THE BIRDS OF THE LUCKNOW CIVIL DIVISION. 21 
118.—Merops philippensis, Zin. 
The Blue-tailed Bee-eater is by no means as common as the 
last species, while its partiality for the vicinity of water 
naturally localizes its distribution and makes it appear rarer 
than it really is. It is, however, a permanent resident, and is 
fairly abundant along the Goomti where it breeds from March 
to June in the river banks. It also frequents trees and shrubs 
in the neigkbourhood of jhils, starting from these at intervals 
for a long cruise over the water. 
123.—Coracias indica, Lin. Native name— Nilkant. 
The Indian Roller is a common and permanent resident. 
Tt frequents gardens, groves, dhak jungle, and even serub- 
covered plains, and is numerous along the railway, where it 
usually sits on the telegraph wires watching for the crickets 
that abound in the kunker ballast and for the grasshoppers 
that frequent the side cuttings. A pair of them made their 
nest in a hole in a neem tree about 15 yards from the verandah 
of the house I live in, from which I obtained four white eggs on 
the 20th April measuring as follows :— 
Average ad --» 1:27 by 1:03 inches. 
Largest ege Se saet (S05 oes DOL ile gy 
Smallestege .... vue WE ZOt ist LOR ay. 
127.—Pelargopsis gurial, Pearson. Native name— 
Badami Kowrilla, 
The Brown-headed Kingfisher is by no means abundant, and. 
never, I think, frequents water that 1s not well shaded by trees. 
One that I shot, and, with an exception or two, the only one I 
have ever seen, was dodging about a tank surrounded on all sides 
by dense bamboo jungle. I know nothing regarding its habits 
or nidification, and cannot say whether it is a permanent 
resident or not. It probably is. 
129.—Halcyon smyrnensis, Zin. Native name— 
Kowrilla.* 
13th December, Male.-—Length, 11:25 ; expanse, 16-5; wing, 
4°65; tail, 3:20; tarsus, 0:70; bill, from gape, 2°75. Bill coral 
red ; irides brown; legs and feet bright orange red. 
The White-breasted Kingfisher is fairly abundant, frequenting 
alike jhils and rivers, and not unfrequently mangoe topes in their 
vicinity. During the rainy season, and for as long as there is 
# Applied generally to all Kiogfishers. 
