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Knysna, and have received it from Kuruman, Colesberg, and Kaffraria. Mr. Chapman found it 

 all the way to Lake Ngami." Mr. T. E. Buckley speaks of it (Ibis, 1874, p. 364) as being 

 " pretty common in Natal, but much more so on the Limpopo, in the north of the Transvaal ;" 

 but he did not meet with it in the Matabile country, as the rivers he visited were mostly sand- 

 rivers. Dr. Kirk, who found it in the Zambesi country, says that it is " frequent throughout 

 the courses of the rivers." 



To the eastward it is met with as far as China. Mr. Blanford states that it is rare in 

 Persia, and he only found it common at Basrah, which is outside Persian territory ; and Major 

 St. John adds that it is the rarest Kingfisher in Persia, and he only observed it in Central Persia 

 on the canals about Isfahan. It is, according to Dr. Jerdon, found throughout India, Burmah, 

 and Malayana. Mr. A. O. Hume speaks of it as being common in Sindh ; and I find it recorded 

 as numerous in most parts of India. Mr. Holdsworth, who met with it in Ceylon, says (P. Z. S. 

 1872, p. 424) that he frequently met with it at Aripo, and it is particularly abundant on the 

 southern rivers. Mr. Blanford obtained it in the Irawadi valley, in Burmah, and says that it is 

 more common about Ava than in Pegu ; Schomburgk records it from Siam ; and Swinhoe states 

 (P. Z. S. 1871, p. 347) that it is found in China from " Hainan to Wanchow and upper waters of 

 the Yangtsze ;" and he adds (Ibis, 1873, p. 361) that it is a very rare bird in Ningpo, and did 

 not occur on the Yangtsze till they were nearly up in Szechuen, where the river was well 

 south. 



In its habits this Kingfisher is a most interesting species ; and those naturalists who have 

 been fortunate enough to see it in a state of nature all speak of its extreme beauty on the wing. 

 It frequents not only inland waters, but also the sea-coast, and, like most of the Kingfishers, will 

 sit for long on some elevated open perch on the watch for prey. Von Heuglin, who enters fully 

 into details respecting its habits, says (/. c), " its flight is not very swift, but direct, and steadied 

 by regular beats of the wings, not swift and direct like that of Alcedo ispida ; and it rises and falls 

 at pleasure on the wing with astonishing agility. One often sees it suddenly glide some distance, 

 altering its direction with a quick jerk, and suddenly stop and hover. Whilst hovering the beak 

 is held perpendicular, the hinder portion of the body and tail being also depressed. So soon as 

 it catches sight of its scaly prey it turns up, lays its feathers close to its body, and drops like a 

 stone into the water, frequently remaining more than ten seconds under the surface. It seldom 

 misses its mark, and either devours the fish on the wing or at one of its resting-places. Its 

 voice is a harsh whistling note, sometimes chirping, but sometimes with a harsh grating sound. 

 In the pairing-season the males frequently fight on the wing, and tumble down close to the 

 surface of the water, uttering loud cries." Canon Tristram, writing on the habits of this 

 Kingfisher as observed by him in Palestine (Ibis, 1866, p. 84), states, "We first saw it on 

 the sea-shore in winter, when, in the months of November and December, immense numbers 

 resort to the sea-coast. They were particularly abundant about Tyre and Sidon, and all the 

 way to Mount Carmel, frequenting the shore, and hovering by dozens over the sea about a 

 hundred yards from land, and occasionally perching with loud cries on an outlying rock. At 

 this time they were very wary, and cost us much trouble to procure. During the most stormy 

 gales of winter they continued, regardless of the weather, to hover over the breakers, ever and 

 anon dashing down into the surf, and apparently diving to the bottom for their prey. Their 



