ALCYONE PUSILLA.
Little Kingfisher.
Geyx pusilla, Temm. PI. Col., 595. fig. 3.
Nu-rea-bin-mo, Aborigines of the Cobourg Peninsula.
T h i s lovely little Kingfisher is a native o f the northern shores of Australia; the specimens in my collection
were all procured at Port Essington where it is a.rare b ird ; and from it always inhabiting the densest
mangroves, is not only seldom seen, but is extremely difficult to procure ; in general habits and manners
it very much resembles the Alcyone amrea, but its note is somewhat more shrill and piping, and its flight
more unsteady. Specimens of this species from New Guinea, which 1 have had opportunities o f examining
in the noble collection at Leyden, present no difference whatever from those found in Australia.
The food gf the Alcyone ¡media consists exclusively of fish; which are taken precisely after the manner of
the Common Kingfisher o f our own island.
The sexes are alike in size and colour.
Lores, a tuft behind the ear-coverts and under surface silky wh ite; .forehead, sides of the neck, wing-
coverts and the margins of the secondaries green ; primaries brownish black ; all the upper surface and a
large patch on each side on the chest brilliant intense b lu e ; tail dull deep b lu e ; irides dark blackish brown;
bill black ; legs and feet greenish grey.
The figures are of the natural size.