BELTED KINGFISHER. 



35] 



its favourite streams^ the Belted Kingfisher is only a summer migrant, and 

 leaves in autumn for the south. They are said to migrate singly, and the 

 young birds leave before their parents. 



The male Belted Kingfisher has the general colour of the upper parts 

 and a broad band across the breast slaty blue, without any metaUic lustre. 

 The head is adorned with a bushy crest. The primaries have the basal 

 half white, the secondaries and wing-coverts have white tips, and the tail 

 is transversely barred with white. The general colour of the underparts 

 (with the exception of the slate-grey chest-band and flanks) is white, with 

 a small white streak from the base of the bill to the eye. Bill black ; legs 

 and feet brown, claws black ; irides dark brown. The female diflers from 

 the male in having the chest-band mottled with brown, and the flanks and 

 a band across the belly are chestnut. Young birds are said to resemble 

 the female. 



