552 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HI8T, SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



was subjected to repeated buffetings by another bird which made incessant 

 oblique darts through the air. First on one side and then from the 

 opposite side, coming as near to the stationary bird as possible, causing 

 the latter to reverse its position with each change of direction of its 

 assailant : the exuberance of its spirits was manifest with a rapid flapping 

 of its wings although no noise was audible with the exception of the 

 usual sharp pipe. 



274. Ceryle lugubris guttulata, Stejn, [1034]. — The Himalayan Pied 



Kingfisher. 



Ceryle lugubris, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iii., p. 121. 

 Confined to the rivers around the head of the valley, occurs at low eleva- 

 tions to the limit of the fast flowing water as it enters the plains. Very 

 wary and difficult to procure ; each pair of birds if more than one pair 

 haunt the same river have their allotted beat. 



Joyhing R., Dejoo R., Panchnoi R., Kola Pani ; Dholong R., Khakoi 

 R., Runganuddie and Subansiri in North Lakhimpur. 



275. Alcedo ispida bengalensis, Gm. [1035]. — The Indian Common King- 



fisher. 



Alcedo is])ida, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iii., p. 122. 

 Generally distributed throughout the plains, occurs along the banks of 

 forest rivers and streams, although more plentiful in the more open parts 

 of country. A large series secured in the vicinity of Komolabari, Sibsagar, 

 can be picked out at a glance from specimens from the forest tracts by 

 their pale coloration. 



276. Alcedo beavani beavani, Wald. [1036]. — Beavan's Kingfisher. 

 Plentifully distributed throughout the plains. 



Eggs taken 19-6-04'Jat Dejoo. 



277. Alcedo grandis, Blyth. [1038].— Blyth's Kingfisher. 



Occurs in North Lakhimpur at the foot of the hills in the gullies and 

 deeply shaded fast flowing streams, restricted to a very few miles beat. 



Panchnoi, Daphla hills (low elevations), 22-11-05, cJ, 23-11-05, c?, 24-11-05, 

 $ ; Dejoo R., 11-12-04, 6,6 ; 1-1-05, 6 ; Khakoi, R., 21-3-05, 6, strangely 

 enough only one female secured. 



It has an arrowy flight and in consequence is very diflicult to procure on the 

 wing and when at rest settles in the dense vegetation well out of observation. 

 Iris brown ; bill black, red at gape, lower mandible in female palehorny 

 orange-red; tarsus pale coral red; claws reddish-horny, middle claw darkest. 



278. Ceij.v tridactyla (Pall.) [1040].— The Indian Three-toed Kingfisher. 



Rare in the plains. One seen Paropara Jan., R. Dibru, cold season 1902. 



Dinjan, 28-4-01, 6 , killed against tea house window. In North Lak- 

 himpur is more in evidence at the commencement of the rainy season and 

 onwards. Apparently somewhat migratory as no cold season records are 

 available. 



Dejoo, April and May 1910, noted on nvimerous occasions as it flashed 

 past uttering its sharp note ; 9-5-07, nest in " teelah " a few feet from 

 ground level in dense forest ; 10-6-07, another nesting site inside hollow tree 

 stump in same forest 



Dejoo, several specimens procured, June (11-6-04, § ), July and August 

 (6-8-04, $); Silonibari, 27-4-11 * , 4-5-11 ^ , 22-5-11 *. 



279. Rhamphalcyon gurial (Pearson) sub. sp. ? (1043). — The Brown-headed 



Stork-billed Kingfisher. 



Pelargopsis gurial, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iii, p. 129. 



