BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 75 



miles beyond the influence of the tide ; but on going over the 

 same part of the river in May, not a single bird was to be seen. 



Like H. smyrnensis, this species is found in gardens, &c, but 

 unlike smyrnensis it appears never to wander from the vicinity 

 of water. I have seen and shot it at many places along the 

 sea-coast at Mergui and to the south, but I have found it most 

 numerous along- the higher portions of the Pakchan river, 

 Malewoon and Bankasoon creeks. It is not at all exclusively a 

 sea-water Kingfisher like amauroptera. I have shot it far inland 

 as at the head waters of the Pakchan, and again at Kuroo, 32 

 miles inland from Malacca. — W. D.] 



The following ai*e dimensions, &c, recorded in the flesh: — 



Males. — Length, 11*5 to 12-0; expanse, 18*25 to 1925 ; tail 

 from vent, 35 to 3*75 ; wing, 5*0 to 5*3 ; tarsus, 0'5 ; bill from 

 gape, 2*75 to 2*82 ; weight, 2*5 to 3 ozs. 



Females.— Length, 11*62 to 11*82 ; expanse, 18*25 to 20-75 ; 

 tail from vent, 3*35 to 3'82 ; wing, 5*05 to 5*55 : tarsus, 0*5 to 

 0*62 ; bill from gape, 275 to 2-95 ; weight, 3 to 4 ozs. 



The legs and feet varied from orange red, dirty red, to ver- 

 milion red ; the bill bright coral or vermilion red ; irides dark 

 brown. 



131.— Halcyon coromanda, Lath. (9). 



(Tonghoo, Lloyd ) Thatone ; Amherst ; Meeta Myo 5 Tavoy. 



Sparsely distributed throughout the province, but perhaps 

 in most places more as an occasional straggler than as a per- 

 manent resident. 



[Though by no means a common species anywhere, this 

 Kingfisher occurs most plentifully along the coast, and about 

 the creeks where there is a good growth of Dhuny {Nipa fru- 

 ticans) or other heavy cover, but it also occasionally occurs 

 along the banks of inland streams where these are well-wooded. 

 I shot one specimen at Meeta Myo, about 40 miles north of 

 Tavoy. 1 have a note of having seen another on a small forest 

 stream, many miles away from the sea-coast, and Mr. A. L. 

 Hough, while Assistant Commissioner at Malewoon, procured 

 a specimen in the fresh water portion of the Malewoon creek. 



This species is very shy and courts concealment. I found it 

 common at Amherst. — W. D.] 



The following are the dimensions, fee., of a series of both 

 sexes recorded in the flesh : — 



Males. — Length, 10 to 10'5; expanse, 1562 to 15*8; tail from 

 vent, 2-62 to 275 ; wing, 4*12 to 4*25 • tarsus, 0*62 • bill from 

 gape, 2*45 to 2*5; weight, 2'5 ozs. 



Females. — Length, 10'25 to 10'35 ; expanse, 15*75 to 16-5 ; 

 tail from vent, 2*62 to 2*75 ; wing, 43 to 4*5 ; tarsus, 0*62 to 

 0*75 ; bill from gape, 2*5; weight, 2*75 ozs. 



