upper chap, and under the chin, is 

 covered with bright pale blue feathers ; the upper and back part of the head 

 are of a dusky yellow ; the back and wings of the same color, only shaded 

 pretty strongly with a green ; the tips of the quill feathers brown, the breast 

 and belly green ; the thighs and under part near the .vent, of a pale yellow, 

 witli a small green mixture. The tail consists of about twelve feathers; the 

 outermost on each side are of a green and yellow mixture, about three 

 inches in length, the two middlemost twice that length, ending in sharp 

 points, of a brown or dusky color ; the legs and feet black. 



They principally feed on bees, beetles, grasshoppers, and other insects. 

 They build in hollow places or caverns five or six feet deep, and lay six or 

 seven eggs. 



THE EUROPEAN KINGFISHER. 2 



Tins kingfisher is not much larger than a swallow ; its shape is compact ; 

 the legs, however, are disproportionabiy small, and the bill disproportionably 

 long ; it is two inches from the base to the tip ; the upper chap black, and 

 the lower yellow ; but the colors of this bird atone for whatever is inelegant 

 in its form ; the crown of the head, and the coverts of the wings, are of a 

 deep blackish green, spotted with bright azure ; the back and tail are of the 

 most resplendent azure ; the whole under side of the body is orange colored ; 

 a broad mark of the same passes from the bill beyond the eyes ; beyond that 

 is a large white spot; the tail is short, and consists of twelve feathers of a 



' Mcrops apiasfcr, Lix. The genus Mcrops lias the bill sharp edged, pointed, slightly 

 curved; nostrils basal, lateral, ovoid, concealed by hairs directed forwards; tarsus sliort, 

 three front toes united, the exterior to the second joint, the interior to the first joint of the 

 middle toe ; hind toe broad at its base ; the second wing feather the longest. 



^ Alcedo is]]ida,'Lis. The genus Alcedo has the bill long, straight, quadrangular, 

 pointed, edged, and very rarel}' depressed ; nostrils basal, lateral, pierced obliquely, 

 almost wholly closed by a naked membrane ; legs short, naked above tlie knee ; exterior 

 toe united to the second joint, and the interior to the first joint of the middle toe. 



