tongues; of those quiet stilly states of the atmosphere when all nature seems to be lulled into a peaceful slumber, and one almost feels a disinclination to disturb the tranquillity which prevails around by drawing breath. It reminds us of those pleasant streams and brooks, those shadowed banks and waters where the speckled trout delights to revel; and of the transient pleasure that its vivid brilliancy of colour communicated to us when we first observed the Kingfisher darting like a meteor o'er the placid stream.

The Kingfisher, observes Selby, in point of locality is rather generally, though sparingly, diffused. It inhabits the banks of clear rivers and brooks, preferring those that flow with an easy current, and whose beds are margined with willows, alders, or close bushes. It is usually seen perched upon a small bough overhanging the stream, from whence it darts upon the small fish and aquatic insects that form its food.

Sometimes it will hover suspended (in the manner of the Kestrel and other hawks) over the water, and precipitate itself upon its prey, when risen to the surface. Upon making a capture it conveys the object to land, and, after beating it to death upon a stone or on the ground, swallows it whole. The bones and other indigestible parts are afterwards ejected in small pellets by the mouth. Its flight is very rapid, and sustained by a quickly-repeated motion of the wings, and is always in a straight and horizontal direction near the surface of the water.*

As it is requisite that the water should be clear and

* British Ornithology.

without a ripple, in order that the Kingfisher may see its prey, it is only at particular spots, in peculiar states of the weather, that its operations can be successfully carried on. When evaporation has ceased, and the brilliant bird can, if so inclined, view its reflected image in the water, then is the Kingfisher's harvest time; then is he out, and active.

As it is only on particular days and at particular hours, Mr. Mudie observes, that the Kingfisher can fish to advantage, he feeds abundantly at those times, and his gullet and stomach are ample in proportion; nor is it till after he has gorged to the very throat, or the fishing tide is at an end, that he retires to his hole. There he digests and dozes, and often remains for days before he again sallies forth; and when all the soluble matter is separated, he ejects the bones in those castings which are found in his den, and which, as they contain nothing but that which is capable of resisting the gastric juice of the bird, do not decompose in the air, so as to occasion the least unpleasant smell.

These birds breed in the banks of the streams they haunt, either digging a hole themselves, or taking possession of that of a water-rat, which they afterwards enlarge to suit their convenience. The bearing of the hole is always diagonally upwards, and it pierces two or three feet into the bank. The nest is composed of the above-mentioned pellets of fish-bones, ejected into a small cavity at the further end of this retreat, and upon which the eggs are laid, to the number of six or seven, of a transparent pinkish-white.

The length of the European species is seven inches;

there are some found in Africa which measure upwards of fourteen inches in length, and the little Rufous-cheeked Kinghunter (Halcyon cyanotis) measures only four inches and a half in its entire length. The Kinghunters have been separated from the preceding genus of late years, since their habits and structure have been better known. Their bill is generally very broad at the base, in some species even depressed; and instead of living upon fish, they seem to frequent forests for the sake of capturing small reptiles and insects. These birds are called by the French naturalists Martin chasseurs.

Mr. Swainson, in describing the little Rufous-cheeked Kinghunter, says that this superb little species may be called the gem of the family, both from its diminutive size and its exceeding richness of colouring. The crown of the head is occupied by an isolated broad patch of deep black, each feather having a transverse blue band across its tip, which gives this part the appearance of being lineated with ultramarine. From each nostril commences a large patch of rufous, which envelopes the base of the lower mandible, the ears, and the sides of the head, where it forms a broad stripe over the eye; this rufous encircles the neck above, and is glossed upon the ears, the nape and the maxillary stripe, with a most lovely lilac or violet colour; neither does it blend into the white of the throat, but terminates abruptly on its sides; the back scapulars and tail-coverts are uniform ultramarine blue; the wings and tail black, slightly glossed with the same; the wing-coverts are tipped with blue; chin and throat white; breast and all the remain

ing under plumage rufous orange; bill and legs scarlet.

There remains to be noticed in the family Halcyonide the genus Tamatia, or Puff-birds, which are distinguished by having the bill slightly curved downwards towards the point; by the nostrils being defended by long, stiff, incurved feathers and bristles ; the rictus being strongly bristled; the toes being in pairs, and the external hind toe versatile, or capable of being brought half-way forwards. The large head, short tail, and great bill of these birds, says Cuvier, give them a stupid appearance. All the known species are from America, and live on insects. Their natural disposition is sad and solitary.