222 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



This genus comprises the large, stout-billed Kingfishers, some 

 of which are not always found near water, but feed on crabs, 

 grasshoppers, and other insects. It has been sub-divided, of late, 

 into several subgenera, which I shall not adopt here, but indicate 

 the natural groups to which the Indian species appear to belong. 

 All appear to have red bills. 



1st. — Entomothera, Horsfield. 



This division comprises the largest of the group ; the bill has the 

 groove of the upper mandible strongly marked for two-thirds of its 

 length ; the cvdmen is flattened, and the gonys is straight at the 

 base, inclining upwards towards the tip. The two Indian mem- 

 bers of this group are both quite aquatic in their food and habits, 

 so the name is not very appropriate. 



127. Halcyon leucocephalus, Gmel. 



Alcedo, apud Gmelin — Blyth, Cat. 199 — Horsf., Cat. 151 

 — H. gurial, Pearson — H. capensis, L., apud Jerdon, Cat. 

 245, and subsequently H. brunniceps, 2nd SuppL, Cat. 245 — 

 II. Javana, Gray — Gurial, Beng. — Male-poyma^ Mai. 



The Brown-headed Kingfisher. 



Descr. — Head, lores, checks, and hind neck in part, light 

 olive or fulvous brown ; the sides and lower part of the back 

 of the neck bufF; lower part of the hind-neck and scapulars 

 dingy brownish-green ; the wing-coverts, quills, the sides of 

 the lower part of the back, upper tail-coverts, and tail dull 

 bluish-green ; the primary quills tipped dusky black, and the 

 inner webs of all dusky ; the back, from the shoulders to the 

 rump light silky azure-blue ; chin and throat pale yellowish- 

 white, passing into the buff of the sides of the neck ; rest of 

 the lower plumage orange-bufF, deepest on the Hanks. The 

 young has the buff of the lower parts edged with brown, and the 

 colors generally duller 



Bill dark blood-red ; legs dull scarlet ; irides light brown. 



Length 16 inches; extent 22; wing 6; tail 4, exceeding 

 the wings by nearly 3 inches ; bill at front 3^, at gape 4 ; weight 

 7^ oz. 



