Bill long, straight, stout, broader than high at the base, much
compressed, tapering to a rather acute point, and gape-line commencing
beneath the middle of the eyes. Head large, ovato-oblong; neck short;
body stout. Tarsus extremely short; anteriorly scaly; anterior toes
united for more than half their length, outer longer than inner, hind
toe small. Claws stout, compressed, arched, very acute. Plumage rather
compact. Wings rather long, pointed. Tail various, of twelve feathers.
Tongue very short, fleshy, with the sides parallel, the tip tapering
to a bluntish point. Roof of upper mandible moderately concave, with a
median ridge and oblique lateral grooves. Œsophagus very wide,
without crop; stomach very large, round, with its muscular coat very
thin; the epithelium dense, very thin, with tortuous rugæ; intestine
very long, extremely slender; no cœca; cloaca very large, globular.
Trachea with three pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles.
GENUS I. ALCEDO, Linn. KINGFISHER.
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.