170 Contributions to the Ornitliology of Indica.^ 



waters, they are but rarely met with ; but in all the narrow 

 water-courses, where the dense reeds on either bank bend 

 curving- over the stream, nearly meeting- in the centre, these 

 little king-fishers may be seen at every hundred yards or so, 

 swaying to and fro on an overhanging- stem, or g-liding up and 

 down the stream with a noisless rapidity that baffles des- 

 cription. 



I may note that compared with either hengalensis or ispida the 

 plumage of the Siudh birds, as a body, seems considerably 

 brighter, but this may possibly be due to the care with which 

 my specimens were preserved and to their always having been 

 kept carefully papered up from the moment they were skinned 

 to the present time. 



136.— Ceryle rucHs, L. 



This species was most abundant everywhere in the great 

 rivers, and in all the larger pieces of water throughout Sindh. 

 The females in this species appear to be somewhat larger than 

 the males, and are at once distinguished by the single imperfect 

 chest band, while the males have two, more or less perfect, 

 pectoral bands. 



147. — Palseornis eupatria, L. ; AlexandH., L. 



I mvself never met with this species in Sindh, but it is said 

 to occur in some years as a straggler in the neighbourhood of 

 Hyderabad. I obtained two specimens on the Jhelum near 

 Pindadun Khan, and I saw it again on the banks of the 

 Chenab, not far from Mooltan. I once saw a huge flock of this 

 species flying round and round the minars of the Jumma 

 Musjid at Lahore. 



148— Palseornis torquatus, Bodd, 



Common all over Sindh wherever there are trees ; but that of 

 course is in no means half the country. 



158.— Picus scindeanus, Gould. 



This species is more or less abundant throughout Sindh. 

 While Bracliypternus dilutus affects the sirris, shesum, and 

 other large trees of the avenues planted along all roads in the 

 neighbourhood of most of the stations in Sindh, the present 

 species is almost entirely a denizen of the tamarisk jungles. 

 There is no great difference in the size of the sexes, though the 

 males are slightly larger. The following are dimensions taken 

 in the flesh from a series of both sexes : 



Males.— hen^i\v, 8*5 to 8*6; wing, 4*5 to 4-6; tail from 

 ventj 3-1 to 3-^; expanse, 14-5 to 15; feet; length, 1-7 



