on the Birds of South-eastern China. 183 



but not invariably. The birds shew the usual Kingfisher- 

 like preference for a former nesting-site, and many holes 

 may be seen in the same cliff or bank. 



During the nesting-season these birds have a particularly 

 cheerful laughing cry, in addition to the series of discor- 

 dant shrieks, to which they give vent when disturbed or 

 alarmed. 



The nesting-hole is about eighteen inches to two feet 

 deep, never more, with an enlarged chamber at its end, and 

 the eggs are laid on the bare soil, with which they are in- 

 variably stained, and round them grows up an ever-increasing 

 pile of the chitinous parts of various insects, the carapaces 

 and other cretaceous portions of crabs, and many ])ones of 

 lizards and other small reptiles ejected by the sitting bird. 



During the nesting-season this species and the next have 

 a curious habit, which almost amounts to a species of love- 

 play. A pair will rise to such a height in the air as to be 

 almost invisible to the naked eye, and then fly round and 

 round in an aimless way, calling loudly their laughing nuptial 

 cry, for as much as an hour together. 



On rare occasions a single bird will fly high up in the air 

 calling in this way, but never to such a height, nor for so 

 long, as when both are present. At other times of the year 

 the birds never fly at any great altitude. 



This species and the next are greatly persecuted by the 

 Chinese, who use their blue feathers for the manufacture of 

 the well-known '' Kingfisher enamel," which has been in use 

 in China since the time of Confucius. 



The eggs are laid at the end of April or early in May, 

 the earliest and latest dates being April 29 and May 8. 

 Unless disturbed these birds are single-brooded. Five is the 

 usual clutch, and the eggs measure 1*23 to 1*11 in length 

 and from TOG to '99 in breadth, the average being ri4 x 1-03. 



Halcyon pileatus. 



The Black-headed Kingfisher is confined in Kwang Tung 

 to the sea-coast, where during the winter months it is a 

 fairly common frequenter of various muddy creeks ; on the 



