. Key to North American birds; containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary. Illustrated by 6 steel plates and upwards of 250 woodcuts. Birds. ALCEDINIDiE, KINGFISHERS.âGEN. 112. 187 â¢, ti 112. Genus MOMOTUS Lesson. Blue-headed SaivhlV. Greenish, rather paler below; purer on wings and tail; the crested crown blue, encircled with black ; face mostly black. 15; wing 5J. Mexico. Bd., 161, pi. 46 c^ERULEiCErs. Family ALCEDINID^. Kingfisliers. Feet sjjndactyle hy cohesion of third and fou
. Key to North American birds; containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary. Illustrated by 6 steel plates and upwards of 250 woodcuts. Birds. ALCEDINIDiE, KINGFISHERS.âGEN. 112. 187 â¢, ti 112. Genus MOMOTUS Lesson. Blue-headed SaivhlV. Greenish, rather paler below; purer on wings and tail; the crested crown blue, encircled with black ; face mostly black. 15; wing 5J. Mexico. Bd., 161, pi. 46 c^ERULEiCErs. Family ALCEDINID^. Kingfisliers. Feet sjjndactyle hy cohesion of third and fourth toes; tomia simple. Bill long, large, straight, acute (rarely hooked), " flssirostral," the gape being deep and wide ; tongue rudimentary or very small; nostrils basal, reached by the frontal feathers. Feet very small and weak, scarcely or not ambulatorial; tarsi extremely short, reticulate in front; hallux short, flattened underneath, its sole more or less continuous with the sole of the inner toe ; soles of outer and middle toe in common for at least half their length ; inner toe ^'--^â "- Synaactyie foot, alwaj's short, in one genus rudimentary, in another wanting (an abnormal modifica- tion, overlooked in penning § 86, p. 49 ; but see § 84) ; wings long, of 10 primaries ; tail of 12 rectrices, variable in shape. " The kingfishers form a very natural family of the great Picarian order, and are alike remarkable for their brilliant coloration and for the variety of curious and aberrant forms which are included within their number. . ' Their characteristic habit is to sit motionless watching for their prey, to dart after it and seize it on the wing, and to return to their original position to swallow it.' . The Alced- inidce nest in holes and lay white eggs. It is, however, to be remarked that, in accordance with a modification of the habits of the various genera, a corresponding modification has taken place in the mode of nidiflcation, the pis
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1872
