CERYLE.
Plumage black and white ; bill straight, compressed sideways; head crested.
Ceryle rudis rudis (L.).
j Above black, variegated with white ; eyebrow white ; tail basal two-thirds white, black spotted, terminal third black with white tips ; beneath white with a broad and a narrow black band across breast. Bill, legs and feet black. 9 has only lower narrow band across breast. Wing 131-136. Tarsus to-1 .5. Bill 50-62 (H.). In young breast band is greyish.
Resident.—Egypt and Asia Minor east to Persian Gulf and
south down Nile Valley, and all over Africa south of Sahara. Occasionally occurs Volga River and in Greece.
6 Above grey blue, crest striped black ; beneath white with blue grey band across breast. Wing too (H.). 9 Breast band rusty red and flanks also.
An American species of rare occurrence in Europe ; reported Ireland, Azores, Holland, and doubtful Iceland.