THE SEARCHERS. 9I 



were deposited. The latter vary both in form and colour ; those we saw were oval in shape, and 

 pure white. 



The ALCYONS {Halcyones) are at once recognisable from the Kingfishers by the superior 

 development of their wings, their greater breadth of beak, and more powerful feet. The plumage 

 is lax and of brilliant hue, and, in some species, rivals that of any member of the feathered creation 

 in gorgeous beauty. Africa, Southern Asia, Australia, and the islands in their vicinity, afford a 

 home to the numerous and varied members of this group; in America and Europe they are 

 unrepresented. All are more or less inh.abitants of woodland districts, and but few exhibit a decided 

 preference for the vicinity of water. Unlike the Kingfisher, the Alcyons are active in their habits, 

 and, when winging their way through the air, equal the Bee-eater in agility and grace. But few 

 move with ease upon the ground, or are capable of obtaining their prey by plunging beneath the 

 water; they usually procure the insects, beetles, and grasshoppers on which they mainly subsist 

 by darting down upon them from a chosen lurking-place among the branches of their favourite trees. 

 Some, we are told, will even attack snakes, while others destroy large numbers of other birds' eggs 

 and young. Such as possess sufficient zeal to obtain a few fish or crabs, exhibit but little skill 

 either in swimming or diving after them. The voice of all is loud and peculiar, and, as far as our 

 own observation goes, their intelligence and senses are not highly developed. Their neatly- 

 constructed nest is usually placed in a tree, or hollow in a stone or in the ground. The eggs are pure 

 white and very glossy. 



The TREE ALCYONS {Halcyones) are recognisable by their long, straight, broad beak, which 

 in some species turns slightly upwards, their short feet, moderate-sized and rounded wing, with its 

 third quill only a trifle longer than the fourth and fifth, and a comparatively short and rounded tail. 



THE RED-BREASTED TREE ALCYON. 



The Red-Breasted Tree Alcyon {Halcyon rufivaitris) is black on the mantle, and reddish 

 brown on the under side ; the head, back, and sides of the throat are ash-grey ; the lower part of the 

 back, the tail, and a large spot on the wings are of a metallic green ; the front of the throat is pure 

 white, the breast dirty white, and the cheek-stripes black. When seen from beneath, the wing is of 

 reddish brown, marked with white, and tipped with black ; the under side of the tail is similarly 

 coloured ; the eye is brown, the beak and feet red. This species is eight inches and a half long ; the 

 wing measures three inches and a half, and the tail two inches and a half 



The Halcyon rufivetitris is an inhabitant of Western and Central Africa, where, according to our 

 own observations in Eastern Soudan, it principally frequents well-watered and woodland districts, in 

 preference to the scanty growth of brushwood to be found in the vast and arid steppes. The nest 

 usually contains three round, glossy white eggs ; these are laid in October or November, and are 

 hatched by the united care of both parents ; on the male alone, however, devolves the task of rearing 

 the nestlings. 



The WOOD -ALCYONS {Todiramphus) have the beak still shorter, broader, and more 

 decidedly turned upwards than in the birds last mentioned ; the wing is also somewhat larger, and its 

 second quill almost equals the third in length. The various members of this group principally 

 inhabit Australia and the most extensive of the neighbouring islands ; whilst in India, although they 

 are occasionally met with, the species are few and comparatively rare. 



