The Kirigsfilher lays its eggs, to the number of feven or more,
in an hole in the bank of the river or ftream it frequents, for it
makes no neft. It is obferved *, that the remains o f the filh which
it feeds on, do by no means foul the habitation, as it brings up
the indigeftible parts in pellets, like the birds o f prey,
This bird- has given rife to. very many poetical and other
fictions, which have been treated of fo largely by my friend Mr.
Pennant-f-y that no more neecF be- faid on this head; yet in one
thing I fhall advife the reader, which is, not to truft his -wardrobe
to- the guardianlhip of this bird, for I have found it juft as liable
to be deftroyed by Maths- as any other J.
&e- Ma«in-pefcheur dir. Senegal, Brij', ont. iv. p. 485.. N®?. pi. 39. {. r.
Le Baboucard, Buf. oJf, vii, p. 193,
C IZ E of the laft : length fix inches and a. half. The bill aot
quite one inch and three quarters long, and brown: the head:
and hind part of the neck ate dull green ; each feather tipped
with a brighter green fpot: on each fide the head are two fulvous
fpots, the one between the bill and eye, the other behind the eye,,
bat this laft is very fmajl : the back is fine blue-green, with a
fmall mixture of brown: rump and upper tail coverts, bright
blue-green : the throat pale yellow : the under parts of the
body orange: the fcapulars dull green : the wing coverts dull
green, tipped with bright blue-green,: quills brown the outer
* O n . do Salerne, p. iz j . f Br. Zool. art- Kingtfijher.
-k.TMs has been called. Qifeau de tesgne, op Drapier, and Garde’ boutique, from.
xo/upfqfed property o£ preferving-<ivoo//e» from being deftroyed by Moth.
edge green, the irfner orange: the lefler the fame, but thé Inner
margins brown : tail brown; the two middle feathers, arid the
outer edges o f the others, blue green: legs and claWs rêddiih.
Inhabits Senegal, from whence’ it was fent' by M. Adanjon.
This is dearly a variety of our Kiftgsfijher.
Alcedo erithaca, Liff. Syjf, i. p. 179. N*5 4.
Le Martiiî-pefcheur à collier de Bengale, Brif.,or?r. ir. p, 505. N6lè t
Le Martin-pêcheur à front jaune, B u f çif% vii. p. 19$.
Bengal Kingfilher, Alb, iii. pl. 29.
.g I Z E of our Kingfifher : length fix inches and a quarter. Bill
above an inch and a half long, and red : the upper part of the
head is of a dull red : on the forehead is a yellow fpot : on each
fide of the head is a ftreak of black, which begins at the bafe of
the bill and pafles through the eye; behind which is another band
o f deep blue : the hind part of the neck is" encircled with a band
o f white, forming a kind of collar : from this to the rump the
plumage is of a deep blue : the rump itfelf, the upper tail coverts,
and tail, dull red: the throat is white: the fides of the
head, under the eyes, and all the under parts, are fine yellow :
the upper wing coverts are light aih-colour; quills, the fame:
the legs and daws of a bright red.
Inhabits the kingdom q£ Bengal.
Red-headed Kingsfiffier, Gen. o f Birds, p. 6 l. pl. g.
T^A TH E R fmaller than the common Kingsfijher. Bill red; near
the bafe of the upper mandible a white fpot: head and back
part
Plac^o.
17.
RED-HEADED
K.
D escription^
Placs»
' 7-
Tar. A.
D escription»