128 



Terai, Assam, Cachar, and the Burmese countries generally, with 

 the Malay Peninsula, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 



Habits, <$fc. A forest bird, usually found singly or in pairs by 

 hill-streams, but sometimes away from water. It has a shrill 

 piping note, and its food, so far as is known, consists of small fish 

 perhaps also of water-insects. It breeds from May to August, 

 often away from water, in a hole dug by itself, and it lays 4 to 6, 

 or even 7, very small white eggs, less rounded than those of 

 Alcedinidce in general. 



Genus PELAEGOPSIS, Gloger, 1842. 



Size large ; back and rump pale blue, lower parts buff. iBill very 

 large and strong ; culmen flattened, perfectly straight, with a well- 

 marked groove on each side. Third or fourth quill longest, first 

 about equal to tenth. Tail much longer than bill, slightly rounded 

 at the end. 



This genus ranges throughout the Oriental region ; three species 

 occur within the Indian area. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Wings and tail brown P. amauroptera, p. 128. 



b. Wings and tail blue or greenish blue. 



'. No distinct brown cap ; mantle blue .... P. leucocephala, p. 129. 

 b'. A distinct brown cap ; mantle dull green. P. gturidl, p. 129. 



1041. Pelargopsis amauroptera. The Broivn-winyed Kingfisher. 



Halcyon amauropterus, Pearson, J. A. S. B. x, p. 635 (1841) ; Blyth, 



Cat. p. 313; Horsf. # M. Cat. p. 124; Jerdon, B. I. i, p. 224; 



Blanf. Ibis, 1870, p. 465 ; Cripps, S. F. vii, p. 260. 

 Pelargopsis amauroptera, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 63 : id. Mon. Ale. 



p. 97, pi. 30; Blyth $ Wald. Birds Burm. p. 70; Armstrong, S.F. 



iv, p. 305; Hume Sf Dav. S. F. vi, p. 73; Hume, Cat. no. 128; 



Oates, B. B. ii, p. 78 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xvii, p. 97. 



Coloration. Whole head, neck, and lower parts, including wing- 

 lining, deep ochreous buff (brownish yellow) ; middle of back and 

 rump bright pale blue; a narrow band across the upper back, 

 scapulars, wings, upper tail-coverts, and tail dark brown. In young 

 birds there are dusky edges to the buff feathers, especially on the 

 hind neck and breast. 



Bill deep crimson ; irides brown ; eyelids brick-red ; legs scarlet 

 (Cripps). The bill is black at the tip and for some distance up 

 the culmen in immature birds. 



Length about 14 inches ; tail 4 ; wing 5*8 ; tarsus *7 ; bill 

 from gape 3'75. 



Distribution. On tidal rivers and creeks, brackish or salt, near 

 the coast, from Bengal to a little south of Tenasserim ; also occa- 

 sionally, but rarely, near rivers above the tideway. 



Habits, fyc. This Kingfisher is generally seen on salt-water 

 creeks. It is a noisy bird with a harsh grating cry. Nidification 

 unknown. 



