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mandible orange. Legs and feat red. 

 Iris reddish hazel. 



The throat is white. Breast and 

 abdomen rufous buff. Crown and 

 nape transversely banded dusky black 

 and blue. An irregular stripe of 

 brilliant blue runs down the middle 

 of the back. A buff stripe under the 

 eye, continued by a white one. Scapu- 

 lars and wing coverts greenish blue, 

 latter tipped with bright blue. Wing 

 quills deep greenish blue on the outer 

 webs, inner ones black. Tail very 

 short, deep blue above, black below. 



The female is duller in color. 



Distribution. — Europe and Asia 

 This little kingfisher is a very com- 

 mon resident in the Yangtse Valley. 



Nest and Eggs. — These little birds 

 build their nest in deep holes in the 

 bank, often taking possession of the 

 burrow of a rat for the purpose. The 

 whole may be two or three feet in 

 depth and the eggs may sometimes be 

 found upon a mass of small fish-bones. 

 These are thought to have accumulat- 

 ed there by having been cast up by 

 the bird rather than having been 

 Dlaced there as nest material. 



The eggs, usually 6 or 7 in a clutch, 

 are clear white and round in shape. 



Notes. — " 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 '." 



In the south of China, the beautiful 

 azure feathers of this bird are mount- 

 ed in various settings, making a most 

 attractive and unique type of jewehy. 



