FOR THE 
Fiti-m, G-jirclen, anci 
‘ AGK'U’CI.TfKK 18 TUK MOST IIK V I/r II Kf K, MOST CSKKirL, ^ 
AM» MOST 
Hoaseliold. 
NOIIM-; kmploymknt of MAX.»-W..h..0,0* 
OR.WCJK JI' 1 >D & CO.,) 
PUBLISIIKUS AND PROPRIETOKS. j- 
Ollic.-, 11 Piii k lloiv, (Times DulUllngA) ) 
ESTABLISHED IN 1842, 
Published also iu Gci-inau at SI..'SO a Year. 
iMit'-rc'! a('<'or>!.:r' to .let of <'on;^re^,i la 
December. 1866. by Oranob Judd & Co.. In the Clerk’s omce of the District Court of 
j SI..50 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE. 
. SINGLE NUMBER, 15 CENTS. 
' 4 Cop ies for S 5; 10 for S la; ao or more, $ 1 each, 
the United States for the Southern District of New-Xork. 
[COPYKIOtlT SKnUUEI).] 
GUO UP OF KINGFISIIEUS — ALCYONES. — Engraved for tUe American AgnmlturUU 
W?’ li;!V(! hatl (.“vcriil of tin; nu>st beautiful ol 
tlic Kin !;;1 i(ts oii^fraved fur our frontispiece 
tlii nioni.li, 1 '.! t‘> remind our readcr.4 of tlio 
“ lial< \ :)U days” when limy ivent .a-fisliin'^ and 
m^; !e tli(! a; (|Uaiut tne(! uf the brave little fellow 
•who • 'MiH here to be entertainiui^ a party of 
Co but .;mi>ly to introduce this family to 
our n- .'h rs. The Kiiufti-hers are peculiar birds, 
di-'iu uished by their short bodies, short le.irs, 
short loiind'd winirs, larue h(.'ad.s and bills. 
Tlie central one above is our own Kingfisher, 
{Alcrdu (ilcyon.,) with its bright eye ami cocked 
hat, and true Union-blue coat. It builds its 
nests in holes in banks near streams; lives 
upon fish ■which it takes from a poise in the air 
above the water. Its sharp, loud call, quick, ar- 
row-like flight, brilliant maufcuvres, and quick, 
sure pliingf.’s after its fmney prc}’, are familiar 
to every country-bred American. Beneath, in 
the jneturo, flying from us, is the brilliantly 
colored European Kingfisher—a bird of great 
beaul3L The upper part of the bill is black, the 
lower orange colored ; the throat Avhite; the 
crest green and blue; shoulders and wings daik j 
green, 'with the edges of the feathers pale blue; 
the back resplendent azure; tail blue, and the 
whole under part bright orange ; legs red, with 
black claAVS. It is much smaller than oui King¬ 
fisher; and smaller yet, but not more brilliant, 
is the little East Indian one, which is darting 
across the bottom of the picture, ddie spotted 
Kingfisher on the rigid is also a native of 
India, ■where it is called by the natives the 
“Fish Tiger.” It is considerably larger than 
ours, and°is brilliantly, but not gaily_ colored. 
Tlie largest is the great African Kingfislier. 
