OF THE TRAVANCORE HILLS. 383 
to the proximity of their nest; and I was once much amused 
in watching a pair turn out a couple of hill mynahs from a 
hole in a rotten stump, when the latter had commenced to lay 
materials for a nest. I secured three hard-set eggs of this 
species in March at about 1,700 feet elevation, of which a note ~ 
will be found in Mr. Hume’s ‘ Nests and Eggs.’—F. W. B.”’ 
Eurystomi from all parts of India, and Burma appears to 
be undistinguishable. 
129.—Halcyon smyrnensis, Lin. 
“Common among the small patches of paddy cultivation 
and on the banks of the larger streams at the foot of the hills, 
but never ascending to any height. The female lays from four 
to six round white eggs, about the beginning of April in a hole 
in a bank.—F. W. B.” 
135 bis.—Alcedo ? asiatica, Swains. 
“ Occurs, though less abundantly, in the same situations as the 
last species—F'. W. B.” 
A most lovely little King-fisher sent me by Mr. Bourdillon 
may for the present bear this title; but if other specimens are 
procured, exhibiting the same characteristic differences as the 
example before me, the Southern Indian birds will have to be 
separated as a distinct species. 
The bird before me is larger than any specimen of asiatica 
or Beavant that I have seen, and with a considerably longer 
bill than any specimen recorded by Mr. Sharpe in his splendid 
monograph. The bill measures 2-05 at front, and the wing is 
just 2°8. 
The colour of the upper surface is as bright as the brightest 
Malayan specimen. The lower surface is more intensely coloured 
than any specimen of asiatica or Beavani that I have seen. 
The whole sides of the breast are a deep violet-blue, and several 
rows of the feathers of the breast are narrowly tipped with the 
same colour. 
It must be understood clearly that this is not Beavani, but 
a form lying on the other side of asiatica. 
As to Beavani, a few remarks may be useful. I have now before 
me eleven males and five females of this species from the Anda- 
mans, and I find that the females only differ constantly from 
the males in having the whole lower mandible, and sometimes 
tho whole of both mandibles, deep dull red. None of the 
females have the characteristic red ear coverts and cheeks of 
female asiatica. They mostly have the ear coverts almost 
uniform with the cheeks, but with fewer bright blue spots, but 
one specimen has on one side of the head a slight rufous 
BS 
