ALCEDO ISPIDA. 
FAMILY. -SYNDACTYLI. GENUS. -ALCEDO. 
THE KINGFISHER. 
By Robert Mudie. 
Generic Characters.— Bill long, straight, angular in the section, thick at 
the base, rarely depressed, trenchant in the tomia, and pointed at the tip. Nos¬ 
trils basal, lateral, pierced obliquely, and nearly closed by a naked membrane. 
Feet short, placed far backward, tarsi rather stout and rounded, a portion of the 
tibiae bare of feathers. Four toes, the hind one enlarged at its base, the external 
and middle front ones of equal length, and united as far as the second joint, the 
inner shorter, and united to the first joint. Tail very short and rounded. Wings 
of mean length, rather broad, hollow, and rounded, the third quill being the 
longest. 
The species of Alcedo are rather numerous, and there are some differences in 
the form of the bill and the structure of the feet. Some have an enlargement on 
the middle part of the lower mandible ; others have the hill a little curved, and are 
less aquatic in their habits than the others. These last have the toes united to 
the third and second joints, and the inner one little more than rudimental. The 
greater number of the genus are found only in tropical and other warm countries, 
hut there is one which inhabits Europe as well as Asia and Africa. That one is 
The Common Kingfisher (Alcedo ispida J, of which we have annexed a 
figure, drawn and coloured after nature, in that attitude which the bird assumes 
when it has captured a small fish, which it can swallow entire without quitting the 
wing. This figure will give a notion of the shape and colours of the bird, and 
thus spare us the tediousness of verbal description; and both the form and the 
colours are so unique that, once known, the Kingfisher is never forgotten. 
The Kingfisher is a resident British bird, and pretty widely dispersed over 
those parts which are suited to its habits ; but it is no where very abundant, and 
it is rarely seen in proportion to its actual numbers. Its haunts are the rich and 
shaded banks of streams and rivulets, being seldom seen where the ground is open 
and bare, and never running on the sand-banks or beaches. The foot is not adapted 
for walking on the ground, both on account of the backward articulation and of 
the peculiar structure of the toes. This is the case with all syndactylic feet: they 
amount, in fact, to. little more than a foot of two toes, one to the front and the 
vol. i. 2c 
