( IO ) 
The Swallow a i i/ d King-Fisher, 
T HIS Plate reprefents the Bird in its natural Size, which is nearly that of the 
Engli/h King-fifher , and it agrees alfo with ours in Shape, except the Wing being 
a little longer, and the Tail much longer, without regard to the two longeft Feathers;. 
the Bill is long, ftraight, and fharp-pointed, black of Colour, channeled on each Side 
in the upper Mandible, in which Channels are placed, the Noftrils pretty near the 
Head; the Corners of the Mouth fall deep into the Head, and the Eyes are placed juft 
over them; the Head is of a dirty brown Colour, brighter towards the Bill, darker 
in the hinder Part ; under the Bill is a pretty large white Spot an Inch broad, in the 
middle Part, but growing narrower on each Side toward the Neck; the whole Body 
is of a dirty Black, having a glofs of Blue, fomething lighter on the Breaft, and darker 
on the Back ; the Wings are of a fine, dark, fhining GrCen, though lighter in the Co¬ 
vert-feathers than in the Quills; a fingle white Feather appear’d among the Covert- 
feathers of the Wing; the Tail had two long Feathers more than double the Length 
of the other Feathers; the upper Side of a dark gloffy Green, on the under Side 
dufky, fotne of the fhorter Feathers having white Tips; the Legs and Feet are Black, 
and made as in other King-fifhers. This Bird, though of a dull Colour, hath all over 
it, when expofed to the Sun, a fhining Luftrc like a Mixture of Gold Threads 
with the Feathers, fuch as we fee in moft forts of Humming Birds', it is moreremark- 
bly bright on the Covert-feathers of the Wings than in any other Part. 
This Bird is in his Grace the Duke of Richmond's Collection; it yvas inclofed and 
parted up in Glafs, fo that I could not handle it, nor could I certainly difcover whe¬ 
ther the two long Feathers in the Tail were the middle Feathers or the outer Feathers; 
though I think they are the middle Feathers. The Bird we call Merops in Europe , 
differs from the King-fifher , only in that it hath the Bill a little bent downward, and 
the two middle Feathers of the Tail being longer than the reft ; the Bird above de- 
fcribed, hath only one of thefe Marks of difference : It was brought from Surinam in 
South America , by the way of Holland. . I cannot find that this Bird has been defcribed 
or taken notice of by any Author. 
'the 
