210 



7WES. 



liotli manilililcs of ^^lllcl) aix' &cn-;iioil, and by having the tongue harhod ]ike a fcallier, as in t!:e 

 Toucan^ ; [al^o shurt and round wing^]. Tlioy arc handsome biid^, ap}iroaehing llie size of a '\lagpie, 

 with lax Icatlirrs on llie liuad, as in the J;i\?s, [and similar looSfly-wehhed plnniage generally,] a jong 

 graduated tail, the two middle feathers of which are stripped of their harhs in the adults for a short 

 space near the end, which occasions a particular fnrin oi tail, [this singular mutilation being perfrirnied 

 by the birds themselves]. They ily badly, live solitarily, nestle in holes [Ijnrrowed in sand-hill.-,], 

 subsist on [fruit and] insects, and even jMey on small birds and other animals. 



[Tliey are intermediate to the Bee-eater and Ititllrr -.rnnii, ;ni(l that of the Toucans, but perfectly itistinct from 

 eitlii-r : tlie stomach is stated by Le Yaillant to Ik; tnlci.iMy li!;>liy. Six or seven species are tcnovtu]. 



Till': Kingfishers (Alccdo, Lin,} — 

 Have feet still shorter than in the Bee-eaters, the beak longer, straiglit, angular, and pointed ; tlie 



tongue and [in some instances] the tail very short. Their sternum (tig. 08) has two posterior emargina- 

 tions, as in the Padlers and 13ce-eaters. They live on small fisli, Avhicli they take by ]n-ccipitating 



thrmsclves into the water from ^ome branch, [or ar- 

 resting thi;ni^_,rlves suddenly during rapid flight, }ioi:^lng 

 for an instant and tlien jilnngiiiL^], and return to their 

 percli to gulp their prey, [which tliey tir^t kill by 

 repeatedly beating it against the bough]. Their sto- 

 mach is a nienibranous sac, [tlie illtc:^tines very long 

 and slender, and without eceea]. Thoy nestle like the 

 Dee-eaters in hoh'^ of banks, and are found in both 

 continents. 



Tliat common threugliout luirope (.1. isjiuhi, Lin.), is little 

 lar;;-er tlian u Sparrow, of a muttled verditer jrreen above, 

 with a liroad band of splendid ultramarine-blue along the 

 back ; tlie uiider-parts rufous. [It exemplities the group to 

 winch Alci-'lo is now more particularly restricted, with lie- 

 ron-hke beak, snnrt and rounded wings, splendid colouring, and very ^^h^:lrt soft tail ; the menibers of which, all 

 of smalt size, are peculiar to the eastern hemisphere. 



Others, with similar beak, liave Uttle or no vivid colouring, longer \vin;,^s and tail, and some are of much larger 

 size,— the Cen/fe of 13oit'. Species are found in both continents, and one (A. rndis, Liu.) inhabits the east of Eu- 

 rope. (If the natural group of Rollers, llee-eaters, and Kingfishers, the present subdivision is the only one found 

 in the New AVoiM. 



Numerous utiier species ha\e lighter and inlluted lulls, resenib!inj2; those of Stuiks; the wind's and tail as in 

 C''ri//i\ the latter in a few instances imeven : they prey on insects, and some of the larger species un crustaceans, 

 anil arc known as the Halcyons (Halci/on, Swaiusou). 



(Itliers, again, inhahit desert regions, which they traA'erse in search of Snakes and other reptiles : they have tiie 

 general form of the Halcyons, with beak rather more aiiproacliing that of the true Kingfishers. They constitute 

 i\iQ Do eel oi Leacli, which comprehends the largest species of any: are peculiar to Austi-alasia and Australia, 

 in whicli latter country the most celebrated sjx'cies (D. ijujantfii), whieh is remarkable for its loud and gi'ating 

 prolonged cry, is not uncommon.] 



The Cevx, Lacepede, — 



Merely differs from the ordinary Kingfisher in the absence of the inner toe. 



There are three species in India, [which less require to be separated than the preceding]. 



The Toimics {Todns, Lin.) — 

 Are small American rnrds, nearly similar to the Kingfishers in their general form ; and which have the 



same feet and elongated l)ill, except that the latter is horizontally llattencd, and [generally] obtuse at 

 its extremity, the tarsi being also more elevated, and the tail less shortened. [Tiiey have a small and 

 tolerably muscular giy!,zard, and shorter intestines than perhaps any other bird, with great pedieillate, 

 dilated cceca, resembling those of the Owls : the sleinum is doubly cmargimitcd, and similar to Ih.at of 

 tlie Kingfisher (fig. OS), except that it is much shorter, with the crest very low : the tmigue is pro- 

 -Onged into a very thin lamina, Uke that of the Jacarnars.] They live on insects, and nestle in the 

 ground, [burrowing like the Kinghshcrs, but laying fewer eggs, which are spotted with luiti' or 

 just-colour. 





Three or four species are now known, all chi 



\i\'iil-green, varied with other colours on tiie throat. They 



