THE WHTTE-BSEASTED KINGFISHER 
Halcyon smymensU fusca (Bodd.) 
Matay jtame: — Raja udang. 
Description: — This kingfisher is very much larger than 
the common kingfisher but considerably smaller than the stork- 
bill. 
The head, neck and abdomen are chestnut, or chocolate 
brown and the chin, throat and breast being pure white, a very 
pretty effect is produced ^ the bird appearing^ to wear a clean 
apron! The wings and tail are bright blue with greenish 
reflections and there is a large black patch on the upper wing- 
coverts. Iris brown; legs and bill red. 
The length is about ii inches with a wing of approximately 
4^ inches. 
Distributioti .^Tht^ white-breasted kingfisher is found in 
Asia minor and Palestine, thence east through Persia and 
India to the Indo-Chinese countries as far east as Formosa and 
in the Malay F*eninsula. Curiously enough it is oot known 
from Borneo, Sumatra and Java. 
In the Malay Peninsula it is common. 
Status in Singitpore : — A famihar and common species 
showing a decided preference for the gardens and woodlands 
rather than the vicinity of the sea. It is often seen in the 
Tanglin district. 
Field Notes :—Thh bird resembles the next species to be 
described, the white-collared kingfisher, in that it is one of the 
most conspicuous birds of the gardens in the environs of the 
city. Both are very noisy birds and their continual squawking 
is one of the most noticeable bird sounds in the Botanic 
Gardens. Usually seen alone they sit about on the top 
branches of trees, and remain silhouetted against the sky as 
they scan the ground for grasshoppers and other small living 
things on which they prey. The notes of both species are very 
much alike but readily separated when heard in close proximity. 
[121.]. 
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