330 MR. W. J. F. WILLIAMSON ON 



black, with wliih' edgings to the featliers : ninip-featliers niixeil blade 

 and white : )iriinaries white at base, black at terminal end — tiie white 

 on the inner webs of the outer primaries being extended diagonallj' 

 across the distal half ; secondaries largely white, with irregular black 

 markings, maiulj^ on the outer webs ; all uing-featliers, except the first 

 few primaries, with white tips; tail-feathers white on tiie basal half 

 and on the tip, a broad blaclc ))and occnpying the greater part of the 

 distal half. Lower plumage, with clieeks and wing-lining, white, some 

 small elongate black spots forming a malar patch ; a broad gorget 

 across the breast (interrupted in the middle, in the female) and some 

 black spots on the flanks, sometimes nearly meeting across the abdo- 

 men. The white on the tliroat, breast and abdomen is very pure and 

 glossy. 



Iris brown. IVill black, itouth flesh-colour. Legs and teet 

 blackish. Claws black. 



Distriliution. Recorded, xip to the present, onlj- from Northern, 

 (,"entral and \Vestern Siam. G'yldenstolpe remarks {op. di., 191G) 

 that south of I he latitude of Bangkok ■• it seems to be extremely rare, 

 though it is found here aiid there in suitable places." I am not aware 

 on what grounds the latter pare of this statement is liased, as no such 

 occurrences aj- tear to have been reported. 



Jlahith-, civ;. 1 iiave obtained or observed this ]\ing(isher in 

 Bangkok in ,ill months of the year except .lune, November and 

 December, bnl ir, probably sonirtimes occurs in these months also. So 

 far as Bangkok is concerned, it is, however, a jiartial migrant, and 

 comes and goes irregularly. When present, the bird cannot fail to be 

 observed, both on account of its conspicuous black and wliite plumage, 

 its frecjuently uttered twittering cry, and its habits, which tend to 

 made it a familiar biid. 



This is the only Kingfis^her, occurring in Bangkok, which does 

 not liabitnally watch for its ]irey from a fixed perch. Its ordinary 

 method is to hover over the water, when it sees or suspects a fish, with 

 its body liorizontal, head bent down and beak vertical, and wings beating 

 the air rapidly. From tJiis position it plunges, head foremost, quite 

 vertically — tiie first yard or two of its descent of 20 or 30 ft. being 



.lOrK?^. N.\T. HIST. SOC. SIAM. 



