In Asia and the Asiatic islands, and in Australia, numerous species of these birds are found. Some of the Australian species are the largest of this family, being of the size of or larger than the Crow of the United States, and are remarkable for their loud and discordant voices. They belong to the genus _Dacelo_ of naturalists. Great diversity of size occurs in this family. There are other species (of the genera _Ispidina_ and _Ceyx_), which are not larger than the Chipping Sparrow of this country, though, to all intents and purposes, regularly established King-Fishers, and probably preying on fishes of a size accordingly. Though many of the birds of this family are partially aquatic in their habits, and subsist exclusively on fishes, there are species principally inhabiting the islands in the Pacific, and Australia, which are stated to live habitually in forests, subsisting on reptiles and small terrestrial animals of other classes. These birds belong to the genera _Todiramphus_ and _Dacelo_ of authors. Naturalists enumerate about ninety species of King-Fishers, of which specimens of seventy-seven are in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy. We find recorded no species of King-Fishers to be considered as doubtful or obscure birds of that portion of North America within our prescribed limits. With this family we close that division of the Perching Birds classed by ornithologists as _Fissirostres_. Two other families, the _Trogonidæ_ and the _Meropidæ_, are not represented by species inhabiting the United States or the more northern countries of this continent. Of the _Trogonidæ_, however, several species are found in Mexico, one of which (_Trogon mexicanus_) was observed by Lieut. Couch, in the northern part of that country, and will very probably yet be found within the present limits of this confederacy. All the American _Trogons_ are birds of remarkable beauty, and one of them (_Calurus resplendens_) can scarcely be surpassed in any country. It inhabits Central America, and is the sacred bird of the aborigines, and mentioned by Mr. Stephens and other travellers in the countries which it inhabits. Its plumage, and that of many other American species, is of fine metallic golden green and scarlet. Of the _Meropidæ_, or Bee-eaters, no species inhabits America. Those birds are almost restricted to Asia and Africa, one species only being European. [Illustration: Plate 41 Baird’s Buzzard Buteo Bairdii (_Hoy_)] BUTEO BAIRDII.—Hoy. Baird’s Buzzard. PLATE XLI. Adults?