. Birds. Birds. 120 aicbdinidjE. black band occupying the greater part of the distal half; lower parts, with cheeks and wing-lining, white; [^some small elongate spots forming a malar patch; two gorgets, the upper the broader, on the breast, and spots on the flanks forming an imperfect belt, black. There are often black spots on the Fig, 34.—Head of C. varia, J. Females want the posterior black gorget and the anterior is interrupted in the middle. Bill black ; iris brown ; legs and feet blackish ; soles pale (Legge). Length about 11'7; tail 3; wing 5-6; tarsus '4; bill from, gape 3. T
. Birds. Birds. 120 aicbdinidjE. black band occupying the greater part of the distal half; lower parts, with cheeks and wing-lining, white; [^some small elongate spots forming a malar patch; two gorgets, the upper the broader, on the breast, and spots on the flanks forming an imperfect belt, black. There are often black spots on the Fig, 34.—Head of C. varia, J. Females want the posterior black gorget and the anterior is interrupted in the middle. Bill black ; iris brown ; legs and feet blackish ; soles pale (Legge). Length about 11'7; tail 3; wing 5-6; tarsus '4; bill from, gape 3. The Indian bird has usually been referred to the African and "Western Asiatic C. rudis; but the latter differs in having the basal half of the tail-feathers more or less spotted with black, the black subterminal bands marked with large white spots, and the black marks on the throat and flanks less developed. The two are, how- ever, only just separable. Distribution. Common throughout India, Ceylon, and Burma in the plains, wherever there are rivers or large pieces of water, except in Tenasserim south of Amherst. This Kingfisher ranges east to China, but not west of Baluchistan, and does not inhabit the Himalayas, even to the westward, above a very moderate elevation. Habits, ^c. The Pied Kingfisher avoids forest, but is found haunting all waters in open coimtry. It may be seen on tidal streams and creeks, on backwaters and even on the sea-shore, though it is more common inland on rivers, marshes, ditches, and tanks. It lives entirely on fish, for which it never plunges from a fixed perch, but it flies over the water, and hovers with its beak pointed downwards, at a height of frequently 15 or 20 feet above the surface, when it suspects the presence of a fish. lb dives for its prey after hovering, but not unfrequently checks itself in its plunge and flies on, uttering from time to time a sharp twittering cry. It breeds from the end of January till April, and lays 4 to 6 whi
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