298 Fasseees. BIRDS. Alcedijjida!:. 
length, exclusive of the bill. The feathers of the upper 
feathered fisher; and the sound of his pipe is as well 
parts are white, marked with black spots of various 
known to the miller as the rattling of his own hopper.” 
forms; the lower parts are pure white, with a deep 
The nest of this species is made in the perpendicular 
black collar below the base of the neck; the wings are 
bank of his favourite stream, into which he digs hori- 
black, with the feathers bordered with white, and the 
zontally by means of his bill and claws often to the 
1 
feathers of the tail are also varied with black and white. 
depth of four or five feet. The eggs are five in num- 
This species, which is rendered elegant by the vivid 
ber, and of a pure white colour. In the colder states 
contrast of its pied plumage, differs somewhat in its 
of the Union this bird would appear, from Wilson’s 
habits from the preceding kingfishers; for instead of 
statements, to be only a summer visitor; at least it 
watching for its prey from a fixed station, it hovers 
departs from Pennsylvania and the more northern 
over the surface of the water and darts down perpeu- 
states at the approach of winter, and returns to them 
dicularly when its victim comes within sight. Dr. 
again in the spring. 
Pearson says — “ F rom a height of twenty to thirty feet 
Of the South American species we shall only men- 
it plunges do^vn, dead as a stone, to the water, and 
tion three, namely — the Starry Kingfisher {C. 
remains below it so long that the ripple over the sur- 
torquata), a rather large species, which somewhat 
face clears away sometimes before it comes up again.” 
resembles the preceding in colours, being bluish-ash 
This bird, like the preceding, breeds in holes in steep 
above, and chestnut-brown beneath, with a white 
banks. 
collar and spots — a native of South America and 
THE GREAT AFRICAN KINGFISHER {Ceryle maxi- 
Mexico; the Red and Green Kingfisher {C. trico- 
ma), one of the largest species of the present family, is 
lor), an inhabitant of Guiana and Brazil, about eight 
an inhabitant of the western part of tropical Africa. 
inches in length, with the upper parts green, sparingly 
The general colour of the whole back, including the 
spotted with white, and the lower surface red; and the 
wings, is lead grey, but the wings are covered with 
Green and White Kingfisher {C. Americana), 
numerous white spots ; the tail feathers are blackish, 
somewhat smaller than the preceding, from which it 
with a row of seven white spots on each ; the crest of 
differs in having the lower surface white. 
rather long feathers with which the head is adorned 
THE GIANT KINGFISHER {Dacelo giyas), which is 
is black; the lower surface is white, with numerous 
the largest species of this family, measuring about 
blackish spots on the flanks, and a broad pale brown 
eighteen inches in total length, is an inhabitant of New 
band across the chest; the sides of the throat and 
South Wales, where it is known to the colonists by the 
cheeks are also marked with lines of small black spots. 
name of the Laughing Jackass, conferred upon it on 
The whole length of this fine bird is about fifteen 
account of its singular cry, which, as Mr. Gould says. 
inches; in its habits it resembles the preceding species. 
“ is so extraordinary as to be unlike that of an}^ other 
THE BELTED KINGFISHER {Ceryle Alcyou).—BQ- 
living creature.” This cry, which is described as 
sides the preceding species and some others inhabiting 
resembling a sort of loud gurgling laugh, and is com- 
the eastern hemisphere, the genus Ceryle includes some 
pared by Captain Sturt to “ a chorus of wild spirits,” 
American birds, amongst which the Belted Kingfisher 
may be heard at a considerable distance, and the bird 
is the best known. It is an abundant species in most 
is especially vociferous at dawn and sunset. 
parts of the United States. Jn its colours it much 
The Giant Kingfisher (fig. lOG) has a much larger 
resembles the preceding species, but is readily distin- 
and stronger bill than the preceding species, and this 
guished by its having a broad collar of white round the 
character is found in all the birds belonging to the 
neck. It is also smaller in size, measuring only about 
genera Dacelo and Halcyon. Its head also is very 
twelve inches and a half in length. 
large, and covered with a sort of crest of longish 
Wilson’s account of the habits of this bird is as 
feathers, which are dark-brown on the crown of the 
follows : — “ Like the love-lorn swains of whom poets 
head, and pale-buff on the sides. A broad dark-brown 
tell us,” says the gveat American ornithologist, “ he 
band passes from the base of the bill round the hack of 
delights in murmuring streams and falling v.'aters ; not, 
the head, and the back is dark-brovTi. The back of 
however, merely that they may sooth his ear, hut for a 
the neck is pale-buff, the whole lower surface white, the 
gratification somewhat more substantial. Amidst the 
wings, crests, and rump, greenish-blue and black, the 
roar of the cataract, or over the foam of a torrent, he 
quill feathers of the wing black, with a white spot near 
sits perched upon an overhanging bough, glancing his 
the outer margin of the wing, and the tail is chestnut- 
piercing eye in every direction below for his scaly prey. 
brown, banded with black, and with the extreme tip. 
which, with a sadden circular plunge, he sweeps from 
the margins of the outer feathers, and a band before 
their native element, and swallows in an instant. His 
the tip, white. The upper mandible is blackish-brown. 
voice, which is not uidike the twirling of a watchman’s 
the lower one pale buff. 
rattle, is naturally loud, harsh, and sudden ; but is 
The Giant Kingfisher is by no means a shy bird. 
softened by the sound of the brawling streams and cas- 
but, on the contrarj’, exhibits a prying and inquisitive 
cades among which he generally rambles. lie courses 
disposition, which, indeed, is indicated in his general 
along the windings of the brook or river, at a small 
aspect, and especially in the somewhat corvine expres- 
height above the surface, sometimes suspending himself 
sion of his face. He will perch on the branch of a tree 
by the rapid action of his wings, like certain species of 
and watch with the greatest curiosity the lighting of a 
hawks, ready to pounce on the fry below; now and 
fire by any party travelling through the bush in his 
then settling on an old, dead, overhanging limb to 
vicinity. He flies and settles quite noiselessly, so that 
reconnoitre. Mill-dams are particularly visited by this 
his being in the neighbourhood is seldom known until 
