ALCEDININ.E. 



Alcyone Swains.* 

 Differs from the former genus by the total absence of the inner toe. 



The species that compose this division are found in the Indian Archipelago, New Guinea, and Australia. Their habits 

 and manners are similar to those of the former genus. 



1. A. azurea (Lath.) Swains. Zool. 111. pi. 26., Jard. & Selby, 

 Illustr. Orn. t. 55. f. 1., Lewin, B. N. H. pi. — Alcyone australis 

 Swains. ; A. tribrachys Shaw, Nat. Misc. pi. 681. 



2. ? A. pulchra Gould, Proc. Z. S. 1846. p. . 



3. ?A. diemenensis Gould, Proc. Z. S. 1846. p. 



4. A. lepida (Temm.) PI. col. 595. f. 1. 



5. A. solitaria (Temm.) PI. col. 595. f. 2. 



6. A. pusilla (Temm.) Gould, PI. col. 595. f. 3., B. of Austr. 



pi. 



Ceiiyle Boie.-f 



Bill long, straight, and strong, with the culmen slightly advancing on the forehead and sloping to the 

 tip, which is acute ; the sides much compressed ; the lateral margins rather dilated at the base, and 

 straight to the tip ; the gonys long and ascending. Tail long, broad, and rounded. Tarsi remarkably 

 short and stout. The remaining characters are very similar to those given with Alcedo. 



The species of Ceryle inhabit Africa, India, and most parts of the New World. They are always found in the 

 neighbourhood of fresh-water streams, and falling waters, perched solitary on an overhanging branch, watching the 

 approach of fish to the surface of the water, when with a sudden sweep they seize the fish and swallow it in an instant. 

 Their flight is rapid and straight, and the noise emitted by some species is loud, hoarse, and similar to a rattle. The 

 nest is formed at the extremity of a long gallery dug in the clayey or sandy banks, to the depth of several feet, with 

 the end wide enough for both parents to turn in. The eggs are usually five or six in number. 



/ 



1. C. rudis (Linn.) Edwards's Birds, pi. 9- PI. enl. 62. 71 6. — 

 Ispida bicincta et I. bitorquata Swains. 



2. C. guttata (Vigors), Gould, Cent, of B. pi. - Alcedo lugubris 

 Temm. PI. col. 548. 



3. C. alcyon (Linn.) Catesb. Carol, t. 69., PI. enl. 715., Wils. 

 Amer. Orn. pi. 23. f. 1., PI. enl. 593. 



4. C. maxima (Pall.) Swains. B. of W. Afr. pi. 11. — Alcedo 

 guttata Bodd. PI. enl. 679- ; Ispida gigantea Swains. 



5. C. torquata (Linn.) PL enl. 284. — Alcedo cinerea Bonn.: 

 A. cyanea Vieill. Azara, No. 417, 418. ; A. stellata Meyen, Nov. 

 Act. xvi., Suppl. t. 14. 



6. C. viridirufa (Bodd.) PL enl. 592. — Alcedo bicolor Gmel. 



7. C. amasona (Gmel.) — Alcedo rubescens Vieill. Azara, No. 

 419, 420. 



8. C. americana (Gmel.) PL enl. 591. — Alcedo viridis Vieill. 

 Azara, No. 421. 



9- C. Cabanisii Tscb. Faun. Per. p. Alcedo americana 



Tsch. 



10. ? C. inda Linn. Edwards's Birds, pi. 325., Shaw, Nat. Misc. 

 pi. 889- 



11. C. superciliosa (Linn.) Edwards's Birds, pi. 245., PL enl. 

 756. var. /3. 



12. C. ?? leucorhyncha (Gmel.) Seba, Thes. i. t. 53. f. 3. 



13. C. ?? surinamensis (Gmel.). 



14. C. ?? brasiliensis (Gmel.). 



15. C. ?? cayanensis (Gmel.) — Alcedo taparara Bonn. 



* Mr. Swainson established this genus in 1837 (Class, of Birds, ii. p. 336.). 



t M. Boie established this genus in 1828. Ispida (1837) of Mr. Swainson is synonymous. 



September, 1 847. 



