BIRDS OF THE KHAS1A HILLS. °65 



1017. Cyanops franklint. — The Golden-throated Barbet. 

 Not rare but local. I have frequently heard this bird near Shillong where 

 the tree forest commences. 



1019. XanthoLjEMA ujsmatocepbala. — The Crimson- breasted Pallet or 

 Coppersmith. 



Common near the plains. 



Order ANISODACTYLI. 

 Suborder Coraci^e. 

 Family CORACIADJ3. 

 1023. Coeacias affinis. — The Burmese Roller. 

 Common. This local form is not true affinis but is nearer affinis than indtva. 



1025. Eurystomus orientalis. — The Broad-billed Boiler. 



A pair may always be seen on the race-course, Shillong. Common near 

 Jowai, where it breeds in the huge Simul trees standing in the oak forests. 



Suborder Meropes. 

 Family MEROPID^S. 



1026. Merops viridis. — The Common Indian Bee-eater. 



Common near Sylhet. I have never found this bird breeding in company 

 in Assam as it does in other parts of India. 



1027. Mekops philippinus. — The Blue-tailed Bee-eater. 

 Common near Gauhati. 



1030. Melittophagus swinhoii. — The Chestnut-headed Bee-eater. 

 Common. Keeps very much to the larger streams, breeding in their sandy 



banks. Though not breeding actually in colonies many nests may sometimes 

 be taken within half a mile of bank. 



1031. Nyctiornis athertoni.— The Blue-bearded Bee-eater. 



Fairly common in forests. This fine Bee-eater seems to breed almost entirely 

 in holes on road-side cuttings and consequently but few clutches of eggs ever 

 get hatched, the Khasias digging them out to eat. 



Suborder Halcyones. 

 Family ALCEDINID^. 



1033. Ceryle vaeia. — The Indian Pied Kingfisher. 



Common close to the plains, both on large and small streams, but only breed- 

 ing on the larger. 



1034. Ceryle lugubbis. — The Himalayan Pied Kingfisher. 



Replaces the last above 2,000 feet and sometimes breeds in banks of the 

 smallest water courses. 



1035. Alcedo ispida. — The Common Kingfisher. 

 Fairly plentiful on most streams. 



1036. Alcedo beavani.— Beav:m's Kingfisher. 

 I saw one of these birds at Borpani. 



1043. Pelargopsis gurial.. — The Brown-headed Stork-billed Kingfisher. 

 Rare. 



1044. Halcyon smyrnensis.— The White-breasted Kingfisher. 

 Common. Here, as elsewhere, this Kingfisher is to be found often far from 



water, living on insects, small reptiles, &c. 



