ALCEBINIB^ -ALCEBININ^: KINGFISHERS. 



469 



146. 



are included within their number. . . . ' Their characteristic habit is to sit motionless watching 

 for their prey, to dart after it and seize it on the wing, and to return to their original position 

 to swallow it.' .. . The AlcedinidcB 

 nest in holes and lay white eggs. It 

 is, however, to be remarked that, in 

 accordance with a modification of the 

 habits of the various genera, a cor- 

 responding modification has taken 

 place in the mode of nidification, the 

 piscivorous section of the family nest- 

 ing for the most part in holes in the 

 banks of streams, while the insectiv- 

 orous section of the family generally 

 nest in the holes of trees, not nec- 

 essarily in the vicinity of water." 

 (Sharps.) 



The nearest allies of the King- 

 fishers are the Hornbills {Bucero- 

 tidce) and Hoopoes (Upivpidce) of 

 the Old World, and the Toucans 

 (Bhamphastidce) and Barbets (Gap- 

 itonidce) of the New. All these 

 families, like the Woodpeckers 

 (Piddce), agree in'being anomalo- 

 gonatous, with two carotids, a 

 tufted oil-gland, and no ccBca. The 

 formula of the leg-muscles is the Pie. 320. — A typical Kingfisher, the European Alcedo ispida. 



same as in Trogonidee, the acoes- (From Dixon.) 



sory fomoro-caudal, accessory semiteudinosus and ambiens all being absent. (Gareod.) One 

 would gain an imperfect or ewoneous idea of the family to judge of it by the American fragment, 

 of one genus and 6 or 8 species. According to the author of the splendid monograph above cited, 

 there are in all 125 species, belonging to 19 genera; the latter appear to be very judiciously 

 handled, but a moderate reduction of the former will be required. They are very unequally 

 distributed. Ceryle alone is nearly cosmopolitan, absent only from the Australian region; the 

 Northern portion of the Old World has only 2 peculiar species ; 3 genera and 24 species are 

 characteristic of the Ethiopian region 7 one genus and 25 species are confined to the Indian : 

 while no less than 10 genera and 59 species are peculiar to the Australian. Mr. Sharpe recog- 

 nizes two subfamilies ; in the insectivorous Daceloninee (with 14 genera and 84 species), the 

 bUl is more or less depressed, with smooth, rounded, or sulcate culmen. In the 



35. Subfamily ALCEDININ^, Piscivorous Kingfishers, 



the bill is compressed with carinate culmen. The American species all belong here. It is the 

 moi-e particularly piscivorous section ; the Bacelonmce feed for the most part upon insects, rep- 

 tiles and land moUusks. Ceryle is the only American genus, with 2 North American species. 

 They are thoroughly aquatic and piscivorous, seeking their prey by plunging into the water 

 from on wing ; and nest in holes in banks, laying numerous white eggs. 

 CE'BYLE. (Gr. KripvXos, Tcerulos, a kingfisher.) Belted Kingfishers. Head with an 

 occipital crest. Bill longer than head, straight, stout, acute. Wings long and pointed. Tail 

 rather long and broad (in comparison with some genera), much shorter than wing. Tarsi 

 short ; legs naked above the tibio-tarsal joint. Plumage belted below. 



