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The Ktng Fifljer, Alcyon. 

 Numb. LIV. 



IT weighed twenty Drams j its Length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail 

 is feven Inches ; Breadth, when the Wings are extended, eleven Inches and a quarter. 

 The Bill is three Inches long, thick, ftrong, freight and fharp pointed ; the Point and 

 tipper Chap is black; the Angle of the lower Chap of a redifli yellow; the Tongue 

 is {horr, broad and (harp pointed ; the Mouth within of a faffron Colour ; the Noflrils 

 oblong; the Chin is white, with a mixture of redifh brown Feathers ; the Belly of the fame 

 Colour but darker, as is alfo the under part of the Tail and Wings. From the Neck thro* 

 the middle of the Back, almoft to the end of the Tail, it is of a bright pale blewifh green, 

 very fplendid and delightful to the Eyes of the Beholders. Between the Noftrils and Eyes is 

 a redifh brown Spot, which is continued beyond the Eyes and terminates in a whiti(h Co- 

 lour; the Crown of the Head is of an obfcure dark green, with crofs difcontinued Lines 

 of a blewifh green. 



In each Wing are twenty three quill Feathers, of which the third is the longeftj 

 both the quill Feathers, and thofe next to them, have their exterior Webs blewifh green j 

 their interior dufky ; the lefTer Row of Wing Feathers, all excepting thofe covering the 

 bafe of the Wing, have blewifh Tips ; the long Feathers fpringing from the Shoulders 

 and covering the Back are of a blewifh green; the Tail is about an Inch and a half 

 long made up of twelve Feathers, of a dark blue very obfcure towards the end. 



The Legs and Feet are very fhort and little, of a red Colour ; the Claws black 5 the 

 Strudlure of the Feet in this Bird is fingular and different from all others, for the three 

 lower Joints of the outermofl Tee are joined to the middlemoft; of the inmoft only one: 

 This inner Toe is the leafl, and fhorter by half than the middlemofl ; the outer almofl 

 equal to the middlemofl:; the back Toe is fomewhat bigger than the inner fore Toe, 

 The third or lowefl Bone of the Leg is greater than is ufual in other Birds 1 The Bones 

 of the Tongue are leffer and fhorter than is ufual in Birds of this Bignefs. 



The Stomach is great and lax, as in carnivorous Birds ; in one of them diflefted was 

 found Bones and Scales of Fifhes. The Guts are more flender towards the Vent. Gefner 

 afhrm^s that the Fat of this Bird is red, which is alfo mention'd by Willoughby to be true. 

 They commonly make their Neft in a Hole in the Bank of a River about half a. Yard 

 deep, in which they have commonly five young ones. 



It is a vulgar Opinion that this Bird being hung by an untwifled Silk, or Horfe-Hair^ 

 by the Bill in any Room, will turn its Breaft to that quarter of the Heavens whence the 

 Wind blows. 



Dr. Charkton in his Ono/naJIkon makes mention of a King Fifher brought out of India 

 which fcarce exceeds a Wren in Bignefs : I have feen one brought from Smyrna by the 

 ingenious Dr. Sherwood three times as big as ours, and of different Colours : Another 

 fomething bigger than that, which was a native of Carolina, of a darkifh Colour, having 

 a large Creft of the fame Colour; the Belly, BreafI: and Thighs of a pale red; the Bill 

 and Legs darkaCb; the Throat and part of tlie Neck white l This laft was collededby 

 Mr. Catesby^ 



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