of the Calcutta District. 



57 



never taken their eggs, but they breed in the banks of the 

 upper waters of the stream which runs into the Hooghly near 

 the Powder Factory at Ichapore. 



73. Pelargopsis gurial. (Brown-headed Kingfisher.) 

 Not uncommon, resident, and universally distributed. 

 During May and June they may be heard calling plaintively 

 to each other, preparatory to breeding, though their usual 

 cry is a loud hoarse laugh. On July 26th, 1891, I found a 

 nest in a hole in a perpendicular bank overhanging the stream 



Fi<r. 2. 



Young Brown-headed Kingfislier {Pelargopsis gurial), taken from nest. 

 p, pad on tlie heel. 



which runs into the Hooghly above Bidiabatty; this bank 

 had evidently been the nesting-place of these birds for some 

 years, as there were many old holes in it. The nesting-hole 

 was about 3 inches in diameter, comparatively small for the 

 size of the bird, and about 18 inches deep, and just inside 

 the entrance it widened out considerably, and ended in a 

 fairly large chamber, the bottom and sides of which were 

 trodden and worn quite smooth and hard by the movements 

 of the birds. A few fish-bones and large scales were scattered 



