FL AT aan. 
Scop. an. 1. p. 55. No. 64. 
Rait. Syn. p. 48. Noi A. EF. 
Kingsfither. Lath. Gen. Syn. 2. p. 626.—Suppl. 113. 
Kingsfifher. Wii), Orn. p. 146. 1. 24. 
Albin I. pl. 54. 
Pennant. Br. Zool. 1. 246. pl. 38. 
Le Martin-péfcheur, Brif. Orn. 4. p. 471. No. I. 
Le Martin-péfcheur, ou l’Alcyon. Buff. Oif. 7. p. 164. Pl. enl. m7, 
Piombino, Martino pefcatore, 
Pefcatore del re. Zinan. 116. | ‘ 
Isfogel. Muf. Fr. ad. 16. Scopoli, No. 64. 
Eifvogel. Frifch. 2. 223. 
Meerfchwalbe. Kram. 337. 
= 
ET eA LN ERO 
The Kingsfifher is feven inches in length; its weight is one 
ounce and a quarter. It is almoft needlefs to remark, that this bird 
is e{teemed the moft beautiful of the feathered race that inhabits the 
fouth of Europe. In its form it is rather inelegant ; but its colours 
are fine throughout: the azure of its back is exceedingly bright; 
and when the creature is hovering in the air, in a fine day, it appears 
tefplendent in the higheft degree. 
The abfurd fiGiions that poets, in the vigour of their imagi- 
nation, have formed concerning this bird, have particularly in- 
clined naturalifts to examine its manners of life with attention. The 
poets placed it in a floating neft, during the time of incubation, 
and endowed it with power to calm the adverfe winds and feas. 
Ariftotle and Pliny tell us, that this bird is moft common in the feas 
of Sicily: that it fat only a few days, and thofe in the depth of 
winter, 
