46 LIST OF BIRDS IN MANIPUR, 



caught. We shook and shook the tree ; then a man went up 

 and tried to shake the bough, but this snapped instantly (very 

 nearly letting the Naga into the water). Down went the bough 

 and the bird disappeared, and for a few minutes could not 

 be found, but was at last recovered much the worse for wear. 



It occurs throughout the valley of Assam near the base of 

 the hills (it is almost exclusively a bird of forest streams), in 

 the Garo and Khasi hills, and in Northern Sylhet and Cachar, 

 in Arakan, Eastern Pegu and Tenasserim. 



[Geyx tridactylus is not uncommon in Dibrugarh, but is- 

 never seen away from dense forest. 



Length. JSxpanse, Tail, Wing. Tarsus. Sill from gape. WeiaM. 



$ ... 5-15 7-0 110 2'12 0.32 1-46 0-4boz. 



$ ... 5-70 7-30 0-90 2-20 0-35 1-55 OSOoz. 



$ ... 6-60 7-30 1-10 2'15 0-35 1-48 0-50oz. 



Bill in ^ basal portion dusky orange, becoming bright at 

 tip ; in ? the whole bill is bright orauge. Legs and feet, 

 orange red ; claws pale orange ; irides deep brown. On the 11th 

 June, 1881, I came across a batch of four young, whose quill 

 feathers were just sprouting. On the borders of the tea 

 and about 20 feet inside the forest the parent birds had dug 

 a retort-shaped hole in the earth that was clinging to the roots 

 of a large overturned tree. The tunnel was six inches long, 

 and the chamber four inches in diameter. There were pieces of 

 the wingb of beetles in the chamber. The call of the young 

 at first was a rolling chirp, like that of a grasshopper. I did 

 not disturb them, and by the end of a fortnight they became 

 fully fledged, and were non est one day when I went to look 

 them up. The bill of the young bird is horny brown with the 

 anterior portion dingy white, legs and feet dingy orange 

 yellow.— J. R C] 



134.— Alcedo bengalensis, Gm. 



Not uncommon in the Berung, Limatak and other streams in 

 the Western hills. Decidedly scarce, but still generally distri- 

 buted in the basin, but only once seen in the Eastern hills. 

 Wounded birds have a marvellous facility for creeping into 

 crevices between boulders and disappearing. 1 knocked down 

 two at the Limatak, both of which dropped on loose heaps of 

 boulders, and both of which disappeared absolutely, though 

 they fell within 40 yards of us, and the men ran up at once. 

 Again, on the return journey at the Eerung, I shot and lost 

 another in the same way. Out of eight I shot I lost four, three 

 as above and one which fell into a deep stream that I did not 

 fancy going into for such a bird, and I happened to be alone. 



Of course this species occurs all over Assam^ Sylhet, Cachar 

 and British Burmah. 



