232 BIRDS OP INDIA. 



very bright blue ; the upper tail-coverts deep blue ; lores with a 

 black spot ; the rufous band very faintly developed ; ear-coverts 

 mixed black and blue ; a narrow white nuchal band meeting its 

 fellow ; the plumage beneath dark ferruginous. 



Bill black, red at the base over the lower mandible ; feet red. 

 Length 8^ to 9 inches; wing 3| to 4 ; tail 1| ; bill at front 1| ; 

 tail 1 inch longer than wing. 



This Kingfisher, chiefly found in Malayana and the Isles, has 

 rarely been killed in Sikim. I did not myself see it on any of the 

 rivers there. It is as much larger than the European Kingfisher, 

 as that bird is than the common Indian one, and proportionally 

 richer colored. 



Other species of Alcedo, from the East, are A . meningting, from 

 Tenasserim, Java, and Malacca; A. beryllina, also from Java; and 

 A. Moluccensis from the Moluccas. A prettily crested group, 

 peculiar to Africa, has been named Corythornis by Kaup. The 

 restricted genus Alcedo has no representative in Australia. 



Gen. Ceryle, Boie. 



Syn. Ispida, Swains. 



Char. — Bill long, straight, compressed, acute at tip ; culmen 

 obtuse, somewhat flattened, and margined on each side by an 

 indented groove ; tail slightly lengthened, rounded ; wings 

 long, 2nd and 3rd quills nearly equal ; inner toe longer than the 

 hinder one, which is very short. 



These Kingfishers are birds of moderate or large size ; those 

 from India having black and white plumage, and the head 

 more or less crested. Most of the species are fonnd in America ; 

 a few only in Africa and Asia. 



136. Ceryle rudis, Lm. 



Alcedo, apud Linn^us — Sykes, Cat. 33 — Jerdon, Cat. 248 — 

 Blyth, Cat, 210— HoRsr., Cat. 165 — Gould, Birds of Europe, 

 PI. 62 — C. varia, Strickland — Ispida bicincta, and I. bitorquata, 

 Sw^AiNS. — Korayala kilkila, i. e., spotted Kingfisher, H. —Phutka 

 match-rang a J Beng., also Karikata. 



