ALCtina 111 



Sub -Family, ALCEDININ^. 

 Bill lono- and slender; keel of both mandibles sloping to tlie tip.. 

 Gen. Alcedo. — Liiin. 



Nostrils oblique ; 2nd and 3rd quills lons^est ; outer toe united to 

 middle nearly to the tip ; hind toe short and broad. 



Alcedo bengalensis, GvwL S. N. i. p. 206; Eilw. B pi. ii. ; Gould. 

 B. Asia; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 230, No. 134; Hnme, 8fr. F. i. pp. 168-169; 

 Murray, Hdbk., Zuol., SfX., Siiid, p. 128. Alcedo ispidioides. Less, 

 Gompl. Buff. ix. p. 345, — The Common Indian Kingfisher. 



Above, the head and hind neck are dusky, each feather tipped with 

 pale blue. A rufous band from the nostrils to the ear-coverts. A dark 

 patch at the gape on both upper and lower mandibles. Sides of the 

 neck, chin and throat white; a streak of dusky feathers edged with blue 

 from each corner ot the lower mandible dividing the white of the chin 

 and throat and sides of the neck. Quills dusky on their inner webs ; 

 the outer webs dull green blue. Scapulars dull bluish green; back, 

 rump and upper tail-coverts pale blue; tail blue, tinged with greenish. 

 Breast and entire under surfnce orange brown or ferruginous. Bill 

 blackish above, horny bruwn below ; irides dark brown ; legs orange 

 red. 



Length. — 6*5 to 7 inches, wing 2*75, tail Tl, bill at front 1 4. 



Hah. — Throughout India; also Ceylon and China. Occurs also in 

 Beloochistan and S. Afghanistan, but is rare. In Kutch, Kattiawar, 

 N. Guzerat, Concan and Deccan it is the common form where A. ispida 

 does not occur. In Sind it appears to be a seasonal visitant. 



Alcedo ispida, Lin. 8. N. i. p. 207 ; P. E. 77 ; Naum. vogt. t. 

 144; Gould. B. Eur.; Hume, Sir. F. i. p. 168; Murray, Hdhk, 

 ZooL, c5'c., Siiid^ p. 129. — The European Kingfisher. 



A broad bright orange stripe from the bill to the ear-coverts 

 margined on the side of the gape and crossed below the eye by a 

 narrow black streak. Sides of neck with a white patch commencing 

 from behind the eai'-coverts ; chin and throat white. Head, nape, 

 neck behind, a broad streak from the base of the lower mandible and 

 lesser wing-coverts greenish blue, the feathers edged with bright light 

 blue, and forming narrow bars or spots of that colour; scapulars and 

 exterior webs of the primaries greenish blue, the inner webs of the 

 latter dusky brown. Back, rump, and upper tail-coverts rich azure 

 blue. Tail deep blue; breast and entire under surface of the body 

 bright orange. Upper mandible dusky brown or blackish brown, 

 reddish at base; lower mandible reddish orange; irides hazel. 



LenqfJi. — 6" 8 to 7"5 inches, expanse 10*5 to 11, wing 2-95 to 3, bill 

 1-6 to'l-7. 



Hah. — Europe generally ; found also in S. Afghanistan, Beloo- 

 chistan and Persia. In Sind it is a resident and breeds from March to 

 May. 



