88 



cassell's book of birds. 



of the feathered creation as subsist by fishing, they are quiet, indolent, and wary in their habi-ts, 

 seeking their prey either alone or, at most, in pairs. As regards their powers of locomotion, they 

 have little to distinguish them ; it is true, they possess a certain skill in diving and swimming, but 

 on the ground or in the air their deportment is extremely clumsy. Of their senses, sight and 

 hearing appear to be highly developed ; but, with these exceptions, we must pronounce these birds 

 to hold a very low place in the scale of intelligence, and to exhibit but one attractive quality— that 

 of warm attachment to their eggs and young. Fish, insects, and crabs constitute their principal 



THE EUROPEAN KINGFISHER (Alcedo ispida). 



means of subsistence, and these are principally obtained by diving. The numerous eggs laid by the 

 members of this group are deposited in a hole excavated in the ground, the extreme end of which 

 forms the actual nest. 



THE EUROPEAN KINGFISHER. 

 The European Kingfisher {Alcedo ispida) is recognisable by its long, thin, straight, and 

 powerful beak, which is much compressed at its tip. The foot is small ; the centre of the three front 

 toes is connected with the external toe as far as the second, and with the short inner toe to the first 

 joint ; the hind toe is very small ; the third quill in the short, blunt wing exceeds the rest in length ; 

 the tail is formed of twelve small feathers. The thick, compact plumage is very brilliant, with a 

 metallic gloss above, and a silky gloss on the under side. The feathers on the head are prolonged 

 into a crest. As it would be impossible to mistake the European Kingfisher for any other bird, it will 



