Kingfisher
the genus Alcedo.
The common kingfisher, A. ispida, is blue above, greener on the mantle and scapulars, with beautiful rich cobalt on the back, rump, and upper tail coverts; a spot in front of the eye, the eye coverts and under parts are rufous; the head is blue, barred with black; the wings blue, with spots of brighter cobalt on the coverts; the throat and a patch on each side of the neck are white; the cheeks and sides of the breast are blue; the bill black, the feet red. The female and young are like the male, but are red at the base of the under mandible. Seen on the upper part of the Thames and other rivers in the S. of England perched over the water, into which it darts from time to time, bringing back a fish or a KINGPOST water insect. It bores a hole in the ground, makes a nest of fish bones, and lays six or seven eggs.