﻿PELARGOPiSJS BURMANIGA. 



(BURMESE STORK-BILLED KINGFISHER). 



Pelargopsis burmanica Sharpe, P.Z.S. 1870, p. 



Halcyon leucocephalus Gould, P.Z.S. 1829, pp. 151, 152 (nec Gm.) 



? Ramphalcyon capensis .... Reich., Handb. Alced., p. 16, t. ccexcix, fig. 3072-73 (1851 ). 



P. rostro rubro : scapularibus viridi-cyaneis : capite distincte pileato, albescenti-cinereo, haud cyaneo lavato. 



Hah. in plaga Indo-sinensi subregionis Indo-Malayana;. 



Head, which is distinctly capped, clear albescent-grey ; sides of the neck and a collar 

 encircling the same very deep ochre ; upper part of the back and scapularies dull green 

 with a faint blue lustre here and there ; whole of the back very rich cobalt ; wing coverts 

 greenish more distinctly washed with blue ; quills brown, the inner web pale ochre at the 

 base, the exterior web, especially of the secondaries, externally edged with bright blue ; 

 tail bright blue above, dark brown beneath ; entire under surface very deep ochre ; bill 

 dark vermillion ; feet dark red. Total length 14.0 inches, of bill from front 3.4, from 

 gape 3.7, wing 6.0, tail 3.8, tarsus 0.5, middle toe 1.0, hind toe 0.5. 



Hah. Andaman Islands (Tytler, Beavan) y Burmah (Blyth), Siam (Schomburgh), Tenas- 

 serim Provinces (Briggs). 



This is the bird spoken of by Mr. Blyth and other ornithologists as the Burmese race 

 of Halcyon gurial, but until my recent examination of the genus its exact range had not 

 been correctly made out. From all other brown-capped species of Pelargopsis the present 

 species differs in the colour of the cap, which is albescent, and not brown as in its allies. 



The range of Pelargopsis burmanica, as hitherto determined, seems to indicate that it 

 is confined to the Indo-Chinese region. It is common in Burmah, and also met with in 

 Siam, while I am of opinion that it is also found in the northern part of the Malayan 

 peninsular. Colonel Tytler obtained it in the Andaman Islands, where he states it was 

 " very abundant, frequenting the groves of mangroves which skirt the sea-shore." 



I have doubtfully referred the birds figured by Reichenbach (I.e.) to the present species. 



Additional references. — Halcyon leucocephalus (nec Gm.) Schomb. Ibis, 1864, p. 247 ; Beav. Ibis, 1866. p. 

 221 ; Walden, P.Z.S. 1866, p. 553 ; Beav. Ibis, 1867, p. 318 ; Horsf. & Moore, Cat. B. Mus. E. I. Co. I, p. 123 

 (1854, pt.) 



