42 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 



in its abundance in dry rocky valleys where there is not a drop of water, it 

 differs widely from the habits of the allied genus Alcedo ; although certainly it 

 abounded more in those valleys where streamlets occurred. This Halcyon was 

 the only brilliantly coloured bird which I saw on the island of St. Jago. 



1. Ceryle Americana, Boie. 



Alcedo Americana, Gmel. 



This Kingfisher is common on the banks of the Parana. It frequents the 

 borders of lakes and rivers, and sitting on the branch of a tree, or on a stone, 

 it thence takes short flights, and dashes into the water to secure its prey. Its 

 manner of flying is neither direct nor rapid, which character is so remarkable in 

 the flight of the European species ; but it is weak and undulatory, and 

 resembles that of the soft-billed birds. It often arrests itself suddenly in its 

 course, and hovers over the surface of the water, preparatory to darting on some 

 small fish. When seated on a twig it constantly elevates and depresses its tail ; 

 and as might have been expected from its figure, it does not sit in the stiff 

 upright position so peculiar to the European Kingfisher. Its note is not unfre- 

 quently uttered : it is low, and like the clicking together of two small stones. I 

 was informed that it builds in trees. The internal coating of the stomach is of a 

 fine orange colour. Mr. Gould has seen specimens of this bird from Mexico ; it 

 enjoys, therefore, a very wide range. 



2. Ceryle torquata, Bonap. 



Alcedo torquata. Gmel. 

 Ispida torquata. Swain. 



This bird is common in the south part of Chile, in Chiloe, the Chonos Archi- 

 pelago, and on the whole west coast, as far as the extreme southern parts of 

 Tierra del Fuego. In these countries, it almost exclusively frequents the retired 

 bays and channels of the sea with which the land is intersected ; and lives on 

 marine productions. I opened the stomach of one, and found it full of the 

 remains of crustacean, and a part of a small fish. It occurs likewise in La Plata, 

 and is very common in Brazil, where it haunts fresh water. It is said (Diet. Class. 

 d'Hist. Nat.) to occur in the West Indian islands ; it has, therefore, a wider 

 range (from the equatorial region to the neighbourhood of Cape Horn) than the 

 Cei-yle Americana. 



