322 MANUAL OF PHILIPPINE BIRDS. 



2S4. HALCYON WINCH ELLI Sharpe. 

 WINCHELL'S KINGFISHER. 



Halcyon wincheUi Shabpe, Trans. Linn. Soc. (1876), 1, 318, pi. 47; Cat. 



Birds Brit. Mus. (1892), 17, 255; Hand-List (1900), 2, 58; McGregor 



and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 54. 

 Halcyon alfredi Oustalet, Le Natur. (1890), 62. 



Basilan {Steere, Steere Exp., Bourns d Worcester, McGregor) ; Bohol (Mc- 

 Gregor) ; Bongao {Everett) ; Cebu (Bourns d Worcester) ; Mindanao (Everett, 

 Koch d Schadenberg, Goodfellow, Celestino) ; Negros (Whitehead); Romblon 

 (Bourns d Worcester) ; Samar (Steere Exp.) ; Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester) ; 

 Siquijor (Bourns d Worcester) ; Sulu (Bourns d Worcester) ; Tablas (Bourns 

 d Worcester) ; Tawi Tawi (Everett, Bourns d Worcester) . 



Male. — Above, including wings and tail, deep blue ; lores and a narrow 

 collar on hind neck chestnut; a band of light blue extending backward 

 from above eye and joining its fellow across nape; back, rump, and 

 central tail-coverts light silvery blue; sides of head and a small patch 

 on each side of breast dark blue; lower parts white; primaries and alula 

 black, remainder of wing-feathers edged with blue; tail blue above, black 

 below. Bill black, except under part of lower mandible which is white 

 near base; feet greenish drab; nails black. Length of a male from 

 Basilan, 255; wing, 103; tail, 75; culmen from base, 57; tarsus, 14. 



Female. — Above similar to the male but blacker because of the greater 

 restriction of blue on each feather; chestnut collar much wider; below 

 white, washed to a greater or less extent with fawn, heaviest on breast, 

 usually wanting on middle of abdomen. Length of a female from Basi- 

 lan, 255; wing, 102 ; tail, 75; culmen from base, 54; bill from nostril, 46. 



Young. — A specimen taken in Sibuyan indicates that the young male 

 resembles the adult female. 



"A deep-woods form, usuall}' seen perching in trees at a considerable 

 distance from the ground, though it goes to the ground to feed. On 

 being surprised when feeding it flies up into the trees at once. This 

 kingfisher seems to be fully possessed of the idea that it can sing, and 

 may often be seen at early morning or dusk, perched 15 meters above 

 the ground, and squawking away as if life depended on it. 



"Familiarity with its habits and its note enabled us to procure it in 

 many islands wJiere it was not previously known. It is, however, a 

 difficult bird to shoot at the best. 



"Iris dark brown : legs and feet light greenish olive, sometimes yellow- 

 ish olive; nails black; bill black except base of lower mandible which is 

 usually white; tip of bill sometimes white; food, beetles, grasshoppers, 

 spiders, and grilles. 



"Eight males average, 247 in length; wing, 98; tail, 74; culmen, 51; 

 tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 23. Thirteen females, length, 250; 

 wing, 100; tail, 74; culmen, 52; tarsus, 13; middle toe witli claw, 24." 

 (Bourns and ^Vorcester MS.) 



