ALCEDO. 305 



tion. This specimen seems to have been identified with some doubt as P. 

 gigantea by Lord Walden, Proceedings of the Zoological Society (1877), 

 536. It would seem altogether probable that this identification was 

 correct, as P. gigantea has since been repeatedly found in the central 

 Philippines." (Bourns and Worcester MS.) 



268. PELARGOPSIS GIGANTEA Walden. 



PHILIPPINE STORK-BILLED KINGFISHER. 



Pelargopsis gigantea Waldex, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ( 1874 ) . ( 4 ) . 13, 123 ; 

 Shabpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1892), 17, 100; Hand-List (1900), 2, 

 49; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 52. 



Ba-ri-ta, Ticao. 



Basilan (Everett, Hteere Ejcp., Bourns d Worcester, McGregor) ; Bohol (Mc- 

 Gregor) ; Bongao (Everett) ; Cebu (Bourns d Worcester. McGregor) ; Dinagat 

 (Everett) ; Guiniaras (Steere Exp.); Lapac (Guillemard) ; Leyte (Everett) ; 

 Masbate (Steere Exp., Bourns d Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Murray, 

 Steere, Everett, Koch d- Schadenberg, Steere Exp., Goodfellow, Celestino) ; Malanipa 

 (Murray); Negros (Bourns d Worcester, Keay) ; Panay (Murray, Bourns d 

 Worcester); Salok (Meyer); Samal (Goodfellow); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns 

 d Worcester, Whitehead) ; Sibutu (Everett) ; Sibuyan (Bourns d Worcester) ; 

 Sulu (Burbidge, Bourns d Worcester) ; Tablas (Bourns d Worcester) ; Tawi Tawi 

 (Bourns d Worcester) ; Ticao (McGregor) . 



Adult male. — Back, rump, wings, and tail as in P. gouldi, but head, 

 neck, and entire under parts very much lighter in color, being pale 

 ochraceotis-buff. Wing, 155; tail, 92; culnien from base, 82; bill from 

 nostril, 69. 



Adult female. — Similar to the male. Bill bright scarlet, blackish at 

 tip; iris brown; eyelids and legs scarlet; nails dark horn-bro\vTi. A 

 specimen from Ticao measures: Length, 370; wing, 159; tail, 93; cul- 

 men, 88; tarsus, 18. 



Immature. — Differs from the adult in having buff of lower parts darker 

 and the breast-feathers narrowly edged with dark brown forming cres- 

 centic marks. The bill and legs are nnich duller than those of the adult. 



''Abundant along the seashore and the banks of large fresh-water 

 streams in the islands indicated. P. gigantea is a very tough bird, and 

 will carry off a pretty good-sized load of shot. Ten specimens measure 

 379 in length; wing, 153; tail, 93; culmen, 83; tarsus, 16; middle toe 

 with claw, 35. Iris dark brown; feet red to dark red; bill dirty red to 

 dark red." (Bourns and Worcester MS.) 



Genus ALCEDO Linn^us, 1758. 



Small, Icngtii less than 200 mm.; hill long; culmen slighfly curved 

 and rounded, not flattened, a slight groove on each side; tail shorter 

 than bill; toes four. 

 77719 20 



