b 
56 JOURNAL, NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY OF SIAM Vol. I. 
feathers were little more than stumps. It is true this was an excep- 
tionally late season in starting, and may have had something to do 
with the particular stave of moult in which the birds arrived, but that 
rather adds to the interest of the subject than otherwise. 
The moult of the primaries appeared to start from about the 
centre of the wing, usually about the 7th and &th, followed by the 
next outer pair and then an inner pair, so by the time the outer pair 
of primaries were dropped the new centre feathers had put on a fair 
amount of growth. This was about the weakest stage of the moult, 
when only the outer pair of old primaries remain. 
Another noticeable feature of the moult was the dropping of 
the “ pin” feathers from the tail, which occurred about a month later. 
BE. G. HERBERT. 
November, 1918. : 
No. VILI—DISTRIBUTION OF THE INDIAN PIED KINGFISHER 
(CERYLE VARIA) AND SPOTTED OWLKT 
(ATHENE BRAMA) IN SIAM. 
I have been endeavouring to trace recently the southern limit 
of the Indian Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle varia. I’ 1037) and should be 
glad if your readers would help me. This bird abounds on the Me 
Ping and Me Yome, and rivers further North, and is very plentiful 
on the Menam above and below Bangkok, but is unknown in the 
Malay States. It is common in India, Ceylon, and Burma in the 
plains, except south of Amherst, and it extends east Into China, but 
apparently does not go much south of Bangkok. It should not be 
dificult to trace, as it is a noisy bird and can be readily recognised by 
its peculiar fishing habits. Unlike other Kingfishers it never plunges 
from a fixed perch, but flies over the water and hovers with its bealk 
pointed downwards, at a height of frequently 15 or 20 feet above the 
surface, when it suspects the presence ofa fish. It dives for its prey 
after hovering, hence the Siamese name ‘Nok kra ten pak lak,” 
which likens the long straight plunge to the driving of a stake. 
Another species which occurs in Siam, though as far as I am 
aware it has not previously been recorded, is the Spotted Owlet 
( Athene brama. F. 1180). It is quite common some 40 miles north 
of Bangkok, but I believe it does not occur in Bangkok or further 
south in Siam—the exact distribution of it is therefore of interest. 
Blanford gives it as occurring throughout India, but not im 
Ceylon, and as common in the Irrawaddy valley from Prome upwards, 
the latitude of Prome being about 18’. The latitude at which it is 
found in Siam is known to be as far south as 14’. 
The Spotted Owlet is a noisy little bird (8” long} which comes 
out before sunset and pours forth a volley of chuckles and squeaks. 
Usually two of these individuals sit shouting together, as if trying 
which can finish its chatter first. The entire upper plumage is an 
ashy brown copiously spotted with white, and the tail is barred with 
