( JO ) 
The Swallow-tail’ D King-fisher. 
^ I ^ HIS Plate reprefents the Bird in its natural Size, which is nearly 
that of the Englijh King-JiJher^ and it agrees alfo with ours in 
Shape, except the Wing being a little longer, and the Tail much longer, 
without regard to the two longeft Feathers; the Bill is long, ftraight, 
and fharp-pointed, black of Colour, channeled on each Side in the upper 
Mandible, in which Channels are placed, the Noftrils pretty near the 
Head ; the Corners of the Mouth fall deep into the Head, and the 
Eyes are placed juft over them ; the Head is of a dirty brown Colour, 
brighter towards the Bill, darker in the hinder Part; under the Bill is a 
pretty large white Spot an Inch broad, in the middle Part, but growing 
narrower on each Side toward the Neck ; the whole Body is of a dirty - 
Black, having a glofs of Blue, fomething lighter on the Breaft,, and' 
darker on the Back ; the Wings are of a fine, dark, ftiining Green, tho’ 
lighter^ m the Covert-feathers than in the Quills; a fiagle white Feather 
appear’d among the Covert-feathers of the Wing,; the Tail had two lon<T 
Feathers more than double the Length of the other Feathers ; the upper 
Side of a dark glofly Green, on the under Side dusky, fome of the 
Ihorter Feathers having white Tips ; the Legs and Feet are Black, and 
made as in other King-fjhers.. This Bird, tho’ of a dull Colour, hath 
all over i^ when expofed to the Sun, a fhining Luftre like a Mixture of. 
Gold Threads with the Feathers, fuch as we fee in moft forts of Huming 
~Bir.ds:\ it: is more remarkably bright on the Covert-feathers of' the Wings 
than, in any other Part. ° 
This Bird is in his Grace the Duke of Richmond^ Colledion ; it was 
ihcloled and pafted-up in Glafs, lb that I could not handle it, nor could 
I certainly difcover whether the two long Feathers in the Tail were the 
middle Feathers. or the outer Feathers ; tho’ I think they are the middle 
Feathers; The Bird we call IVIefops in EuropSy differs from the King- 
fijher, only in that it hath the Bill a little bent downward, and the two 
middle Feathers of the Tail being longer than the reft ; the Bird above- 
delcribed, hath only one- of theft Marks of difference : It was brought' 
from Surinam m- South America^ by, the way of Holland. I cannot find' 
that this Bird has been defcribed, or taken notice of by any Author. 
/ 
