﻿CONCLUDING EEMAEKS. 



xlvii 



apart from any other Kingfisher, but, by reason of their fishing-propensities and structure, 

 apparently belong to the Alcedinince, of which they are the most aberrant forms. 



If we endeavorfr to draw a phylum whereby the affinities of the Kingfishers may be 

 resolved, it would, I believe, take somewhat of the form opposite. 



A better idea may perhaps be gained by the accompanying map, which gives what I 

 conceive to be a fair idea of the affinities of the Kingfishers at present existing. The 

 nearest allies are several ; and it is possible that a close study of each of the families 

 Coraciadce, Trogonidce, Momotidce, Galbulidce, Bucconidce, Meropidce, and Bucerotidce would 

 give us data by which a clearer idea of the Fissirostral group of the Coccygomorph.ee might 

 be obtained ; and when that is done, it is possible that many of the conclusions deduced from 

 a study of the Kingfishers alone may have to be modified. 



Lastly, there is one point to which I wish to draw attention ; and that is the distribution 

 of the two subfamilies ; for it will at once be noticed that the Insectivorous Kingfishers have 

 their greatest development in the Austro-Malayan subregion, while the piscivorous King- 

 fishers are found all over the globe, except Oceania. It is a moot question whether I am 

 right in supposing the Bucerotidce to be the nearest allies of the Alcedinidce ; but certain it 

 is that the gradation of Kingfishers from the extreme development of piscivorous characters 

 to the extreme form of Reptilivorous Bacelo is very gradual, even in the remains of the 

 family now before our eyes ; and the modification in the form of bill is also very plain, this 

 organ being gradually more and more compressed as the genera become more piscivorous ; 

 and if the insect-eaters are the oldest Kingfishers, we must assume that these peculiar forms 

 were still highly developed at a very early epoch, and that from this origin a gradual 

 modified type spread itself over the other regions. Only in the same way that Professor 

 Huxley accounts for the distribution of Psittaculce, can the distribution of Ceryle be 

 accounted for, and its isolated presence in the New World be explained, while the distri- 

 bution of Alcedo might also be accounted for by some such conclusion. It is, however, 

 to wiser heads than mine that I leave the consideration of such matters. I have set before 

 them to the best of my ability the facts connected with the Alcedinidce as they exist at the 

 present day, and I trust that some facts have transpired in the present work to conduce to 

 the advancement of my favourite science, while for the shortcomings of the author I crave 

 the leniency of the critic. 



