THE BIRDS OF BANGKOK. 335 



• 



U.S. Si;iiii. i. |.. ^".(IDU): IJnIiiiisoii, .luiiin. I', ^f. S. .Mii>., v.. 

 pp. !I2 aiul 145 (I!»I5). 

 l/-ilii/iiii fiiii/niriis/'.-! I'lixcii, (ivlili'ii.<iol)'i> 1018, p. .14: Itoliin^oii. llii>, 

 lOir., p. 782 : (ivid.Misidlp,". I ok;, p. 11(5. 



Desci-iptiu/L. Lenatli about 2G7 mm. (10.5 in.). Cliin, throat 

 and niiildle of breast white, all the rest of the head, neck and lower 

 ]dnmage dpt'p chestnut-brown ; scapulars and inler-scajiulat v ti'act. 

 tt-rtiaries, enter webs of secondai'ies above, and vijipi.T surface of tail 

 bine, usually with a gnvnish tinge in certain lights; lower back, luni]) 

 and upper tail-coverts brighter blue: greater wing-coverts duller Mid 

 (lai'krr bhie ; luedi.xn covei-ts lilack : lesser coverts chestnut ; secondary 

 Huills black, e.xcept on the upper surface of the outer webs ; primaries 

 ))lackish brown, with the basal portions aV)ove pale bine and a whito 

 patch on the inner webs. 



Iris brown. Hill dark sealing-wa.\' red, sometimes dusky at tlic 

 tip, the ))ase and tiie edges of the mandibles. I'lyelids dull i)inkish 

 J)rown. liegs and feet bright sealing-wax red lichind, I'eddish br<.wn 

 in front. Claws dark horn-colour. 



Distriliuliov. Has been recorded fiom all the divisions of the 

 countr}', except tlie Western, bat must occur there also. 



IIalnl.1, <lv. In Bangkok 1 have only observed this bird from 

 September to February, so it would appear to be a partial migrant, 

 leaving this neighbouihood for some other ))ait of the country for 

 ))reeding purposes. According to Blanfoid the Indian biid breeds 

 from .March to ,lidy, and it is probable that tlie Siamese one does so 

 at the same time of the year. It is less often seen in Bangkok than 

 //. pilpula, the Black-capped Kingfulu-r. but has very similar habits, 

 and is usually to b3 observed perched on overhanging branches or 

 obiier p lints of vantage on tlie baiik-s of our tidal canals or ponds, but 

 I beliu've its food consists chiefly of fresh-water Crustacea and other 

 deni/.ens of thf mud-banks. 



81. Halcyon pileati (Bodd.). The BlncL'-ntjijx'i/ 

 KiiKifinl/fr. 



/f(ili//(iii /lilratii. r.iiuitonl, Vi\\u\. I5ril. Indi;!, Binls, iii (U^O.'i). ji. l;i;'.: 

 (ivliitiistolpe 11)13, y>. bi>: Ruliiiisoii, lliis, I9l.''. p. 732: iil. .Imini. 

 F" M. S. Mns.. vii ( 19:7 ), p. 14«. 



lliiUiitm iiilidtii-i. Oijilvio-tiiiint, l''asi>. Malav, Zoi.l., iii ( lOO.") ). 

 I..'ll0 ; liol.ins.M, aii.l Kloss H'is, I'.'ll. p. .'^'4. 



\i)l„ II. m'.c. l:il7. 



