BELTED KINGFISHER. 59 



in the northern parts of America, where, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Pennant, it inhabits Hudson's Bay, 

 Norton Sound, &c. In Mexico it is called Acha- 

 lalacii or the Fish-Eater. It has, says Mr. Pen- 

 nant, the same cry, manners, and solitary disposi- 

 tion with the European species, and feeds not 

 only on fish but lizards. It makes its nest in the 

 face of high banks, penetrating deep into them in 

 a horizontal direction, and laying four white eggs, 

 which discharge the young in June. In Mexico 

 it is of a migratory nature: it is there considered 

 as an edible bird, but is observed to have a rank 

 or fishy flavour, like most other fish-eating birds. 

 Like many others of this genus, the present spe- 

 cies is observed to vary in different regions both 

 in point of size and plumage: the abdomen in 

 some is ferruginous, and in others the zone or 

 band across the breast is of a mixed grey and 

 chesnut-colour instead of plain; and lastly, the 

 legs and lower mandible are in some dusky, and 

 in others reddish. 



