ALCEDO Asiatica. 

 Asiatic Kingsjiiiher. 



Generic Character.— See PI. 26. 



Specific Character. 

 A. capite nigra, fasciis transversis cyaneis, postict cristato; aurlbits cj/aneis ; 

 mento, gula, striguque lutcrali colli alhescentibus ; dorso nitidc caruleo ; 

 corpore subtiis rufo. 



Head black, transversely banded with mazarine blue, the hinder part 

 crested : ears blucish ; chin, throat, and lateral stripe on each side 

 the neck whitish ; back shining light-blue; body beneath rufous. 



1 HE general resemblance between this and the European Kings- 

 fisher may have been the cause why it has remained hitherto un- 

 noticed by ornithologists. It bears, however, on closer inspec- 

 tion, a strong and peculiar distinction in the crest at the back of 

 the head, in being much smaller in size, and especially as inha- 

 biting the hottest parts of India ; while our own braves the cold 

 of a Siberian winter. 



Total length six inches, of which the bill from the angle of the 

 mouth to the tip occupies one inch and three-quarters, and is 

 black, with the under mandible paler; the ears and the upper 

 part of the head and neck are bltieish-black, transversely banded 

 ^vith somewhat crescent-shaped narrow bands of a rich deep 

 blue, which are broken into spots on the crest and ears : from 

 the base of the under mandible is a black stripe richly glossed 

 M'ith blue, and carried down on each side the neck, between 

 which and the upper part is a whitish stripe beginning just be- 

 hind the ears (this in the European species is rufous). The 

 wing-covers, scapulars and lesser quills are blackish glossed with 

 blue, the two former having a bright spot at the end of each 

 feather; superior and greater quills entirely blackish ; down the 

 middle of the back, rump, and tail-covers, light and vivid blue, 

 with a slight tinge of greenish ; chin and throat cream-colour ; 

 line between the nostrils and eyes, margin of the shoulders, 

 imdcr wing-covers, and all the lower parts of the body, rufous ; 

 tail deep and obscure blue ; legs red. 



My specimen came from some part of India ; I have met with 

 others from the same place; and Dr. Uorsiield has likewise ob- 

 served it in Java. 

 PI. 00. 



