100 HALCYONIN^I. 



chin, throat, middle of the back, breast and abdomen pure white ; 

 tail blue, the centre feathers slightly tinged with greenish. 



The White-breasted Kingfisher is generally distributed through- 

 out the district ; it is a permanent resident and breeds from 

 March to the commencement of July and even later ; it pierces 

 a hole in the bank of a river, or side of a well or tank ; there is 

 no nest, and the eggs, five or six in number, are nearly spherical 

 in shape, pure white in color, highly glossy when freshly laid, but 

 becoming discolored and dull as incubation proceeds. 



They measure 112 inches in length by T03 in breadth. 



Halcyon pileata, Bodd. 



130. Halcyon atricapillus, Gmel. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. 

 I, p. 226 ; Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 382. 



THE BLACK-CAPPED PURPLE KINGFISHER. 



Length, 11*5 to 12*5 ; expanse, 18 to 19 ; wing, 5 to 5'3 ; tail, 

 3 25 to 375 ; bill from gape, 3. 



Bill coral-red ; hides red-brown ; legs dusky brownish-red. 



Head, lores, face, ear-coverts and nape black ; whole upper 

 parts rich violet purple, brighter on the back and rump ; wings 

 with the coverts, except those of the primaries, black ; quills 

 tipped black, with a white wing-bar on the inner webs, and the 

 inner webs of the rest black ; chin, neck, and throat all round 

 white, with a tinge of fulvous ; the middle of the breast and 

 abdomen also white ; rest of the lower parts, including the under 

 wing-coverts, rich rusty. 



This beautiful Kingfisher was obtained by Mr. Vidal at 

 Ratnagiri, and is the only recorded instance of its occurrence 

 within the region. 



Halcyon chloris, Bodd. 



132. Todiramphus collaris, Scop. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. 

 I, p. 228 ; Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 383. 



THE WHITE-COLLARED KINGFISHER. 



Length, 10'25 ; expanse, 14 to 15 ; wing, 4'25 to 4'5 ; tail, 2'8 

 to 3 ; tarsus, 0'6 ; bill from gape, 1*6 to 2*3. 



Bill black, livid-reddish at base beneath ; irides reddish-brown ; 

 legs shining greenish-grey. 



Head, ears and nape dull bluish-green, darker on the ear- 

 coverts and nape, forming a sort of collar, or coronet, slightly 

 separated from the cap by some white feathers mixed with the 

 others ; upper back and scapulars blue-green ; the lower back and 

 rump bright pale blue ; wings and tail blue, more dull on the 

 coverts, and slightly tinged greenish beneath, and a broad collar 

 all round the neck, white. 



The White-collared Kingfisher has been obtained by Mr. Vidal 

 on two or three occasions at Ratnagiri ; it has not been observed 

 in any other portion of the district. 



