Mr. R. Swinboe on the Ornithology of Hainan. 93 



25. Halcyon smyrnensis (Linn.). 



The only bird I saw of tbis species was at Ilaosuy (N.W. 

 Hainan), in a grove adjoining a village. 



26. Halcyon pileatus (Bodd.) ; Alcedo atricapilla, Gmel. 



Only observed in Hainan, at tbe same place as tbe last- 

 named. I saw tbree in tbe small island of Naocbow, and pro- 

 cured one. 1 k'X 



27. Pal^ornis JAVANICA (Osbeck). - p. i«J^-«.t»<v t 

 I fully expected tbat the " Sugar-cane-bird" of the Hainan- 



ese, tbe only Pari-ot in Hainan, would turn out to be a new 

 species. But no, my specimens are identical with examples 

 sent from India by Mr. Blytb. I have four fine adult birds 

 from Hainan : — 



Length of wing. of tail. 



6 (A.) 6-6 7 



c? (B.) 6-5 8-25 



d (C.) 6-5 7-2o 



$ 6-5 7 



"A" is of a deeper red on tbe breast than the other two males, 

 which have a plum -coloured bloom over that part, with verditer- 

 blue tips to tbe green feathers that succeed. In " B " and " C " 

 there is more blue in the colour of the bead, and on the two middle 

 tail-feathers. In both sexes the lower mandible is black, in the 

 female tbe upper as well. Tbe red of tbe belly in the female 

 skin extends less downwards, and has a chestnut wash. In the 

 skin of another female, which I kept alive for some time, the 

 colour of tbat part is light purplish, tinged with bluish-grey. 

 In both tbe French -grey of the crown is of a livelier hue of blue, 

 with less tint of purple than in the males. In my male specimen 

 "A," which I take to be the oldest, the quills are much yellower 

 than in tbe others. My two Indian birds show much more 

 uniformity in coloration, and their pectoral red extends much 

 lower down on to the belly. In the Hainan specimens, the varia- 

 tion seems to be individual, and I do not think it due to age. 



Dr. Jerdon (B. Ind. i. p. 263) gives the wing of tbis species 

 as 7 inches in length, and the tail 10, adding that the female 

 acquires a red bill when fully adult. Tbe Chinese in Hainan, 

 who are fond of keeping tbis Parrakeet and teaching it to 



