66 
allen’s naturalist’s library 
Young Female. — Resembles the young male, but has always 
rufous axillaries, and the flanks are rufous like the lower breast- 
band. The band on the fore-neck has also a good deal of 
rufous. 
Range in the British Islands. — An accidental visitor from North 
America, of which two e.xamples have been recorded from 
Ireland, one said to have been obtained in Co. Meath in 
October, 1 845, and another in Co. IVicklow in November of 
the same year. “ No other instances,” writes Mr. Howard 
Saunders, “of the occurrence of this species in Europe is 
known, nor has it been obtained in Greenland or Iceland,” and 
he deems it inexpedient to admit to the British List “ an 
American bird which — assuming the accuracy of the records — 
had probably escajjed from confinement.” 
Range outside the British Islands. — The greater part of North 
America from Alaska southwards, migrating south in winter to 
Central America and the Greater and Lesser Antilles. 
Hahits. — All accounts of the life-history of the Belted King- 
fisher show that the bird has very similar habits to our own 
Alcedo ispida, nor is its food entirely confined to fish, as it 
will also eat insects, and even, on occasion, small Mammalia. 
Like the Pied Kingfisher of Egypt, it also hovers in the air like 
a Kestrel, as our own Kingfisher sometimes docs. The nesting- 
chamber is excavated by both parents, and the tunnel leading 
to it is hollowed out by the birds themselves, sometimes to a 
depth of fifteen feet. 
Rest. — None. 
Eggs.— Six in number, more rarely seven ; pure white, glossv. 
Axis, I '3-1 '4 inch ; diam., 1-05. 
THE BLUE KINGFISHERS. GENUS ALCEDO. 
Alcedo, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 178 (1766). 
Type, Alcedo ispida (L.). 
The Kingfishers of this genus are easily recognisable by their 
short tails and short crests. In the genus Ceryle the tail is 
