. The animal kingdom : arranged after its organization; forming a natural history of animals, and an introduction to comparative anatomy. Zoology. Fitr y?<—Sternum of Kiiipfisber. both mandibles of which are serrated, and by having the tongue barbed like a feather, as in the Toucans ; [also short and round wings]. They are handsome birds, approaching the size of a Magpie, with lax feathers on the head, as in the Jays, [and similar loosely-webbed plumage generally,] a long graduated tail, the two middle feathers of wliich are stripped of their barbs in the adults for a short space near the e
. The animal kingdom : arranged after its organization; forming a natural history of animals, and an introduction to comparative anatomy. Zoology. Fitr y?<—Sternum of Kiiipfisber. both mandibles of which are serrated, and by having the tongue barbed like a feather, as in the Toucans ; [also short and round wings]. They are handsome birds, approaching the size of a Magpie, with lax feathers on the head, as in the Jays, [and similar loosely-webbed plumage generally,] a long graduated tail, the two middle feathers of wliich are stripped of their barbs in the adults for a short space near the end, which occasions a particular form of tail, [this singular mutilation being performed by the birds themselves]. They fly badly, live solitarily, nestle in holes [burrowed in sand-hillaj, subsist on [fruit and] insects, and even prey on small birds and other animals. [They are intermediate to the Bee-eater and Roller ^roap, and that of the Toucans, but perfectly distinct from either: the stomach is stated by Le Vaillant to be tolerably fleshy. Six or seven species are known]. The Kingfishers {Alcedo, Lin.)—• Have feet still shorter than in the Bee-eaters, the beak longer, straight, angular, and pointed; the tongue and [in some instances] the tail very short. Their sternum (fig. 93) has two posterior emargina- tions, as in the Rollers and Bee-eaters. They live on small fish, which they take by precipitating themselves into the water from some brancli, [or ar- resting themselves suddenly during rapid flight, poising for an instant and then plunging], and return to their perch to gulp their prey, [which they first kill by repeatedly beating it against the bough]. Their sto- mach is a membranous sac, [the intestines very loi;g and slender, and without coeca]. They nestle like the Bee-eaters in holes of banks, and are found in both continents. That common throiig'hout Europe {A. ispida, Lin.), is little larger than a Sparrow, of a mottled verditer green above, with a broad b
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Keywords: ., bookauthorwe, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjectzoology
