TANYSIPTEBA. JTYMPHA. G -.R .C m j
Walter, Im p.
TANYSIPTERA N YMPH A, g . r . Gray.
Red-breasted Tanysiptera.
Tanysiptera nympha, Gray, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1841, p. 237.—Id. Gen. B. i. p. 78 (1846).—Id. Cat. Fissi-
rostres Brit. Mus. p. 59 (1848).—Bp. Consp. Gen. Ay. i. p. 157 (1850).—Gray, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 347.
—Wallace, P. Z. S. 1862, p. 165, 1863, p. 24.—Sclil. Nederl. Tijdsctir. Dierk. ii. p. 250 (1866).—
Sharpe, P. Z.S. 1869, p. 631.—Id. Monogr. Alced. p. 269, pi. civ. (1869).—Sclater, P. Z. S. 1873,
p. 697 ScM. Mus. Pays-Bas, Alced. Revue, p. 41 (1874).—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, x.
p. 127 (1877).
Dacelo dea, pt., Schl. Mus. Pays-Bas, Alced. p. 43 (1863).— Id. Vog. Nederl. Ind. Alced. pp. 33, 62 (1864).
Alcedo dea, Martens, J. f. 0 . 1864, p. 18.
T h e first specimen of this beautiful Kingfisher, described nearly thirty years ago from a native skin,
still exists in the British Museum with the wings o f a Halcyon attached to it. The majority of skins which
reach us even to this day are prepared by the native collectors, and arrive in a flat state, without wings.
The first person who appears to have obtained a perfect skin was Mr. Wallace, who, in 1869, contributed
the following note to Mr. Bo wdler Sharpe’s ‘Monograph.’ He writes:— “ This rare species was obtained by
my assistant, Mr. Allen, in the interior o f the north-west peninsula o f New Guinea; and the single specimen
he obtained is, I believe, the only complete and authentic one in Europe. New Guinea is the only island
which possesses more than two species o f this genus, and may therefore be looked upon as its metropolis,
and as more likely than any other p art o f the world to produce new forms o f Kingfishers.” Since Mr.
Wallace’s ‘Voyage’ one or two mutilated skins have been seen in this country. I t appears to be entirely
confined to North-western New G uinea; and the first idea, th at it was a Philippine bird, is now admitted on
all sides to have been a palpable mistake. The Leiden Museum has received a single specimen from
Sorong; and D’Albertis procured a couple o f individuals during his stay in North-west New Guinea.
Beccari also met with it, and observes:— “ O f Tanysiptera nympha I could only get one specimen.
I t is not very rare among the mangroves near Ramoi, and in the low places surrounding it. On
several occasions it was met with by my hunters without their being able to kill it. It is wanting near
Dorey, but reappears at Rubi, in the south of the Bay o f Geelvink, a locality which seems interesting, and
which I was sorry not to have visited, because several species which are only known from Salwatti and
Sorong are found there, among others Seleucides alba.”
The present species is distinguished at once from all the other Tanysiptera by its red rump and under
surface. I give the following'description from Mr. Sharpe’s ‘Monograph.’
Head rich ultramarine, inclining to cobalt on the n a p e ; ear-coverts and upper part o f the back and scapulars
jet-black ; lower p a rt o f the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts rich vermilion; wing-coverts black,
edged with ultramarine, the innermost ones rich co b alt; quills black, the inner web light rufous from the
base, the outer web very narrowly washed with b lu e ; tail-feathers deep blue, the interior ones tipped with
white, the two middle tail-feathers rich blue, the spatula long and white, with a faint blush of ro se ; entire
under surface rich vermilion, a little paler on the abdomen; bill and feet sealing-wax-red; eyes black.
Total length 11 inches, o f bill from front 1*2, from gape T7 , wing 3*6, tail 2*8, middle rectrices 0*6, tarsus
0*3, middle toe 0*6, hind toe 0*2.
The figure in the Plate is life-sized, and is drawn from one o f the specimens obtained by Signor
D’Albertis, and I have been indebted for the loan of it to Dr. Sclater, through whose hands D Albertis s
collection passed.