182 Lieut. R. E. Vaugliaii and Staff-Surg. K. H. Jones 



AlCEDO BEXGALENSIS. 



Alcedo ispida Linn.; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xvii. p. 14L 



This little Kingfisher, so like the common European 

 species, except in size, is very abundant both on the sea- 

 coast and inland on various waterways and rocky streams. 



The bird is quite as much at home when fishing in salt 

 water as in fresh, and it may be seen either perched on a 

 rock or stake on the sea-shore, in the familiar expectant 

 attitude, whence repeated darts are made at small fish. 

 Sometimes it is observed hovering with rapidly moving- 

 wings, Kestrel-fashion, over the surface of the sea, to drop 

 like a stone in a small cloud of spray on to its prey, from a 

 distance of twenty feet or more. 



The bird is a resident^ and, though subject to some local 

 movement, is probably not really migratory. 



The nest is very frequently made in the high mud or 

 earthen bank of a paddy-field, and may be a very consider- 

 able distance from any stream or body of water. Generally 

 it is two or three feet above the water, and nearer the 

 bottom than the top of the bank. The nesting-hole is not 

 more than eighteen or twenty inches deep. 



April 12 is the earliest date for eggs and the latest 

 J\ily 5, so that undoubtedly this species is double-brooded. 



The usual clutch is six or seven, and eggs vary in length 

 from -83 to "74 and in breadth from '71 to -64, and average 

 •80X-68. 



Halcyox smyrxexsis. 



The Smyrna Kingfisher is found commonly thoughoutthe 

 whole area under consideration, and is partly resident and 

 partly migratory. A certain number of birds are to be seen 

 throughout the winter, but these are largely supplemented 

 in the third week of ]\Iarch at Hong Kong by individuals 

 which arrive from the south. As soon as the migrants 

 arrive they repair to certain steep banks on the hill-sides or 

 in water-worn nullahs eaten out of the disintegrated granite 

 bv the spring rains, and into them they drive their nesting- 

 holes. As a rule, a fresh hole seems to be made each year. 



