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The following observations, containing as they do, a summary o f m ost o f the notes th a t
have been ™ t t e n on its h abits b y In d ian Ornithologists, are tak en from Dr. J e rd o n ’s work
OU th e “ Birds o f In d ia ’ (I.e. ) :—
n rivers, streams, and back waters ; b u t only where tolerably
well shaded by tree s. I t sits on a branch overhanging the water and pounces on fish, crabs
an d occasionally frogs ^ I t has ra th e r a peculi.ar call {peer, pee,-, p u r ) several times repeated!
L a p r d however, calls i t a loud h a rsh note, n o t unlike th e cracking o f castanets. I t is said
to bmld in hollow tree s, o r in holes in miid-walls. Mr. Smith, as quoted in Hovsfleld’s
bata logne, says th a t he once observed a contest between a bfrd o f this species and a Hawk
of considerable s i z / in which th e la tte r was worsted and obliged to leave his hold, from the
ettects of a severe blow which the o th er administered to him on th e b rea st ”
_ The description and figure are tak en from a specimen in my collection from India
given me b y my friend Mr, W. J . Williams.
P E LARGOP S I S MALACCENSI S .
(MALACCA STO RK -B IL L ED K IN G F ISH E R .)
Pelargopsis m a la c e e n s is ........................................................Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 67.
P. similiB. P. gurial sed conspicuè minor : dorso postico Ijetè cyaneo : scapuIai-ibus saturate cyaneo-
viridihus.
Hab. in peninsula Malaccensi.
He ad d a rk b ro iv n ; upper p a rt o f th e body d a rk blue w ith scarcely any greenish tin g e ;
lower p a rt o f the hack and ram p b rig h t c o b a lt; u pper tail-coverts blue like th e hack; quills
black, washed and edged w ith b lue; tail blue above, g reyish black beneath ; en tire u nder
surface o f th e body with a collar eneiroUng th e neck ric h buff inclining to orange, especially
on th e flanks; h ill deep coral-red blackish towards th e tip ; feet red. Total length 12
inches, o f bill from fro n t 3'2, from gape 3'5, win g 5'5, tail 2'3, tarsu s 0'5, middle toe O'l,
hind toe 0'5.
Hab. Malacca (WaUace; mus. l i. B . S .).
This
his species I provisionally separated-in my paper on th e genus Behrgopsis (I.e.), b u t
h a t time I h ave seen several specimens and am convinced th a t i t is perfectly distinct.
since th £
I t belongs to th e same group as P . gurial and P . fiaresiana, b u t differs from b o th hy its smiill
size. I "do not, however, th in k i t wo rth while to give a figure.
The description and measiu-ements are from the type-specimen in my collection.
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