king-fisher

Herbert described, in a marshy part of the forest, a bird with a long pointed beak, closely resembling the king-fisher, but its plumage was not fine, though of a metallic brilliancy.

The Mysterious Island 2005

Herbert described, in a marshy part of the forest, a bird with a long pointed beak, closely resembling the king-fisher, but its plumage was not fine, though of a metallic brilliancy.

The Mysterious Island 2005

This indicates the habits of the bird, which, though popularly a king-fisher, never catches fish, but lives on insects and minute shells, which it picks up in the forest, darting down upon them from its perch on some low branch.

The Malay Archipelago 2004

Among the birds seen in this country, were the white-headed eagle; the shag; and the alcedo, or great king-fisher, the colours of which were very fine and bright.

Narrative of the Voyages Round The World, Performed by Captain James Cook 2003

Among the birds seen in this country, were the white-headed eagle; the shag; and the alcedo, or great king-fisher, the colours of which were very fine and bright.

Narrative of the Voyages Round The World, Performed by Captain James Cook 2003

As soon as old goody Liu put her foot inside, she saw the room thronged with girls (as seductive) as twigs of flowers waving to and fro, and so richly dressed, as to look enveloped in pearls, and encircled with king-fisher ornaments.

Hung Lou Meng 2003

As soon as old goody Liu put her foot inside, she saw the room thronged with girls (as seductive) as twigs of flowers waving to and fro, and so richly dressed, as to look enveloped in pearls, and encircled with king-fisher ornaments.

Hung Lou Meng, Book II Or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel in Two Books Xueqin Cao

Occasionally the sharp cry of a king-fisher, from a withered bough near the margin, or the fluttering of the wings of a wild duck, skimming over the surface, might be heard, but besides these there were no sounds, and _they_ served only to make the silence deeper.

The Lost Hunter A Tale of Early Times John Turvill Adams

There is one beautiful species of jay, with crimson-orange beak and legs, and a pretty king-fisher; but, except perhaps in the valleys, birds, I should say, are very scarce.

Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and the Neighbouring Countries William Griffith

The ferocious chuckle of a great grey king-fisher – the bird which white people called the laughing jackass – perched on the branch of a gum tree beside the fence, made her shudder, because the bird's soulless cachinnation seemed an echo of Colin's laugh.

Lady Bridget in the Never-Never Land 1915