Bill long, straight, rather stout, broader than high at the base, but suddenly much compressed, and tapering to an acute point; upper mandible with the dorsal line almost straight, the ridge distinct, but somewhat flattened, the edges nearly straight, without notch, the tip acute; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal line ascending and nearly straight; gape-line commencing beneath the middle of the eye; nostrils basal, near the ridge, linear, obliquely ascending, half closed by a bare membrane. Head large, oblong; neck short; body robust. Feet very short; tarsus extremely short, roundish, anteriorly faintly scaly; anterior toes cohered for a great part of the length, outer longer than inner, first small. Claws rather short, stout, arched, acute. Plumage rather compact, more blended above. Wings long, pointed, with the second and third quills longest. Tail short, even, of twelve rounded feathers. 255. 1. Alcedo Alcyon, Linn. Belted Kingfisher. Plate LXXVII. Male and Female. Crested, with the upper parts, cheeks, and a broad belt across the fore part of the breast, light blue, the shaft of each feather darker; lower parts, with a small spot before the eye, and another on the lower eyelid, white; many of the feathers on the sides light blue, banded with white; quills black; the primaries barred with white at the base, and having the inner web of that colour for half its length; the secondaries broadly edged with light blue, dotted and tipped with white, and having the inner web barred with the same; tail-feathers dusky, edged with blue, barred and tipped with white. Female similar to the male, with the tints duller, and the sides with a band across the middle of the breast light red. _Male_, 12-1/2, 20. Breeds from Texas all over the United States, to the Fur Countries, Missouri, Rocky Mountains, and Columbia River. Common. Resident. Belted Kingfisher, Alcedo Alcyon, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 59. Alcedo Alcyon, Bonap. Syn. p. 48. Alcedo Alcyon, Belted Kingfisher, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 339. Belted Kingfisher, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 594. Belted Kingfisher, Alcedo Alcyon, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 394; v. v. p. 548. FAMILY XXVI. PICINÆ. WOODPECKERS.