( Ir 5 ) 
The American King ’s-F i s h e r. 
* f ’ HI S Bird is here figured of its natural Bignefs. In its general Make, and the 
J[_ Shape of the Bill and Feet it agrees with the European King’s-Fifher, but it 
hath a Tail longer in Proportion. 
It hath a firong Bill of a black, or dufky Colour, except that Part of the lower Man¬ 
dible which joins to the Head, where it is of a reddifh Flefh-Colour ; the Noftrils 
are placed pretty near the Head ; the Eyes are juft over the Angles of the Mouth : The 
Head is of a blueifh Lead-Colour; on the Crown are.loofe, long pointed Feathers that 
form a Sort of Creft. It hath two white Spots on each Side of the Head, one be¬ 
tween the Moftril and the Eye, and the other a little under, or behind the Eye. The 
Throat and under Side of the Neck is White; which Whitenefs forms a Sort of Col¬ 
lar that almoft meets on the Neck behind ; below this White the Breaft is Lead-Colour, 
as is the whole upper Side, Neck, Back, Wing, and Tail. Six or feven of the prime 
Quills are blackifh, having fmall white Spots on their outer Webs, which all toge¬ 
ther form tranfverfe Lines of White. The Remainder of the Quills outwardly have 
white Tips, as hath the Baftard-Wing, and the Row of Covert-Feathers immediately 
above the Quills; the outer Quills have their inner Webs White toward their Bottoms; 
thofe fucceeding them are indented with Dufky and White on their inner Webs. The 
inner Covert-Feathers of the Wings are White, with a little Mixture of Orange-Co¬ 
lour. The Tail is of a lighter Lead-Colour beneath than it is above, all the Feathers 
are tipped and tranfverfly marked with narrow Bars of White j the Belly, Thighs, and 
Covert-Feathers under the Tail are White. The Sides under the Wings are of a reddifh 
Orange-Colour, which is intermixed with the White on the Sides of the Belly. The 
Legs are very fhort, and bare of Feathers a little above the Knees; the middle and 
outer Toes are joined as in others of this Tribe •„ the Legs and Feet are of a reddifh 
Brown, the Claws dufky. 
This Bird was brought from Hudfon' s-Bay by Mr. JJham (where it appears in the 
Spring and Summer) Mr. Catefby , in his Natural Hiftory of Carolina , &c. has defcrib- 
ed this Bird as an Inhabitant of that Country. Marcgrave , in his Hiftory of Brafil , 
P. 194, has defcribed and figured a Bird, which I take to be this, tho’ his Defcrip- 
tion is too brief, and his Figure bad. It feems by what has been faid, to be an Inha¬ 
bitant of the greater Part of America, and may perhaps extend itfelf to the utmoft 
Southern Bound of that Continent; fince it is not colder in Perra del fugo , beyond 
the Magalenick Strait, than it is in Hudfon’s-Bay, where this Bird was taken. On 
examining Mr. Catejbf s Figure and Defcription, and comparing it with mine, I have 
Reafon to think be drew his Figure from a Female, or a young Bird not arrived at its 
Beauty ; for I find many Marks in mine not difcoverable in his, which is the Reafon 
I have given this Figure, Defcription, and farther Account. Marcgrave's Brafdian 
Name is Jaguacati-gnacu, 
( Tb$ 
