468 



AMBOYNA. 



[chap. XX. 



siptera nais, one of 

 the most singular and 

 beautiful of that beau- 

 tiful family. These 

 birds differ from all other 

 kingfishers (which have 

 usually short tails) by hav- 

 ing the two middle tail- 

 feathers immensely length- 

 ened and very narrowly 

 webbed, but terminated by 

 a spoon shaped enlargement, 

 as in the motmots and 

 some of the humming-birds. 

 They belong to that division 

 of the family termed king- 

 hunters, living chiefly on 

 insects and small land-mol- 

 luscs, which they dart down 

 upon and pick up from the 

 ground, just as a kingfisher 

 picks a fish out of the water. 

 They are confined to a very 

 limited area, comprising the 

 Moluccas, New Guinea, and 

 Northern Australia. About 



RACQUET-TAILED KIKGFISHliR. 



