134 



deep brown over a reddish ochre ground, which shows through, especially on the under mandible, tip 

 fine orange for about 02 inch; inside of mouth light orange-ochre; legs and toes deep madder- 

 brown, orange-buff on the back of the tarsal joint, the underside of the tarsi and the soles of the feet 

 more reddish and sullied ; claws blackish brown, with pale tips ; head of deeper hue than in the adult ; 

 white feathers of the breast narrowly margined with black. 



Obs. After a most careful examination of a large series I fail to find any character on which another species 

 can fairly be founded. In general tone of colour the Indian bird is a trifle deeper than the one from 

 Asia Minor and Syria, and specimens from Ceylon and the Andamans are again somewhat darker; but 

 the variation is so gradual, and so irregular in different examples, that it cannot be depended on as a 

 characteristic, and I am therefore unable to agree with Mr. Hume in considering the Andaman bird 

 worthy of specific distinction, more especially as examples from Ceylon and the Andamans so closely 

 assimilate in colour, but the latter have generally a longer wing. In size the specimens from various 

 localities differ not a little, as the following table of measurements of fully adult selected examples 



will show : — 



Culmen. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. 



inches. inches. inches. inch. 



Adalia, Asia Minor . . . 2-30-2-5 5-00-5-2 3-60-3-7 0-65-0-7 



Syria 2-30-2-35 4-45-5-0 3-20-3-6 0.65 



India 2-25-2-5 4-50-4-7 3-20-3-5 0-65-0-68 



Ceylon ....... 2-15-2-35 4-30-4-7 3-25-3-35 0-65-0-7 



Andamans 2-35-2-5 4-90-5-15 3-30-3-5 0-65-0-68 



Burmah 2-25-2-35 4-65-4-8 3-30-3-45 065 



It is only in the south-eastern portion of the Western Palsearctic Region that the present species 

 is met with ; but it is found in Asia as far east as China, and as far south as the Andaman 

 Islands, and it is also said to occur rarely in North-east Africa on the borders of the Red Sea. 

 First recorded from near Smyrna as far back as 1740 by Albin, it was for long doubted whether 

 it really did occur in Asia Minor ; but later investigation has proved that it is to be met with 

 there regularly, but not numerously. Dr. Kriiper informed me that it is " of rare occurrence 

 near Smyrna;" and Mr. C. G. Danford, who has just returned from Asia Minor, sends me the 

 following note : — " I believe that this species does not occur in the northern and north-eastern 

 parts of Asia Minor ; and it is rare in the neighbourhood of Smyrna, but may be occasionally met 

 with near Ephesus, and in the marshes near the mouth of the Meander between Kelibesh and 

 Domatia. Proceeding eastward it becomes much commoner, and we found it tolerably abundant 

 on the Duden Soo and other streams near Adalia." I may here pause to say that, according to 

 Dr. Altum (J. f. O. 1863, p. 113) it has once been seen near Ems, on the Rhine, by a cousin of 

 the' Rev. Mr. Bolsmann, who was well acquainted with the birds of that district, and who 

 described it accurately. Directly he was shown the various Kingfishers in a collection, he at 

 once pointed out H. smymensis as the bird he had seen. However, as the bird was only seen, 

 and not obtained, there always remains some doubt as to whether he might possibly have been 

 mistaken. 



To return to Asia Minor, I find no other record of its occurrence or range there, except 

 that referred to by the late Mr. Strickland, to whom a specimen procured at Macri was sent by 

 Mr. Edward Forbes. It is, however, met with in Palestine, where Canon Tristram obtained it ; 



