DACELO LEACHII. 



(Leacli's Kingfisher.) 



Male.— Head and back of the neck, white, streaked with brown ; sides of the neck and under surface, white, crossed by numerous narrow 

 irregular bars of brown, which become broader and more marked on the flanks ; back, dark brown ; wing coverts and rump, bright shining 

 verditer blue ; centre of wing, deep blue ; primaries, blue on the outer, and black on the inner, webs ; the basal portions of the same, white ; 

 tail, deep blue, all but the two central feathers irregularly barred near their extremities, and largely tipped with white ; bill, blackish brown 

 on the upper, and buff on the lower, mandible ; irides, dark brown ; feet, olive. 



Temale.— Is similarly colored to the male, though not so brightly, with the exception of the tail, which is chestnut brown, 

 barred with bluish black. 



Length, 19^ inches ; wing, 8i ; tail, 5^ ; bill, 4 ; tarsus, 1. 



This large and powerful species of Kingfisher is found throughout the whole of Queensland, being as plentiful at Eockhampton 

 as D. G-igantea is to the south. It occurs, though by no means abundantly, in the neighborhood of Brisbane and Ipswich, and in its habits is 

 similar to the common species. It feeds on reptiles, centipedes, and insects, and dives under the water for fish, which are carried to the 

 nearest log, beaten to death, and devoured entire. It is sometimes destructive among young chickens, watching its opportunity and quietly 

 dropping on its prey, carrying it off" without the noise and disturbance caused by the swoop of a hawk, and consequently escaping without 

 detection or suspicion. From its great size and strength, this Dacelo is able to encounter snakes of considerable size ; and the indiscriminate 

 slaughter of so useful a bird ought on every occasion to be strongly condemned. Its note difi'ers from that of Grigantea in being more harsh 

 and not lengthened into the peculiar laugh of that bird. It builds its nest in the hollow branch of a tree, the same being formed of strips of 

 dry bark and similar materials. Eggs^— two, white, and nearly round. 



