Malachite kingfisher Malachite kingfisher The malachite kingfisher ("Corythornis cristatus") is a river kingfisher which is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara. It is largely resident except for seasonal climate-related movements. The malachite kingfisher was described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764 and given the binomial name "Alcedo cristata". The specific epithet "cristata" is from the Latin "cristatus" meaning "crested" or "plumed". The adjective "malachite" in the vernacular name normally refers to the dark green colour of the copper containing mineral. This kingfisher has blue upperparts but has black banding with pale blue or greenish-blue on its forehead.
The Malachite Casket (fairy tale) and performed by the State Symphony Cinema Orchestra. The Malachite Casket (fairy tale) "The Malachite Casket" (), also known as "The Malachite Box", is a folk tale (the so-called "skaz") of the Ural region collected and reworked by Pavel Bazhov. It was first published in the several issues of the Sverdlovsk newspaper "Na Smenu!" in September—November 1938, and in "Uralsky Sovremennik" (volume 1, 1938). It was later released as a part of "The Malachite Casket" collection. "The Malachite Casket" is considered to be one of the best stories in the collection. The story was translated from Russian into English by