172 The Buff Laughing Kingfisher.


water is soon recovered. They dive without the preliminary

jump so characteristic of many water fowl and disappear without

a ripple, bobbing up again like a cork. Sometimes a large fish-

ing Eagle will cause much consternation among a flock of Coots

by hovering over them : they then all huddle together for mutual

protection. The alarm note of the Coot sounds like chink chink,

and may be fairly imitated by knocking two coins together.


7. Heliopais personaia. Gray. The Masked Finfoot.

This rare and curious bird has been referred by Blanford

to a distinct family {HeliomithidcB) but has been included by older

writers with the Rallidce to which family it bears resemblance in

the form of the bill and foot, the latter being lobed like a Coot's.

It differs, however, from the Rails in that it is said to have only

two young which are hatched naked and helpless.


Mr. E. C. Stuart-Baker has shown that this bird has "a

tiny fronted shield and a yellow horn or fronted wattle about \"

long and which appeared to be erect during the bird's life."

Blanford makes no allusion to this horn or shield, and as Mr.

E. C. Stuart-Baker no doubt rightly presumes it is only seasonal.

The eggs are at present unknown. Blanford says : — " This very

curious bird has been found on the sea coast, in swamps, and on

rivers and mountain streams. . . ." According to Davison " it

swims deep in the water, with only head and neck above the

surface ; it runs quickly, holding its body in a peculiar way at an

angle to the ground of about 45 . It is shy, and when disturbed

takes refuge in cover or flies up, slowly at first but strongly when

fairly on the wing."



THE BUFF LAUGHING KINGFISHER.


Dacelo cervina, Gould.


A very fine specimen of this rare bird, the " Laughing

Jackass," of North-Western Australia, which differs from the

common Laughing Jackass of New South Wales chiefly in its

more buff-coloured plumage, has recently been deposited in the

London Zoological Gardens by Mr. Walter Rothschild, no speci-

men having been exhibited there since 1870. This bird was



