12 
AVES, 
Lengtii of bill, from gape, inch. 
„ of bill, from front, 1 inch 2 lines. 
„ of wings, 7:^ inches. 
„ of tail, 4 inches. 
„ of tarsns, 7|- lines. 
„ of middle toe and claw, 1 inch 2 lines. 
„ of outer toe, 1 inch ; inner toe, 10 lines. 
„ of hallux, 7 1 lines. 
This bird does not exactly correspond with the descriptions 
given of the Eurjstomns Pacificns, of which species, however, 
w'e believe it to be a variety ; the light band on the wing in 
our bird extends over eight of the primaries instead of six, and 
there are other slight differences of plumage, wdiich are, how- 
ever, probably to be accounted for by difference of age or sex. 
It is a most active and lively bird, liauiiting very tall 
jungle in parties of five or six together ; these fly rapidly in 
large circles with short quick strokes of the wdng, like the 
flight of Woodpeckers, and frequently swooping down upon 
one another with loud chattering. When perched, their note 
is a single full deep-toned whistle, or something between that 
and tlic sound of the word “ you,” when spoken wnth forcible 
expulsion of breath from the throat ; the Malays say that 
their nests are bottle-shaped and suspended from a high 
branch. The stomach of the bird from which the above de- 
scription is given %vas full of the remains of beetles; the flock 
from which it was obtained did not shovv any fear at the 
report of the gun, as they did not attempt to leave the neigh- 
bourhood, though, from the great height of the trees, five shots 
were fired at them before one was brought down. 
Family Alcedinidae. 
Sub-fara. Ha]cyonina\ 
Gen. Halcyon. 
Halcyon Chloris. 
Alcqdo chlorocephala (Gme!.). 
Green-headed King-fisher (Latham). 
Above, back sea-green ; tail-covers blue or green, varying accord- 
ing to the light ; crown of the head sea-green, bordered with a black 
stripe which originates at the gape, passes broadly round the eyes 
and ears, and narrows at the nape ; the green feathers on the nape 
adjoining this stripe are white at their base ; a broad collar of white 
passes from below round the upper neck. 
