13 



Ceyx cyanopectus (Lafres.). (PL X.) 



Grant,^ in his report on Whitehead's collection from Isabela 

 Province, Luzon, gave the history of Ceyx cyanopectus and Ceyx 

 pliilippinensis at length and on the evidence of specimens collected 

 by Whitehead he revived the latter name for the form which is 

 without the blue pectoral band. 



Whitehead- himself considered them male and female of one 

 species. Bourns and Worcester," who made a large collection of 

 the small river kingfishers, did not agree with Grant's view. 



I have before me fourteen specimens of Ceyx cyanopectus col- 

 lected in Mindoro during the breeding season between the dates 

 March 23 and May 18. In nearly all of these individuals the sexual 

 organs were so greatly enlarged that a mistake in sexing was well- 

 nigh impossible. Each of these fourteen specimens was sexed by 

 one of my assistants, his mark verified by myself, and the sex 

 again marked on the back of the tag — not in a book. Seven of 

 these skins are marked males and have a blue band across the 

 fore breast. Seven are marked females and lack the blue band 

 across the breast. Seven others from Luzon, Masbate, Ticao, and 

 Sibuyan confirm the conclusion that these two forms are male and 

 female of one species. 



Halcyon coromandus (Latham). 



One specimen of the Coromandel kingfisher from Balete. 



Halcyon gularis (Kuhl). (PI. XL) 



The white-chinned kingfisher was seldom seen near our Balete 

 camp because we were there during the nesting season, but by a 

 careful search along the smaller streams we soon discovered birds 

 of this species in abundance. A sand or clay bank, even if but a 

 foot or two high, was usually burrowed, although the hole was not 

 always occupied. Another favorite site was the earth held between 

 the roots of a large, fallen tree. Many trees of this sort lay in 

 midstream, and I imagine that the birds were glad to place their 

 nests therein, as the water certainly afforded some protection from 

 snakes, ants, and the other natural enemies of eggs and nestlings. 

 One burrow was in the earth between two large roots of a standing 

 tree and another in the end of a dead limb of a fallen one. The 

 usual burrow had an entrance from 2.75 to 3 inches in diameter 



Uhis, Jan., 1895, pp. 112-115. 

 = Ibis, Oct., 18!)5, p. 102. 

 "■Ibis, 1895, p. 404. 



