560 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



447. — Halcyon soudidus, Gould. — (60) 



MANGROVE KINGFISHER. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Au.stralia, fol., vol. ii., pi. 23. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xvii., p. 278. 



Previous Description of Eggs. — North t Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wales, 

 2nd ser., vol. vii., p. 395 (1802). 



Geoyra/i]iica/ Dixtrihutuin. — Northern Territor}' and Queensland; 

 also New Guinea, Louisade Islands, and Aru Islands. 



Neitt. — A hole tunnelled into the .side of termites' nest, or a tree 

 adjacent to mangi-ove tracts, or a hole in a mangrove tree itself. 



Eggs. — Clutch, three, probably four occasionally ; round oval in 

 shape ; texture of shell fine ; surface glossy ; colour, pure white more 

 or less dulled by nest stains. Excepting for their large size resemble 

 those of the other Halcyons. Dimensions in inches of a pair ex 

 a clutch of three : (1) 1-3 x 1-0, (2) 1-26 x 1-0. 



Ohse.rvations. — Not much is known of this fine nortln vn Kingfisher, 

 which is the largest in size of Australian Halcyons. As its specific 

 name implies, this species is not so gaily dressed as the other King- 

 fishers, its coat being more sombre or dusky. " Mangrove '' Kingfislier 

 appears an acceptable vernacular name for the bird because of its 

 natural disposition to frequent these safe and sloppy retreats by the 

 sea-.shore and river's mouth. 



Probably the first authenticated set of this rare Kingfisher's eggs 

 was collected by Miss J. A. Fletcher, daughter of Mr. Price Fletcher, 

 the " Bush Naturalist '' of Queensland. It is always a plea-sure to 

 write up original field notes, moi-e especially those of lady field- 

 naturalists, who arc usually few and far between. 



Miss Fletcher has tlioucjlit fully favoured me with a j>air of eggs 

 and the following memoranda: — "October 20th. lcS88. Took three 

 eggs of the Sonhd Kingfisher from hole in an ant's nest built on a gum- 

 tree clo.se to the sea beach ; the locality is about midway between 

 Wellington Point and Cleveland, Moreton Bay, and is locally known 

 as Ormiston. The eggs are large for the size of the bird, and have not 

 such a clear pearly appearance as the eggs of the Madeay and Azure 

 Kingfishers. In this ca.se the eggs were adv.inced in incubation." 



" October 24th. 1888, near the same locality, saw a Sordid King- 

 fi.sher fly out of hole in liml) of mangrove-tree, and a.scending tlie tree 

 found three young ones, very little fledged. They were lying on the 

 soft rotten wood," In a little more descriptive language Miss Fletcher 

 continues: — "Oh! what mud I had to go through Ix-fore [ reached 

 that tree! The tnink wa.s high before the branches giew out, and mv 

 boots being very muddy and slipper^-. T had a slight trouble in a.scend- 

 ing the tree. However I managed it. and was just .ible to squeeze 



