| OCR Text |
Show 356 MR. II. B. SHARPE O N T H E GENUS ALCYONE. [May 13, Alcedo tribrachys, Shaw and Nodd. Nat. Misc. pl. 281 (1801). Ceyx tribrachys, Cuv. Regn. Aniin. i. p. 417 (1817). Ceyx cyanea, Less. Traite d'Orn. p. 211 (1831). Alcedo australis, Swains. Classif. of Birds, ii. p. 336 (1837). A. rostro tenuiore, longiore : pileo haud fasciato : hypochondriis rufis. Hab. in Australia. Above bright ultramarine; wing-coverts blackish, edged with ultramarine; quills blackish, the inner web light rufous at the base, the secondaries externally edged with faint blue; tail deep ultramarine above, black beneath; a loral spot pale rufous; throat and a longitudinal patch of feathers along the sides of the neck white tinged with orange; cheeks, ear-coverts, and sides of the upper part of the breast bright ultramarine; rest of the under surface of the body rufous, with a lilac shine on the flanks and under tail-coverts; bill black ; feet red. Total length 6*8 inches, of bill from front 1*8, from gape 2*25, wing 2-8, tail 1*1, tarsus 0*3, middle toe 0*5, hind toe 0*2. Hab. Australia: New South Wales, and Southern Australia (Gould); Cape York (Cockerell); Queensland (Mus. R. B. Sharpe). This species, which is the commonest of all the genus, is intermediate between A. diemensis and A. pulchra, which replace it in Tasmania and Northern Australia respectively. It is a beautiful species, yielding in this respect only to A. pulchra. 6. ALCYONE PULCHRA. Resplendent Kingfisher. Alcyone pulchra, Gould, P. Z. S. 1846, p. 19; Gray, Gen. of Birds, i. p. 82 (c. 1844); Gould, Intr. to Birds of Austr. p. 31 (1848); Reich. Vog. Neuholl. p. 278(1850); id. Handb. Alced. p. 7 (1851); Cass. Cat. Hale. Phil. Mus. p. 5 (1852); Elsev, P. Z. S. 1857, p. 25; Gould, Handb. Birds of Austr. i. p. 141 (1865). A. torque pectorali nullo: abdomine rufo: rostro tenuiore, longiore: pileo haud fasciato: hypochondriis pulcherrime ultra-marinis. Hab. in Australia septentrionali. Above very brilliant ultramarine, a little deeper on the wing-coverts ; wing-coverts brownish black, edged with ultramarine; wing-feathers brownish, the inner web very light rufous at the base, the secondaries externally edged with ultramarine; tail deep blue above, black underneath ; a small spot in front of the eye light rufous ; throat and a patch of feathers along the sides of the neck white tinged with orange; cheeks and ear-coverts brilliant ultramarine ; sides of the body also brilliant ultramarine, extending on to the flanks; rest of the under surface of the body deep rich rufous, with a lilac shine on the abdomen and under tail-coverts; bill deep black ; feet orange. Total length 6*5 inches, of bill from front 1*95, from gape 2*2, wing 3*0, tail 1*3, tarsus 0*3, middle toe 0*5, hind toe 0*2. |
