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THE BELTED KINGFISHER. 



4-Alcedo Alcyon, Linn. 

 PLATE CCLV Male and Female. 



You must not suppose, good-natured reader, that the lives which I try to 

 write, are short or lengthy according to the natural dimensions of the objects 

 themselves; for if, with the representation of a large bird, I present you with 

 a long history of its habits, it is merely because that bird, being perhaps 

 more common, and therefore more conspicuous, I have had better and more 

 frequent opportunities of studying them. This happens to be the case with 

 the bird which I proceed to describe. 



The Belted Kingfisher! — Now, kind reader, were I infected with the 

 desire of giving new names to well-known objects, you may be assured that, 

 notwithstanding the partly appropriate name given to this bird, I should call 

 it, as I think it ought to have been called, the United States' Kingfisher. 

 My reason for this will, I hope, become apparent to you, when I say that it 

 is the only bird of its genus found upon the inland streams of the Union. 

 Another reason of equal force might be adduced, which is, that, although the 

 males of all denominations have, from time immemorial, obtained the 

 supremacy, in this particular case the term Belted applies only to the female, 

 the male being destitute of the belt or band by which she is distinguished. 



This species is a constant resident in the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, 

 Arkansas, and all the districts that lie to the south of North Carolina. Its 

 inland migrations along the windings of our noble rivers extend far and 

 wide, over the whole of the United States. In all those portions which I 

 have visited it also breeds, although it returns to the south from many parts 

 during severe winters. 



The flight of this bird is rapid, and is prolonged according to its necessities, 

 extending at times to considerable distances, in which case it is performed 

 high in the air. When, for instance, the whole course of one of our northern 

 rivers becomes frozen, the Kingfisher, instead of skimming closely over the 

 surface that no longer allows it to supply itself with food, passes high above 

 the tallest trees, and takes advantage of every short cut which the situation 

 of the river affords. By this means it soon reaches a milder climate. This 

 is also frequently the case, when it seems tired of the kind of fish that 

 occurs in a lake, and removes to another in a direct line, passing over the 



