Descriptive List of the Common Birds 
black, and white. The chin is whitish or 
cream-coloured, and the lower parts are rusty 
red. The bill is black; the feet are coral-red. 
Its habit is to perch on a bough overhanging 
the water, or on the river bank itself, and 
thence to dive obliquely into the water after 
its quarry. Its flight is low, straight, and very 
rapid ; when in motion it continually utters 
a peculiar whistling scream. Its neck is very 
short, and as it sits waiting for its quarry it 
keeps raising and lowering its head in the most 
comical manner. (Illus. B. D., p. 1025; also 
B. P., p. 144.) 
120. Halcyon smyrnensis: The White- 
breasted Kingfisher. (F. 1044), (J. 129), (III.) 
This beautiful bird must~be familiar to 
every Anglo-Indian. 
The head and nape are rich chocolate brown, 
as is the abdomen. The back, tail, and wings 
are bright blue. During flight the wings dis- 
play a very conspicuous white band. The 
chin, throat, and breast are white. The bill 
is dark red, and the feet bright red. It is 
impossible to mistake this bird; a rapidly 
flying, bright blue bird, with white wing bars, 
which emits a loud scream, is without doubt 
this species. 
163 
