145 



UPUPID^. 

 27. I^PFPA INDICA. 



Upupa indica, Reiehenb. ; Salvin, Cat. Birds Brit. ^Ins., xvi, p. 10 

 (1892) ; Robin.son and Kloss, torn, cit., p. 35. 



Very common on Koli Samui but at the time of our visit in 

 shockingly ragged and disreputable plumage. 



" !Male, iris hazel, bill black, pinkish at base, feet greyish, sole.s 

 pinkish." 



ALCEDINID^. 

 28. PELARGOPSIS MALACCENSIS. 



Pelargopsis malaccensis, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xvii, 

 p. 108 (1892). 



Bhamphalcyon cajjensis malaccensis, Oberholser, Proc. U. S. Nat. 

 Mus., XXXV, p. 678 (1909). 



Judging from Oberholser's {loc. cit.) monograph of the genus a 

 male and two females from Koh Pennan would appear to belong 

 to this race and not as might be expected to the more northern form 

 P. hurmanica, Sharpe. 



All have a distinct brown pileum, though in one female, owing to 

 abrasion of the feather.s it is very much lighter than the others. The 

 wing of the male measures 146 mm. and of the two females 146 and 

 145. The specimens are exactly matched by otliers from more 

 southern localities. 



" Female, ii'is dark hazel, bill dark coral red, more vermilion 

 towards gape, dark maroon at tip. tarsi and feet vermilion, claws 

 brownish hoini." 



29. HALCYON SMYRNENSIS. 



antea, p. 92. 



Common on both islands. 



30. HALCYON ARMSTRONGL 



Halcyon armstrongi, Sharpe, torn, cit, p. 277, pi. vii, tig. 1; 

 Robinson and Kloss, tom. cit., p. 34. 



Halcyon humii, Sharpe, tom. cit. p. 281, pi., viii. 



After again examining over fifty specimens oi this Blue and 

 White Kingfisher from all parts of the Malay Peninsula, including 

 eleven from Koh Samui and Koh Pennan I am convinced that it is 

 impossible to maintain the distinctness of the northern from the 

 southern bird. The characters relied on by Dr. Sharpe are met with 

 indifferently in specimens from the same locality and I do not think 

 that the explanation put forward — viz., that in the south of the 

 Peninsula the duller greener bird {H. armstrongi) is migratory, while 

 the brighter form (H. humii) is resident can be supported by facts. 



" Female, iris dark hazel, bill black, base of lower mandible 

 pinkish, feet greyish brown." 



