KING BIRD. See PARADISE, ORNITHOLOGY Index.
KING'S FISHER. See ALCEDO, ORNITHOLOGY Index.
Books of KINGS, two canonical books of the Old Testament, so called because they contain the history of the kings of Israel and Judah from the beginning of the reign of Solomon down to the Babylonish captivity for the space of near 600 years. The first book of Kings contains the latter part of the life of David, and his death; the flourishing state of the Israelites under Solomon, his building and dedicating the temple of Jerusalem, his shameful defection from the true religion, and the sudden decay of the Jewish nation after his death, when it was divided into two kingdoms: the rest of the book is taken up in relating the acts of four kings of Judah and eight of Israel. The second book, which is a continuation of the same history, is a relation of the memorable acts of 16 kings of Judah, and 12 of Israel, and the end of both kingdoms, by the carrying of the 10 tribes captive into Assyria by Shalmaneser, and the other two into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.
It is probable that these books were composed by Ezra, who extracted them out of the public records, which were kept of what passed in that nation.
KING'S COUNTY, a county of the province of Leinster in Ireland, taking its name from King Philip of Spain, husband to Queen Mary. It is bounded on the north by West Meath; on the south by Tipperary and Queen's county, from which it is divided by the Barrow; and by part of Tipperary and Galway on the west, from which it is separated by the Shannon. It is a fine fruitful country, containing 257,510 Irish plantation acres, 56 parishes, 11 baronies, and two boroughs. It is about 38 miles long and 30 broad, and the chief town is Philipstown.
KING'S EVIL, or Serophula. See MEDICINE Index.