f 
BLUE KINGFISHER. 
They are thinly scattered over the running streams in the ranges, which 
they prefer to stagnant water, but they are nowhere plentiful. The female 
is invariably the larger bird. The nest is made in the side of a bank, like 
that of other members of the family. Nesting-season, September and October. 
These birds dive like the true Kingfisher. The habits of the Tasmanian 
subspecies seem to be identical with those of the mainland form, which I 
have never met with in the interior.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby’s notes read: “This lovely little Kingfisher is not 
numerous, but still is found fairly widely throughout the Adelaide Hills 
(Mt. Lofty), frequenting the most retired creeks, nesting in holes in the 
creek banks. On the River Onkaparinga, near Kanganilla, South Australia, 
it can always be seen, and during the Christmas of 1908 I watched a specimen 
fishing close to me. It dashed into the water with a considerable splash from 
the overhanging bough on which it was perched.” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers’ notes from Melville Island follow : “ Cooper’s Camp, 
October 26, 1911. The first of these birds was seen to-day. Nov. 5, 1911. 
Several have now been seen in the mangrove creeks, but are rare. Nov. 16, 
1911. There are a few along the foreshore close to my camp now ; here the 
sea is washing away the land and there is a convenient earthy bluff for them 
to breed in : there are old nesting-holes in this bluff. Jan. 13, 1912. Locality 
ten miles S.E. of Snake Bay. A few are seen every day in the paperbarks 
bordering the great swamp. Feb. 5, 1912. Cooper’s Camp. These birds are 
still here, some seen every day.” 
In April, 1909, he had written from Wyndham, N.W. A. : “ Are very 
rare in this district : usually found singly or in pairs on creeks.” 
From Cape York, North Queensland, Barnard wrote {Emu, Vol. XI., 
p. 23, 1913) : “ The Purple Kingfisher {Alcyone pulchra) is fairly plentiful 
along freshwater creeks, where I found them burrowing in the banks of the 
creeks. Several fresh burrows were dug out, but were only just ready for 
eggs. The length of the burrow is generally about 10 inches.” 
In Vol. XIII., p. 159, 1914, Macgillivray added : “ First met with on the 
Gregory River, where a specimen (a male) was secured in July. Mdes dark 
brown, bill black with cream-coloured tip, legs scarlet. Stomach contQhts, 
small fish. Other specimens were obtained on the creeks at Cape York.” On 
17 th February, 1911, the following note was made : “ Went to big swamp 
behind Charo mangroves, and searched through it. Flushed a Kingfisher 
{A. pulchra) from its nest in a mass of earth adhering to the roots of a fallen 
tea-tree near the edge of the swamp ; it contained five fresh eggs. The 
tunnel was 6 inches long, oval in shape, If inches across by If deep ; egg 
chamber 5 inches across by 4 in depth. After this they were found to 
VOL. vn. 
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