50 Messrs. La Touche and Rickett on the 



Halcyon pileata (Bocld.) : Ibis, 1900, p. 44. 

 An egg taken by our collectors in Central Fohkien on 

 May 16th measured T22x 1-08 in. 



Alcedo bengalensis Gm. : Ibis, 1892, p. 479. 



A very common resident. 



T \Ye took seven incubated eggs from a bole in a bank by some 

 rice-fields on June 19th, and had two fresh specimens brought 

 to us on July 9th. These nine eggs averaged v8X'69 in. 

 in dimensions, and were intensely glossy in appearance. 



The nest-hole is by no means always near water. One pair 

 reared a brood in some ornamental rockwork in a garden ; 

 another nested in a hole in a bank facing a lawn-tennis 

 court; while a third frequented a hole in a creeper-covered 

 wall in Rickett' s garden, and would in all probability have 

 bred there, had not an attempt on the part of a gardener 

 to catch one of the birds in the hole frightened them away. 



In spring these Kingfishers are very noisy and active, 

 chasing each other about at lightning speed even among the 

 houses or through the trees in the gardens, and uttering 

 a shrill " che-et, che-et." 



Upupa epops Linn. 



A scarce winter-visitor to Foochow, but breeds in the 

 vicinity of Amoy. One of llickett's collectors saw an indi- 

 vidual carrying food at a place close to Amoy early in June, 

 but failed to trace it to its nest. 



Cypselus pacificus Latham. 



Occurs about Foochow occasionally, generally in damp 

 or rainy weather in April, May, June, or September, but 

 never makes any stay. 



Our collectors state that it breeds on the coast. 



Cypselus subfurcatus Blyth : Ibis, 1903, p. 217. 



Caprimulgus jotaka T. & S. : Ibis, 1900, p. 41. 



Breeds on the plains and in Central Fohkien. 



Rickett shot a young bird near the settlement (Foochow), 

 with some down still adhering to the plumage, on August 18th. 

 A female shot bv him in the Yuen Fu Valley in May contained 



