HALCYON SENEGALOIDES. 119 
- Young.—Similar to the adult, but has the breast distinctly marked 
with transverse edging to the feathers. 
Fig. Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pl. 67. 
112. Hatcyon sENEGALOIDES. Mangrove Kingfisher. 
The present bird, which is an inhabitant of Natal, belongs to a 
very different group of the genus Halcyon, and although it has a 
wholly red beak, which character allies it to H. albiventris, its affinities 
are nearer to H. senegalensis. It may be distinguished from the 
other red-beaked Kingfishers of South Africa by its uniform greyish 
breast, and ash-coloured head washed with blue. 
Sir Andrew Smith first discovered the species in Natal, where, he 
says, “like other members of the group, it resorts to thickets, and: 
feeds upon insects, especially crustacea and grylle.’ Mr. Ayres 
gives the following note on the species in the same country :— “These 
birds, as far as I know, are only found upon the mangroves which line 
the Bay: they feed principally on small crabs, though fish are some- 
times taken by them. They are generally seen singly or in pairs, and 
are only here in the winter months, leaving us on the approach of 
summer ; they are rather shy birds, and dive into the dense mangrove- 
bush when alarmed.” 
It has been procured as far west as the Buffalo River by Mr. 
Rickard. 
Head and nape cinereous, with a greenish blue lustre; back and 
scapularies thalassine-blue, very bright on the lower part of the back ; 
wing-coverts deep black ; wing feathers blackish, white at the base, 
the basal half of the outer web of the primaries, and nearly the whole 
of the outer web of the secondaries brilliant thalassine-blue ; tail 
above blue, beneath black; a stripe from the base of the beak ex- 
tending backwards over the eye, dusky cinereous : spot in front of the 
eye and ring of feathers round the eye black ; throat, abdomen, under 
wing and tail-coverts white, the latter washed with blue; cheeks, 
sides of the neck, breast and flanks cinereous with a greenish lustre 
and with transverse cinereous vermiculations ; bill coral red; feet 
dark reddish yellow ; eye dark brown. Total length, 9 inches ; of bill 
from front, 2; from gape, 2-4; wimg, 4°2; tail, 2°6; tarsus, 0°45; 
middle toe, 08; hind toe, 0°4. 
Fig. Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pl. 68, 
