Image from page 135 of “The history of birds : their varieties and oddities, comprising graphic descriptions of nearly all known species of birds, with fishes and insects, the world over, and illustrating their varied habits, modes of life, and distinguis
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Identifier: historyofbirdsth00bing
Title: The history of birds : their varieties and oddities, comprising graphic descriptions of nearly all known species of birds, with fishes and insects, the world over, and illustrating their varied habits, modes of life, and distinguishing peculiarities by means of delightful anecdotes and spirited engravings
Year: 1880 (1880s)
Authors: Bingley, William, 1774-1823
Subjects: Birds Zoology
Publisher: Philadelphia : Edgewood Publishing Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library
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generallycrept into some hole or corner to sleep: and it is remarkable that whenperched, or otherwise at rest, it had mostly the head downward, or atleaet even with the body, and not elevated like other birds. These are shy and solitary birds. Like the Woodpeckers theyfrequent woods, and run up and down the trees with surprisingfacility. They often move their tail in the manner of the Wagtail.They do not migrate; but, during the winter, they approach nearer toinhabited places, and are sometimes seen in orchards and gardens. OF THE KINGFISHER TRIBE IN GENERAL. The bill is sharp, triangular, long, straight and thick. Theis fleshy, short, flat and sharp.The feet, except in a few species,are formed for climbing, withthe toes two backward and twoforward. These birds frequent the banksof rivers; living principally onfish, which they catch with greatdexterity. They swallov; theirprey whole but afterwards throwup the indigestible parts. Theirwings are short; yet they fly verygwiftly. tongiio
Text Appearing After Image:
THE COMMON KINGFISHER. 133 THE COMMON KINGFISHER. The length of the Kingfisher is seven inches, and its breadth eleven,The bill is nearly two inches long, and black; but the base of thelower mandible is yellow. The top of the head, and the sides of thebody, are of a dark green, marked with transverse spots of blue. Thetail is of a deep blue ; and the other parts of the body are of a duskyorange, white, and black. The legs are red. In the beauty and brilliancy of its plumage, the Common Kingfisherfar excels all the other species of British birds. Its shape is, however,somewhat inelegant, from the great disproportion there is, in size,between the head and bill, and the other parts of the body. Its usual prey consists of the smaller kinds of fish, It frequentlysits on a branch projecting over the current: there it remains motion-less, and often watches whole hours, to catch the moment when a littlefish rises to the surfoce of the water under its station; it dives perpen-dicularly into th
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