XIGIITJATIS AND KI'S’GriSIIEKS, 
9 
have the bill toothed or serrated in its margins. The 
tongue is long and slender, and its sides ciliated so as 
to resemble a feather; feet like those of Merops ; 
wings short, rounded ; tail lengthened, cuneated. They 
inhabit shady forests, are solitary birds, and are usually 
found sitting nearly motionless, like other air- feeding 
birds. 
The next family is one which presents peculiarly 
marked features ; it is that of IIalcyonid(p, or Kingfish- 
ers, containing the Puff-birds, Hermit-birds, Jacamars, 
etc. The whole of the genera, says Swainson, are 
sedentary, watching for their food from a fixed station, 
which they only quit when their prey approaches suf- 
ficiently near to come within the sweep of their wings ; 
if unsuccessful in their first attack, they do not pursue 
their game, but return again to their post, and patiently 
wait for another luckless straggler ; if their first at- 
tempt is successful, they return with their victim to 
the same station, and then proceed to swallow it. 
These birds are remark- 
able for the great lengtli and 
comparative strength of 
their bill, and the extreme 
shortness of their feet. 
The latter, although slight 
in structure, are beautifully 
adapted for grasping with 
a firm hold the extremity of 
a twig. The toes are either 
placed in pairs, versatile, 
as in Ciicidus, or three in 
front conjoined, and one be- 
