ALCEDO. 
fisher of Latham, is the only one we shall 
notice: it is short-tailed, sky-blue above, 
fulvous below, and its straps are rufous. This 
bird is 7 inches long and 11 broad, of a 
clumsy shape, the head and bill being very 
large, and the legs disproportionately small. 
The kingsfisher frequents the banks of rivers, 
and feeds on fish. It takes its prey some- 
what in the manner of the osprey, balancing 
itself at a certain distance over the water for 
some time, and then darting below the sur- 
face brings the prey up in its feet. When 
it remains suspended in the air, in a bright 
day, the plumage exhibits a most beautiful 
variety of the most dazzling and brilliant 
colours. It makes its nest in holes in the 
sides of the cliffs, which it scoops to the 
depth of three feet, and lays from five to 
nine eggs, of a very beautiful semi-transpa- 
rent white. The nest is very fetid, on ac- 
count of the refuse of fish with which the 
young are fed. It begins to hatch its young 
early in the season, and excludes the first 
brood in the beginning of April. Whilst 
the female is thus employed, the male is un- 
remitting in his attention, supplying his 
mate with fish in such abundance, that she 
is found at this season plump and fat. He 
ceases to twitter at this time, and enters the 
nest as quietly and privately as possible. 
The young are hatched in about 20 days; 
but differ both in size and beauty. Some 
have even doubted, whether the kingsfisher 
of the moderns and the alcyon of the an- 
cients are the same bird. But the descrip- 
tion of Aristotle sufficiently identities them. 
The alcyon, says that philosopher, is not 
much larger than a sparrow ; its plumage is 
painted with blue and green, and lightly 
tinged with purple ; these colours are not 
distinct, but melted together, and shining 
variously over the whole body, the wings, 
and the neck : its bill is yellowish, long, and 
slender. The habits of these birds also re- 
semble one another. The alcyon was soli- 
tary and pensive ; and the kingsfisher is al- 
most always seen alone, and the pairing 
season is of short duration. The former was 
not only an inhabitant of the sea shore, but 
haunted the banks of rivers ; and the latter 
has also been found to seek shell-fish and 
large worms, that abound on the shore of 
the sea, and in rivulets that flow into it. 
The alcyon was seldom seen, and rapid in its 
flight ; it wheeled swiftly round ships, and 
instantly retired into its little grot on the 
shore. The same character belongs also to 
the kingsfisher. The alcyon and the kings- 
feher have the .same mode of taking their 
prey, by diving vertically upon it. The 
kingsfisher is the most beautiful bird in our 
climates, as to the richness and luxuriance of 
the colours of its plumage. It has, says 
Button, all the shades of the rainbow, the 
brilliancy of enamel, and the glossy softness 
of silk ; and Gesner compares the glowing 
yellow red, which colours the breast, to the 
red glare of a burning coal ; and yet the 
kingsfisher has strayed from those climates 
where its resplendent and glowing colours 
would appear to the greatest advantage. 
There is a species that is common in all the 
islands of the South Sea ; and Forster, in 
his observations in Captain Cook’s second 
voyage, has remarked, that its plumage is 
much more brilliant between the tropics than 
in the regions situated beyond the temperate 
zone, in New Zealand. In the language of 
the Society Islands, the kingsfisher is called 
Erooro, and at Otaheite it is accounted 
sacred, and not allowed to be taken or killed. 
Kingsfishers were found, not only at Otaheite, 
but in Huaheine and Ulietea, and in the 
islands that are scattered over the South 
Sea, though they are more than 1500 leagues 
distant from any continent. These kings- 
fishers are of a dull green, with a collar of 
the same about their neck. The islanders 
entertain a superstitious veneration for them. 
The chief at Ulietea intreated Capt. Cook’s 
companions, in a very serious tone, to spare 
the kingsfishers and herons of his island 
giving permission to kill all the other birds! 
There are 20 species in Africa and Asia, 
and eight more that are known in the warm 
parts of America. The European kings- 
fisher is scattered through Asia and Africa : 
many of those sent from China and Egypt 
are found to be the same with ours, and 
Belou has met with them in Greece and in 
Thrace. This bird, though it derives its 
origin from the hottest climates, bears the 
rigour of our seasons. It is seen in the win- 
ter along the brooks, diving under the ice 
and emerging with its prey. The Germans 
have called it eissvogel, or ice-bird ; and it 
has been found even among the Tartars and 
Siberians. The Tartars and Ostiacs use the 
feathers of these birds for many superstitious 
purposes. The former use them as love- 
amulets ; pretending that those which float 
on water will induce a woman who is 
touched with them to fall in love with the 
person who thus applies it. The Ostiacs 
take the skin, the bill, and the claws of this 
bird, and enclose them in a purse ; and 
whilst they preserve this amulet, they think 
they have no ill to fear. Credulity has ad- 
