HALCYON ALBIVENTRIS. 115 
latter, but confined to the base of the former, where it has a faint lilac 
tinge ; tail above brilliant cobalt, shading into black on the edge of 
the feathers, the underside deep black; cheeks, throat, and breast 
white ; rest of the body with the under wing and tail-coverts deep 
sienna; bill and feet sealing-wax red. Total length, 8:0 inches, of 
bill from front, 1°6 ; from gape, 1:95 ; wing, 43 ; tail, 1-4; tarsus, 0°45 ; 
middle toe, 0°7 ; hind toe, 0°3. 
Female.—Similar to the male, but the colours duller and the 
head more dusky, 
Young.—Similar to the adults, but the colours much more dingy, 
those parts being blackish-brown which in the adult are jet-black ; 
head uniform ashy; back of neck, cheeks and entire breast dirty 
white, thickly crossed with transverse brown vermiculations ; throat 
and abdomen white, flanks and under wing and tail-coverts tinged 
with sienna; the blue on the wings and back dull; bill dark red, 
black at the base. 
Fig. Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pl. 63. 
109. Hatcyon aLBIvENTRIS. Brown-hooded Kingfisher. 
Haleyon fuscicapilla, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 63. 
Like the preceding bird this species has a red beak, blackish only 
at the tip, but may be further distinguished by its striped head and 
breast as well as by the black scapulars. Some specimens have the 
back brown, and we are not certain whether it is the young bird or 
the old female which exhibits this character. A pair of birds were 
collected in the Transvaal by Mr. Buckley and in this case the male 
had a black, and the female a brown back. This species is not found 
in the neighbourhood of Cape Town, but it is common on the Eastern 
frontier, and is plentiful both at Port Hlizabeth and Hast London, ac- 
cording to Mr. Rickard. Victorin procured it in the Karroo in Decem- 
ber and January, and again at the Knysna in April and December. 
Mr. H. Atmore has forwarded specimens from George, as also has his 
brother, Mr. T. C. Atmore, from Eland’s Post. Mr. Fellows noticed 
it at St. Lucia Bay, and Mr. Ayres has sent it from Natal, where, 
according to Captain Shelley, it is numerous about Durban and 
Pinetown. Mr. T. HE. Buckley found it breeding along the banks of 
Limpopo in November, and says that it was very common along the 
rivers north of Pretoria. In the Zambesi it seems to be replaced by 
the following species. 
I 2 
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