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Show 630 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON A NEW KINGFISHER. [Dec. 9, 6. On a new Kingfisher belonging to the Genus Tanysiptera. By R. B. SHARPE. While on a recent visit to Paris, Mr. D. G. Elliot, F.Z.S., saw, in the hands of M . Jules Verreaux, what appeared to him to be an undescribed species of Tanysiptera. The specimen in question was the property of Count Turati of Milan, and had been sent to M. Verreaux for mounting. The latter gentleman, with his usual cour tesy, permitted Mr. Elliot to bring the bird to England for m y inspection. I certainly know of no known species for which it could be taken, and therefore do not hesitate to describe it, and propose to call it Tanysiptera ellioti, after m y friend Mr. Elliot, as a slight tribute of m y admiration for his talents as an ornithologist. TANYSIPTERA ELLIOTI, sp. nov. Supra saturate ultramarina : capite toto cum tectricibus alarum superioribus leetissime cyaneis : dorso postico cum uropygio et rectricibus omnibus purissime albis : rectricibus duabus mediis haudspatulatis, apice tantum paulo dilatatis : subtus pure alba, tibiis ultramarinis; hypochondriis striis ultramarinis longitudinaliter notatis. Head uniform brilliant cobalt; cheeks, ear-coverts, and the whole of the back rich ultramarine ; lesser and least coverts brilliant cobalt, the second series bright ultramarine, the cubital and primary coverts ultramarine, uniform with the back ; quills entirely black, the outer web broadly washed with deep ultramarine ; lower part of the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts pure white ; tail-feathers all pure white, the middle ones with no attenuated end and no perceptible spatula, these feathers when observed from a distance and placed on a level with the eye having a faint blue lustre; entire under surface white, thighs ultramarine, and the flanks longitudinally marked with this colour also; bill vermilion; feet olive-brown. Total length 13*5 inches; of bill from front 1*4, from gape 1*7; wing 4*5 ; tail 4*5, middle rectrices 8*0 ; tarsus 0*5, middle toe 0*7, hind toe 0*35. Unfortunately we are not aware of the exact habitat of the present bird. It forms part of the magnificent collection of Count Turati, whose generosity in lending me rare and valuable Kingfishers has before been acknowledged by me. Notwithstanding the objections of Professor Schlegel as to the admission of the different Tanysipteree enumerated by Mr. Wallace (P. Z. S. 1863, p. 24), I believe them all to be good species; but I have not replied to Professor Schlegel's article on the genus Tanysiptera (Ned. Tydschr. 1866, p. 272), as the learned Professor has such ample materials at his command in the Leyden Museum that it seems hardly fair to criticise his decisions with the limited materials we possess in this country. Nevertheless I believe all Mr. Wallace's species are good, and the following table will illustrate the present condition of the genus Tanysiptera as acknowledged |
