148 JO UENAL, BOMB A Y NA TURAL HIBTOR Y SOCIETY, Vol. XI. 



No. II— THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE BLACK-CAPPED PURPLE 

 KINGFISHER {HALCYON PILE ATA). 



The Black-Capped Purple Kingfisher is so rarely found in Western India 

 that it is well to record each locality in which it may be observed. Mr. 

 Comber states in his note in Vol. X (p. 533) : "I found itrat Malvan in 1880." 

 It had however, been previously obtained by Jerdon at Tellicherry on the 

 Malabar Coast, and in 1883 I again discovered it at Belikeri in North Kanara, 

 In some scrub-jungle close to the sea-shore and in the compound of the district 

 bungalow. Very probably it has since been found by Mr. Davidson or Mr. 

 Aitkin in other localities in North Kanara. 



Its occurrence however, so far north and so far inland as Kalyan, is more 

 interesting. 



This handsome Kingfisher is one of the many Malayan forms which creep 

 up the Western Coast of India. Curiously not a few of these forms of birds as 

 well as reptiles miss Ceylon altogether in their wanderings. Some become so 

 changed in their new habitat as to lose their typical coloration and be fairly 

 separable as sub-species. Halcyon or Sauropath chloris is an instance io point, 

 the specimens which I obtained at Ratnagiri being far from typical as noted 

 by Mr. Sharpe. It would be interesting to have the Kalyan specimen of 

 H. pileata compared with typical skins of this species so as to ascertain if any 

 similar changes are observable. 



G. W. VIDAL. 



Norwood, England, 4i& December, 1896. 



[Mr. Vidal's suggestion has been acted upon and the skin referred to has been sent to 

 him for comparison. Another specimen of this bird was recently obtained by Mr. W. S. 

 Millard at Rewa Danda in the Kolaba District, as recorded at the Society's Meeting held 

 on 16th December, 1896. Vide Vol. XI, p. 142— Editor.] 



No. Ill— DEFLECTION OF BULLETS ON A TIGER'S SKULL. 



The following took place about 10 miles north of the River Godavery in the 

 Hyderabad Territory on 10th April, 1895. A tiger was beaten out, and, when 

 first seen by me, was walking towards the tree on which my " muchan" was 

 built. Between us, and at a distance of about 90 yards from me, was a shal- 

 low sandy nullah, some 10 yards in width, with the bank nearest to me much 

 steeper than the other, which was merely a gentle slope. When the tiger 

 reached this slope, which was quite bare of cover, I aimed at the point of his 

 shoulder and fired. The bullet (a hollow pointed one) went a little high, striking 

 the side of the neck, where it broke up without apparently doing very much 

 damage. The tiger on being hit fell into the nullah rolling over and clawing 

 the near bank for several seconds. Owing to his being partially concealed by 

 the bank, it was not possible to plant a second bullet in a vital place. He then 

 picked himself up, scrambled up the bank, and made straight for my tree, 

 coming along at the usual close-quarter rush, head and body nearly touching the 



