. Natural history. Zoology. KINGFISHERS. 337. Fig. 71 —Thr Common Kingfisher {.Alcedo upida). Northern Asia one, and the remaining seven are Indian and Malayan. Our Common Kingfisher {A. ispida), is the brightest of our indigenous biids, and forms the most beantiful ornament of our ricers and lakes. It is 7^ inches in length, with a chest- nut under-surface and a brilliant cobalt-blue back, which shows vividly when the bird flies. It nests in holes, mostly in banks of sandy soil, where the tunnel is hollowed by the birds themselves, or in holes of trees, sometimes at a considerable distance fr
. Natural history. Zoology. KINGFISHERS. 337. Fig. 71 —Thr Common Kingfisher {.Alcedo upida). Northern Asia one, and the remaining seven are Indian and Malayan. Our Common Kingfisher {A. ispida), is the brightest of our indigenous biids, and forms the most beantiful ornament of our ricers and lakes. It is 7^ inches in length, with a chest- nut under-surface and a brilliant cobalt-blue back, which shows vividly when the bird flies. It nests in holes, mostly in banks of sandy soil, where the tunnel is hollowed by the birds themselves, or in holes of trees, sometimes at a considerable distance from water. In Africa and Madagascar occur the Crested King- fishers (Corythornis), small birds with a long drooping crest, and in Australia and the Moluccas, the three-toed Kingfishers (Alcyone), which have the shape and fish- catching habits of our own A. ispida, but are of a dull purple colour, and have only three toes instead of four, the hind-toe being absent. In this sub-family the bill is shorter and wider, the tail generally long, and the food of the species consists less of fish than of insects, small Crustacea, reptiles, and even small rodents. The first genus is Ceyx, a small form of Kingfisher which frequents forests rather than streams. The members of this genus have a wider and less compressed bill than those of Alcyone, but like the latter genua they have only three toes. They are found in India and the Malayan sub-region, being very abundant in the Philippines and extending to the Moluccas. They are mostly bright-coloured birds, some being of a beautiful red all over, whilst others have a blue back and resemble species of the genus Alcedo. In Africa they are represented by a genus of tiny Kingfishers (Ispidina) which are also insect-eaters, as are also the allied genera Ceycopsis of Celebes and Myioceyx of Western Africa. From these small forms we pass to the Keptili- vorous Kingfishers, the Crested Kingfishers of Malacca and Borneo (Carcineutes), the Hook- bill
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