of the hamilton" association. 183 



Suborder ALCYONES. Kingfishers. 



Family ALCEDINID^. Kingfishers. 



Genus CERYLE Boie. 



Subgenus STREPTOCERYLE Bonaparte. 



160. CERYLE ALCYON (Linn.). 390. 



Belted Kingfisher. 



Upper parts, broad pectoral bar, and sides under wings, duU blue with 

 fine black shaft lines ; lower eyelid, spot before eye, a cervical collar and 

 under-parts, except as said, pure white ; the female with a chestnut belly 

 band, and the sides of the same color, quills and tail feathers black, speckled, 

 blotched and barred with white on the inner webs ; outer webs of the 

 secondaries and tail feathers like the b'kck ; wing-coverts frequentl}' sprinkled 

 with white ; bill black, pale at base below ; feet dark. Length, 12 or more ; 

 wing, about 6 ; tail, 3^ ; whole foot, i^ ; bill, about 2J. 



Hab. North America, south to Panama and the West Indies. 



Nest, none. 



Eggs, 6 to 8 ; white, deposited in an enlargement at the end of a tunnel, 

 4 to 8 feet deep, dug by the bird into a sand bank or gravel pit. 



The Kingfisher is generall}- distributed throughout Ontario. 

 It arrives early in April, and soon makes its presence known b}' 

 its loud rattling cr}-, as it dashes along and perches on a 

 horizontal bough overhanging the river. On some such point 

 of observation it usualty waits and watches for its scaly prey, 

 but when passing over open water of greater extent it is often 

 observed to check its course, hover Hawk-like at some distance 

 above the surface, and then dash into the water after the manner 

 of a Tern. If a fish is secured it is carried in the bill to some 

 convenient perch, on which it is hammered till dead, and then 

 swallowed head downwards. 



The Kingfisher is a strong flier, and is sometimes seen 

 careering at a considerable height as if for exercise. 



They remain in their summer haunts till the end of 

 September, when they all move farther south. 



