to localities where the vegetation has been destroyed or partially injured
by fire; and it selects, if possible, a low dry branch on an
isolated tree, where it watches by the hour for its prey; this, as far
as I could ascertain, consists of insects, which it generally seizes
on the wing. It utters loud, sharp, and shrill cries, and is always
found singly or in pairs.” Senor Anchieta has procured this species
at several of his collecting places in Mossamedes and Benguela, and
it also extends into Angola.
Dr. Kirk states that the food of this Kingfisher consists of insects.
He also says that it is a sweet songster, both before and during the
rains. Mr. Monteiro also refers to its note and observes as follows :
—“ All the birds belonging to this family that I have observed in
Angola utter a very agreeable loud note or song, which produces a
singular effect when, in going down a river in a canoe, in the breathless
mid-day sun, it is heard cool and clear, while all else is hushed
and still in the glaring heat. They are found in the thick woods
and bush in the vicinity of the rivers as much or more than on the
very banks.”
Adult.—Head brown, each feather longitudinally marked down
the centre with a shaft-stripe of darker brown ; ear-Coverts and back
of the neck black; feathers in front of the eye at the base of the
bill, cheeks and a collar round the back of the neck dirty white,
marked with brown and slightly tinged with buff; upper portion of
the back, scapulars and wing-coverts brown, the greater coverts
narrowly edged with white, primary coverts dull green; quills dark
brown, the inner web broadly white at the base, the outer web
washed with dull green and narrowly edged with white towards the
tip; lower portion of the back, rump and upper tail-coverts bright
cobalt; tail dull green above, greyish brown beneath; under surface
of the body white, inclining to buff on the flanks and abdomen;
upper part of the breast and sides of the neck transversely crossed
with narrow margins of brown, and each feather marked down the
centre with a dark shaft-stripe; flanks longitudinally streaked with
dark brown ; bill and feet red [Buckley). Mr. Andersson gives the
following note on the soft parts :—“ The irides in this species are
claret-coloured, the bill reddish-brown on the upper mandible, and
orange-red on- the lower, the lores are dusky, the legs and toes
yellowish.” Total length, 6'7 inches; culmen, 1-3; wing, 3'3; tail,
l -9; tarsus, 04.
Young.—Similar to the adult, but has the breast distinctly marked
with transverse edging to the feathers.
Fig. Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pi. 67.
112. H alcyon sen eg aloid e s . Mangrove Kingfisher.
The present bird, which is an inhabitant of Natal, belongs to a
very different group of the genus • Halcyon, and although it has a
wholly red beak, which character allies it to H. cilbiventns, its affinities
are nearer to H. senegalensis. It may be distinguished from the
other red-beaked Kingfishers of South Africa by its uniform greyish
breast, and ash-coloured head washed with blue.
Sir Andrew Smith first discovered the species in Natal, where, he
says, “ like other members of the group, it resorts .to thickets, and
feeds upon insects, especially crustacea and gryllce.” Mr. Ayres
gives the following note on the species in the same country:—“These
birds, as far as I know, are only found upon the mangroves which line
the Bay : they feed principally on small crabs, though fish are sometimes
taken by them. They are generally seen singly or in pairs, and
are only here in the winter months, leaving us on the approach of
summer ; they are rather shy birds, and dive into the dense mangrovebush
when alarmed.”
It has been procured as far west as the Buffalo River by Mr.
Rickard.
Head and nape cinereous, with a greenish blue lustre ; back and
scapularies thalassine-blue, very bright on the lower part of the back ;
wing-coverts deep black ; wing feathers blackish, white at the base,
the basal half of the outer web of the primaries, and nearly the whole ■
of the outer web of the secondaries brilliant thalassine-blue ; tail
a b o v e blue, beneath black; a stripe from the base of the beak extending
backwards over the eye, dusky cinereous : spot in front of the
eye and ring of feathers round the eye black ; throat, abdomen, under
wing and tail-coverts white, the latter washed with blue ; cheeks,
sides of the neck, breast and flanks cinereous with a greenish lustre
and with transverse cinereous vermiculations ; bill coral red ; feet
dark reddish yellow ; eye dark brown. Total length, 9 inches ; of bill
from front, 2 ; from gape, 24 ; wing, 4‘2 ; tail, 2’6 ; tarsus, 045 ;
middle toe, 0'8 ; hind toe, 04.
Fig. Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pi. 68.