I 



332 MR. W. J. F. WILLIAMSON ON 



Dislrlb'idiuii. So far recordetl from Northern, Central, South- 

 eastern and Peninsular Siam, while Gairdner (Joiirn. N. H. S. Slam, 

 i, p. 15U) believes he has seen it in tha Western division of the country. 

 The bird thus remains to be recoided onl}' from Ivastern Siam, biit 

 a.s Oustalet lias reported it from French Indo-China, it may with 

 certainty be regarded as a species distributed throughout the country in 

 suitable localities. 



Ilaliits, etc In Bangkok this little Kingfisher is a winter visitor, 

 and I have observed it from the end of August to the cud of March, 

 /. c, for a space of about 7 months. As it is resident in the country, 

 it ajiparentiy moves awaj', after the hot season sets in, for bi'eeding 

 purposes. 



This Kingfisher is a small edition of the common European one, 

 and has similar habits. As far as my observation goes, it is usually a 

 solitary bird, and may often be seen sitting quietly' on some low twig 

 over-hanging the water, or on a post or other near-by convenient 

 coign of vantage, ready to plunge for an unsuspecting small fish, it 

 is also said by IJlanford occasionally to take tadpoles or water- 

 insects. Its flight, ns Blanford observes, is swift and straight, general- 

 ly just above the surface of the wat(M', ami 1 have observed that, when 

 So flying, it fre(juently utters its sharp, quick note oi' clii-rhi-rhi-i-ld-chi, 

 followed by chi, eld, eld, two or three times, more slowly. 



7P 



IS. Qeys. tridactyla (I'all.). Tlic Indian Tlircr-Tvcd 

 Ki'nilfislcei'. 



rV//.c tniliiclijl.i, l5i:uilurJ. Faiui. Bril Iiidi;i, Birds, iii (1.^1)5), p. 1 -'7 : 

 Oj;iivie-(jiraiit, Fasc. Malay. Zool., iii (1!<05). p. 1 11 : JJnliiiiscjii and 

 Kloss, Ibis, 101 i, p. o:>; Ilvibcrt, Jonrii. N. H. S. Siam, i, p. 

 118 (11114); i{oliiiis(,n, .Inmn. F. M. S. Mus., vii, p. 140 (11117) 



Oyx frii/<tcli/l '(■■', Gvkk'nst(d|ii' 11)13. p. 54: id. .Inuni. N. 11. S. 8iaiii, 

 i', p. 231 (lOlo). " 



Descriptiov,. Length up to llu min.(o.o in.). A spot at base of 

 forehead, pointed behind, black washed with juirple ; crown, nape, 

 hind neck, lower back and upper tail-coverts orange-red with a ruddy 

 violet gloss, especially over the ej'e and on the rump and u]iper tail- 

 coverts ; a black spot before the eye ; lores, cheeks, ear-coverts and 

 lower parts from the throat orange-yellow ; chin and throat whitish ; a 

 deep liluo 9,\><>t behind the ear-oovert.«, bordered l)ehind by white ; 



JOfR.N. NAT. Ilisr. bOC. SUM. 



