2 
The L.C.B.A. Show. 
on the rump; middle of throat, middle of abdomen, and under tail 
coverts white; flanks nifous -chestnut. 
This exquisite species, which is called the White- 
breasted Blue Wood-Chat by Jerdon. ranges over the Mima 
layas. Central and Northern Asia, China and Japan. From 
Jerdon and Gates I gathei- that it keeps to the forests, i)ei'- 
ches \oyv on small trees and brushwood; feeds on the ground, 
on various insects, and is met with on the bridle paths and roads, 
while so engaged; some pulpy berries are also taken but they 
are almost exclusively insectivorous. ,In India the nestia'gl 
season is May and June; the nest is constructed with moss and 
grass and is placed in a hole in a bank or under a tree-root, 
and other similar positions; the c.'utch is four and the eggs are 
very pale greenish -white, sparsely spotted with rufous at the 
larger end. 
Thm White- Bbeasted Kingfisher {Halcyon fuscns 
[smyrnensis] Sylces). In continuation of my note on page 882 
of last issue, also in view of Mr. Goodchild's drawing and the 
interesting character of Mr. Townsend's exhibit, I am adding 
a full description and some notes of its wild life, the latter by 
the aid of Jerdon's " Birds of India." 
This species is very common and well known in most 
i^arts of India, and is found throughout the whole peninsula 
and Ceylor up to the base of the Himalayas, extending east- 
wards to China. 
While it is not found in thick forests^ it prefers wooneci 
districts and such places as the neighbourhood of large villages 
and cantonments, banks of rivers, and brooks, edges of tank^; 
it is also hot uncommonly found quite away from water, in 
groves of trees, gardens, open jungle, etc., perching upon 
trees, poles, walls, old buildings and other similar positions; 
in such situations it watches for such prey as land -crabs, 
mice, grasshoppers, etc., upon which it pounces, returning 
to its perch to devour it. It is stated to build its nest on 
the bank of a nullah, hole in a bank, and holes in decaying 
trees. The clutch is variable, two to seven round fleshy-white 
eggs. 
Description^: The head, face, sides of head and body, abdomen 
and under tail -coverts rich maho<f'any -brown ; scapulars atid inner 
secondaries greenish -blue ; back, rump and upper tail-coverts g-listen- 
ingi caerulean-'blue, wing's chestnut-brown, median coverts black; 
