“Found in precisely the same locality as C. mindanensis and in company with it in the Islands of Mindanao and Basilan. Food the same as that of C. mindanensis.

“When one has learned its note and habits it may be secured without great trouble. It always gives a shrill ‘cheep’ just before taking wing, and repeats the same note at frequent intervals during flight. It flies with great rapidity, but usually for a short distance, when it alights on some branch, stump, or stone, where it sits perfectly still. It is a bird of extremely local habits, and displays great reluctance to leave the thicket to which it is accustomed. If pursued it usually flies in a circle, soon returning to the place from which it started, continuing to follow about the same course until the hunter either shoots it or gives up the attempt. When its route has been once learned, two men can easily bring it down, one driving it while the other waits near one of its favorite resting places. In this way we secured a considerable number of our specimens. We believe that this species never ‘fishes’ in the streams.

“Iris dark brown; bill, legs, feet, and nails scarlet in adults, growing paler in immature birds. Very young birds have the bill black, with a whitish horn tip. Food, insects, larvæ and worms.

“Six males from Tawi Tawi measure as follows: Length, 140; wing, 64; tail, 25; culmen, 38; tarsus, 8; middle toe with claw, 16. Four females from Tawi Tawi: Length, 141; wing, 64; tail, 24; culmen, 37; tarsus, 9; middle toe with claw, 17.

“Five males from Tablas measure: Length, 146; wing, 65; tail, 25; culmen, 36; tarsus, 9; middle toe with claw, 17. Four females from Tablas: Length, 145; wing, 66; tail, 25; tarsus, 9; middle toe with claw, 22; culmen, 36.

“We have given measurements of birds taken at the extremes of the range of the species. It will be seen that the northern birds are slightly longer. As stated in our preliminary notes, the color of the dorsal surface of this bird varies from deep indigo-blue to pure silvery white, and this variation is independent of age, sex, or locality.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

280. CEYX GOODFELLOWI Grant.
GOODFELLOW’S KINGFISHER.

Mindanao (Goodfellow).