SMYRNA KINGFISHER. 69 



each side, in which channels are placed the nostrils, 

 pretty near the head: the angles or corners of the 

 mouth are deep-cut, and fall directly under the 

 eyes; under each eye is a narrow border of white 

 feathers : the head, neck whole under side, and part 

 of the back, are covered with dirty orange-coloured 

 feathers: the chin and breast lighter than the back : 

 in the middle of the breast some of the tips of the 

 feathers are white : the wings are purple in the up- 

 per part, the greater feathers being blue: yet the 

 foremost of the prime-quills are black: though the 

 upper p9,rt of the wing be mostly purple, yet there 

 is a narrow space of blue runs round the purple : 

 the ridge of the wing is white: the lower part of 

 the back and rump is of a blue- green changeable 

 colour: the wing-feathers which border on the 

 back partake of the same changeable colour: the 

 tail is of a fine blue colour, yet it in some lights 

 has a greenish cast : the legs and feet are of a red 

 colour, with black claws: the middle and outer toe 

 joined together as in our Kingfisher/' 



The above specimen was communicated to Ed- 

 wards by Mr, Peter Collinson, and, from no men- 

 tion being made of the peculiar brilliancy of the 

 wings, we may conclude that it was either a female 

 bird, or one in the first year's plumage. Albin's 

 specimen seems to have been of a brighter cast, 

 and was probably a male. In some specimens the 

 wing-coverts are marked by a patch or bar of black, 

 and in others a few spots of that colour are observ- 

 ed on the sides of the breast, which is sometimes of 

 a clear white, and sometimes of a yellowish cast. Ii| 



