34 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



for hours in the same place. They are often met among flocks of other birds, 

 such as Flycatchers, Tanagers, Creepers, and Woodpeckers." 1 



All of the Trogons, whose mode of nidification is known, resort to natural 

 cavities in trees or to some of the larger woodpecker holes, the eggs being depos- 

 ited in the bottom of the hole, on the rubbish or chips which may be found in it. 

 These are said to vary from two to four, more likely the former number. As 

 far as known, they are unspotted; the egg of the handsome Quezal (Pharmocrus 

 mocinno) is described as of a pale bluish-green color; that of the Mexican Trogon 

 (Trogon mexicanus) is said to be very pale greenish, while the eggs of Trogon 

 swrucua from Paraguay are said to be pure white. 



I have seen eggs purporting to belong to this species; but their large size, 

 as well as the source from which they came, do not warrant me in giving 

 measurements or a description of these specimens, and as far as I know genuine 

 eggs of the Coppery-tailed Trogon still remain to be described. 



Family ALCEDINID^E. Kingfishers. 

 12. Ceryle alcyon (Linnaeus). 



BELTED KINGFISHER. 



Alcedo alcyon Linnaeus, Systeina Nature, ed., 10, 1, 1758, 115. 

 Ceryle <deyon Bonaparte, Proceedings Zoological Society, 1837, 108. 

 (B 117, C 286, R 382, 423, TJ 390.) 



Geographical range: North America generally; south to Panama and the West 

 Indies. 



The Belted Kingfisher, ordinarily simply called "Kingfisher," is one of our 

 best-known birds, and it is generally distributed in suitable localities throughout 

 the North American Continent, though seldom very common anywhere. Its 

 breeding range extends from Florida and Texas north to the shores of Labrador, 

 Hudson Bay, the Arctic Ocean, and Bering Sea. In the more northern parts of 

 its range it is only a summer resident, but not a few winter in some of the New 

 England and other Northern States, as well as in Oregon and Washington, on 

 the Pacific coast. These birds which brave the severe winter climate along - our 

 northern border are probably migrants from the far North, and better adapted 

 to withstand the cold, the only requisite being sufficient open water to enable 

 them to obtain their necessary supply of food. In the mountain regions of 

 Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana they range to an altitude of 9,000 feet in 

 summer, and perhaps still higher, while in the southern Sierra Nevada they 

 reach nearly the same elevations. 



In its general appearance the Kingfisher is a striking but rather top-heavy 

 looking bird; its satin-like plumage feels dense and smooth to the touch, as if it 

 was oiled, while its soft, weak feet look out of all proportion to its rather large 



1 Monograph of the Trogonidte, 2d ed., 1875, PI. VIII, not paged. .„ 



