348 
BELTED KINGSFISHER. 
BELTED KINGSFISHER. — ALCEDO ALCYON. 
Plate XXIII. Fig. 1 Female. 
Bartram , p. 289 Turton , p. 278. — Beale's Museum , No. 2145. 
ALCEDO ALCYON. — Linnaeus. * 
Alcedo aleyon, Bonap. Synop. p. 49. — The Belted Kingsfisher, Aud. pi. 77 ; Orn. 
Biog. i. p. 394. 
This is a general inhabitant of the banks and shores of all 
our fresh water rivers, from Hudson’s Bay to Mexico ; and is 
the only species of its tribe found within the United States. 
* The description of Wilson, and that of Audubon, which has been added 
in a note from the Ornithological Biography , give a very correct detail of 
the general manners of the true Kingsfishers, or those resembling that of this 
country ; there is throughout the family, however, a very considerable difference 
in form, and, as a matter of course, a corresponding difference in habit ; this 
has occasioned a division of them into various groups, by almost all ornitholo- 
gists ; that to which our present species belongs, and of which it is the largest, 
contains all those of smaller size with four toes and sharp angular and lengthened 
bills ; they feed entirely on fish and aquatic insects, and live on the banks of 
rivers, lakes, and creeks, and occasionally on the sea shore. They are distributed 
over the world, but the warmer parts of India, Africa, and South America, 
possess the greatest share, North America and Europe possessing only one 
each. The dolours of the plumage, with a few exceptions, particularly the 
upper parts, are very bright and shining, the webs of the feathers uncon- 
nected and loose ; the under parts generally white, with shades of reddish 
brown and orange ; the division nearest to this containing but a few species of 
very small size, but similar in form and colouring, has been separated on 
account of having three toes, and, I believe, is exclusively Indian. Another 
and a well marked group is the Halcyon of Mr Swainson ; it differs materially 
in the form and manners of living, and ranges every where, except in North 
America and Europe. The birds are all above the middle size, with a stouter 
and more robust form ; the colours sometimes very gaudy, in others of rich and 
pleasing shades of brown. The bill, a chief organ of distinction, is large, 
much dilated at the base, and, in one or two instances, very strong. They 
inhabit moist woods, and shady streams or creeks, where they watch on a 
motionless perch for the larger insects, as the common European species does 
for fish, and they dart upon them when passing, or when seen on the ground. 
