76 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 



Genus CERYLE, Boie. 



465. CEEYLE GUTTATA. 

 THE HIMALAYAN SPOTTED KINGFISHER. 



Alcedo guttatus, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1830, p. 22. Ceryle guttata, Jerd. B. Ind. i. 



p. 234 ; Sharpe, Mon. Alced. p. 57, pi. 18 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs, p. 110; id. 

 S. F. ii. p. 470 ; Wold, in Bl. B. Burm. p. 71 ; Inglis, S. F. v. p. 19 ; Hume $ 

 Dav. S. F. vi. p. 85 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 86 ; Bingham, S. F. viii. p. 193, ix. 

 p. 156. 



Description. Male. The whole upper plumage, crest, wings and tail 

 black or dark brown barred with white ; on the head the white assuming 

 the shape of oval drops, and some of the crest-feathers being nearly pure 

 white tipped with black ; sides of the head black streaked with white ; 

 a broad band under the cheeks and ear-coverts, a large patch on the hind 

 neck, chin and throat pure white ; sides of the neck and a broad band 

 across the breast barred black and white; breast, abdomen, vent and 

 under tail-coverts white ; sides of the body white barred with black ; under 

 wing- coverts white. 



The female differs only in having the under wing-coverts buff-coloured. 



Bill black ; irides dark brown ; legs brown-black. (Jerdon.) 



Length about 16 inches, tail 4*8, wing 7'2, tarsus *5, bill from gape 3'3. 



The Himalayan Spotted Kingfisher was observed by Mr. Davison in the 

 hill-streams north of Pahpoon in Tenasserim, and Capt. Bingham met 

 with it in the Thoungyeen valley. 



It occurs in Cachar, the Dana hills in Assam, and along the whole 

 Himalayan range up to Cashmeer. It will probably be found in the Indo- 

 Burmese countries, as well as in Arrakan and Pegu. 



Little seems to be known about this large Kingfisher. Dr. Jerdon states 

 that it darts on its prey from a perch ; and Mr. Thompson, as quoted by 

 Mr. Hume, says that it breeds in the Himalayas from April to June, nesting, 

 as is usual with birds of this family, in holes of river-banks. 



