ALCEDINJE. ALCEDO. 
173 
base, but suddenly much compressed, and tapering to an 
acute point ; upper mandible with the dorsal line almost 
straight, the ridge distinct, but somewhat flattened, the 
edges nearly straight, without notch, the tip acute ; lower 
mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, 
the dorsal line ascending and nearly straight ; gape-line 
commencing beneath the middle of the eye ; nostrils basal, 
near the ridge, linear, obliquely ascending, half closed by a 
bare membrane. Head large, oblong ; neck short ; body 
robust. Feet very short ; tarsus extremely short, roundish, 
anteriorly faintly scaly ; anterior toes cohered for a great 
part of the length, outer longer than inner, first small. Claws 
rather short, stout, arched, acute. Plumage rather compact, 
more blended above. Wings long, pointed, with the second 
and third quills longest. Tail short, even, of twelve rounded 
feathers. 
255. 1. Alcedo Alcyon, Linn. Belted Kingfisher. 
Plate LXXVII. Male and Female. 
Crested, with the upper parts, cheeks, and a broad belt across the 
fore part of the breast, light blue, the shaft of each feather darker ; 
lower parts, with a small spot before the eye, and another on the lower 
eyelid, white ; many of the feathers on the sides light blue, banded 
with white ; quills black ; the primaries barred with white at the base, 
and having the inner web of that colour for half its length ; the se- 
condaries broadly edged with light blue, dotted and tipped with white, 
and having the inner web barred with the same ; tail-feathers dusky, 
edged with blue, barred and tipped with white. Female similar to 
the male, with the tints duller, and the sides with a band across the 
middle of the breast light red. 
Male, 124, 20. 
Breeds from Texas all over the United States, to the Fur Countries, 
Missouri, Rocky Mountains, and Columbia River. Common. Resi- 
dent. 
Belted Kingfisher, Alcedo Alcyon, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 59. 
Alcedo Alcyon, Bonap. Syn. p. 48. 
Alcedo Alcyon, Belted Kingfisher, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 339. 
Belted Kingfisher, Nutt. Man. v. i. p'. 594. 
Belted Kingfisher, Alcedo Alcyon, Aon. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 394 ; v. v. p. 548. 
