HALCYON. 319 



281. HALCYON COROMANDUS (Latham). 

 RUDDY KINGFISHER. 



Alcedo coromanda Latham, Ind. Oin. (1790), 1, 252. 



Halcyon coromandus Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1892), 17, 217: 

 Hand-List (1900), 2, 56; Gates and Ried, Cat. Birds' Eggs (190.3), 

 3, 37; McGregor and \Vorcestf:r. Hand-List (1900), 54. 



Sa-luc-sac, Calayan. 



Batan {Edmonds) ; Calayan {McGregor) ; Camiguin N. { McGregor ) ; Guimaras 

 {Steere Exp.) ; Luzon {Steere Exp., Whiteheud, Bourns d- Worcester) ; Masbate 

 (Bourns d Worcester) ; Mindanao {Everett, Celestino) ; Mindoro {McGregor) ; 

 Palawan (Whitehead, Bourns d- Worcester, White); Sibuyan {Bourns d Wor- 

 cester); Tavvi Tavvi (Bourns d Worcester). Sangi and Liu Kiu Islands, Indo- 

 Chinese countries, Malay Peninsula, eastern Himalayas, China. Japan. Korea. 

 Formosa, Java. Simiatra. Borneo, Celebes. 



Adult iiHtlc. — Above, including wings and tail, dark rufous, heavily 

 washed with violet; on lower l)ack, rump, and tail-coverts a narrow stripe 

 of silvery white, slightly washed with blue ; l)elow dark cinnamon-buff, 

 chin whitish : throat, breast, and under tail-coverts washed with violet. 

 Bill, legs, and nails bright coral-red; iris brown. Length of a specimen 

 from Camiguin, 250; wing, llfi; tail, 72; culmen from base, 57; 

 tarsus, 15. 



Female. — Much less violet wash on upper parts and very little or none 

 on lower parts. Length of a specimen from Calayan, 270; wing, 119; 

 tail, 74; culmen from base, 55; tarsus, 15. 



Young. — Lower parts lighter, chin more extensively whitish, violet 

 wash less, and feathers of throat and breast edged with blackish brown 

 forming numerous small crescents. 



"Probably ranges throughout the Pliilippines, but is as yet noted from 

 i)ut few of the islands. It is sometimes found in deep woods away from 

 water, but more Commonly along the banks of wooded streams and in 

 mangrove swamj)s. It is usually shy and hard to shoot, but in Sibuyan 

 two individuals of this species took u\) their abode in the bamboos in 

 our back yard, apparently attracted by the tlesh of land shells thrown out 

 as we cleaned our specimens. In several islands where we met with this 

 species we obtained but a single specimen. 



"Bill, legs, and feet scarlet; nails briglit red or orange-red; iris very 

 dark brown. Food crabs, in four cases. Seven males measured, 258 in 

 length; wing. 111: (ail. (;:> ; t-ulmen, 5S ; tarsus, 15; middle toe with 

 claw, 25. Four females: Length, 25;); wing. Idil; tail, (14: culmen, 5(5; 

 tarsus. 15; middle toe with claw. 25.*" (Hoiirns (iinl Worcester MS.) 



