1840.] of the Peninsula of India. 231 



It has a very loud harsh rattling scream, generally uttered during 

 flight. Is said to breed like the other King-fishers in holes on the banks 

 of rivers. It is readily taken with a bait of a mole-cricket. Irides light 

 brown; bill and legs red. 



Length ll£ inches; wing 4 T yhs ; tail 3|; bill to front 2 T ^ths; at 

 gape 2 T yhs. 



245. — H. capensis. — Ale. capensis, Anct. — Malah-Poymah, Mai. i. e. 

 Jungle King-fisher. — Large Jungle King-fisher. 



This large King-fisher is found wherever there is lofty jungle. I 

 have seen it in Goomsoor, Malabar, and Travancore ; also once lately 

 in a well wooded brook in the northern part of the table land. It fre- 

 quents brooks, rivers, and tanks, and, in the instances I have observed, 

 always feeds on fish. Irides light brown ; bill deep lake red ; feet 

 vermilion red. 



Length 14 to 16 inches; wing 5-jSg.ths; tail 4; bill to front 3 inches 

 to 3 T \ ; at gape 3 T % ths to 4 inches. 



Sub-Genus CEYX. 



246. — C. microsomia, Burton, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837?. — C purpureus y 

 Less. ? — C. tridactyla, Sykes* Catalogue. — Three-toed King-Jisher. 



Not having obtained this little King-fisher, I have given the above 

 names as synonytnes with doubt. I have once or twice only observed 

 this rare bird frequenting a tank in the northern part of the Deccan. 



Genus ALCEDO. 



Sub-Gi;nus ALCEDO. 



247.—^. Bengalensis, Gmel., Edw. pi. U.—Chota Kilkila, H. 



This species, so nearly allied to the European one, is common over 

 all the peninsula, frequenting chiefly brooks and rivers, and feeding on 

 small fish, and various aquatic insects. I possess a variety in which 

 there is a good deal of white on the head, back of neck and back. In 

 this one too the bill is entirely black. I may also remark that in some 

 the shade of the plum ige is bluish green, in others of a pure blue. 

 Irides dark brown; bill black above ; lower mandible orange; feet 

 orange. 



Length 7 inches ; bill to front 1 T Vths, 



