Sir R. H. Schomburgk on the Birds of Siam. 247 



in the precincts discovered one, when they make a simultaneous 

 attack upon him. The Roller endeavours to avoid them, now by 

 making gyrations in the air, now by lighting upon the branches 

 of some tree, uttering all the time pitiful cries, nor are his tor- 

 mentors satisfied until he leaves the grounds. The beautiful blue 

 wing-feathers of this bird, principally the primaries and scapu- 

 laries, are exported to China for tiny fans ; and such are even 

 manufactured here, but they are not so well made as those that 

 come from China. 



3. Halcyon atricapilla. 



I found this handsome bird, with its long, almost quadrangu- 

 lar bill, of a fine red, up the Menam. Its plumage is even 

 richer than that of the Bee-eater [Coracias affinis) ; but the 

 feathers (which are used for fans) are not so large. 



4. Halcyon leucocephala (Linn.). 



And next we have Halcyon leucocephala, certainly decked less 

 splendidly in feathers of azure and smaragdinous in colour, but 

 nevertheless striking in its plumage. 



5. Halcyon collaris, Scop. 



This is a pretty little species, with fine blue wing-feathers, 

 those on the back and head passing into metallic green ; the 

 rump white, and a band of the same colour between the head 

 and wings. It is of small size, but when sitting on the dry 

 branches of a tree overhanging the river looks very pretty. 



6. Alcedo bengalensis. 



This is a very pretty species -of its kind ; it is small — no more 

 than 6 inches in length. When on the wing, the brilliancy of its 

 plumage is easily discerned ; less so when sitting. It selects 

 generally the dry branch of a tree close to the river's edge, and 

 there it watches its opportunity to dart into the water after the 

 finny tribe, which, from its watch-tower, it has observed near 

 the surface of the river. 



Another remarkable bird of the Halcyon family is a white- 

 spotted species, which I met with first about 120 miles up the 

 river. Then I lost sight of them until we were about 300 miles 

 from the sea, when I saw them again, swifting over the river's 

 surface, now and then dipping into it after the fry. I do not 



