THE BIRDS OF BANGKOK. 329 



plish brown, soles paler. Claws blackisli. 



Disttiilndion. So far recorded from Northern, Central, We.stern 

 and J'eninsular Siani, while 1 have aUo obtained it at Muak-lek in the 

 Eastern part of the country, in April, and at Cape Liant. in Sontli- 

 eastern Siani, in October. It is tlius universally distributed. 



Hahits, (C',-. I iiave records of this Bee-eater in Bangkok in all 

 months ( of different years ) except JIa}-, when it also doubtless occurs. 

 Nevertheless, the bird is a partial migrant, and presumably wanders 

 about the country as food supplies wane or increa-se in particular 

 localities. It is sometimes in Bangkok for weeks at a time and then 

 disappears suddenly, to return again a few weeks later. The bird is, 

 perhaps, less often seen in tiie hot weather, when it is probably away 

 breeding. 



The Bine-tailed Bee-eater is a handsome and familiar bird, and 

 ma}' often be seen seated on an electric light wire, an exposed twig of 

 a tree, or other point of vantage, whence it swoops after some passing- 

 insect, or makes a short flight in the air for annisement, returning, as 

 a rtdc, to the same jiercli. Frecjuently, several of them are found 

 together. Their general mode of flight consists of a few rapid beats 

 of the wings, followed by a graceful sailing motion, with wings out- 

 stretched. Tiie note (always, I believe, uttei'ed while on the wing) is 

 a rather melodious rolling one, criii, rrni, I'l'ni, repeated several times. 



Family .1 LOEBINIBAF.—Kimjfishers. 



Siamese (general name), unnjvipnw — Nok kra-ten. 

 70. Ceryle rudis leucomelanura Beichenb. TIip Eastern 



Pied Kuiijfisher. 

 J. •i' ^- " 



Siamese, VinnT:mwunVitin— Nok kra-ten piik lak. 



<■--/)/.''• rttiid, Blaiiford, Fiuni. Brit, liuliii, Birds, ill ( 180'i), \\ 110 ; 



\Villiainsnii, Jmuii. N. H. 8. Siniii. i, p. Ah (lltll): rmirdiior, 



.lonrn. N. 11. S. Slam, i, p. 150 ( 101.^)). 



Ci-ri/li- riiilit /<'i/C'//H(/((»w;i/, Gyldonstolpe 11II.'5, p, r>." : ill. 1016, p. 114- 



Ihscriptioii. Length about 27'.' mm. (11 in.). Crown, nape 



and small nuchal crest black, sparingly streaked with white ; lores and 



a long supercilinm white; a black eye-streak from the base of the bill 



to the ear-coverts, connected by a narrow black band with the black 



gorget : an imperfect white collar : back, scapulars and wing-coverts 



vol,. II. \WX'. I'.'K. 



