GE YX SOLITÀRIA.
(SO L ITA R Y K IN G F ISH E R .)
I G
Ceyx solitaria,
Alcyone „
Alcedo „
Teniiu. Pl. Col. 595.
Sharpe, P.Z.S. 1868, p. 271.
Gray and Jlitcli. Gen. of Birds, I, p. 82 (c. 1844).
Bonap, Consp. Gen. Av. I, p. 158 (1850).
Reich. Hand. Alced. p, 7, t. cccxcviii, fig. 3067 (1851).
Schl. Mus. Pays Bas, Alced. p. 17 (1863).
„ Vog. Ned. Tiid. Alced. pp. 12, 48, pl. 3 (1864).
Müller, MS.
Less. A’oy. Coq. I, p. 691 (1826).
Therosa „
Ceyx meninting
C. rostro nigro ; capito cyaneo faseiato ; onmino minor ; pectoM et abdomine fiavidis ; gaia alba.
Hab. in Novâ Guinea e t in in su lis adjacentibus.
Head an d nape b lack, b anded yyith b r ig h t u ltramarin e ; back mid scapularies riel; u ltra -
marine obeeks in d w in / e o v e r ts black, sp o tted m th b r ig h t u ltramarme ; win g -ieath ers
blackish th e in n er weh fuscous from the base, th e seouudanes narrowly edged with blue ;
ta il black edo-ed with b lue ; th ro a t wh ite ; a spot in fro n t o f the eye and a Imigitudinnl patch
o f f e a t e s o T L sides o f th en e c k , yellowish white ; ®/®.®
en tirely black ; feet orange. T o tal len g th o inches o f h ill from fro n t 1.3, from „ape 1.6,
win g 2.1, ta il 0.8, tarsu s 0.2, middle toe 0.4, hm d toe 0.2.
Hab. New Guinea (Wallace),' kvvx Islands (Wallace), Ceram (.Uiw. Lw jd .), Mysol
(Wallace).
On account o f its having a black beak, I suppose, th is species has been classed by
several w rite rs as an Alei/om, b u t an examination o f a specimen will show th a t i t is moio
Closeiv a llied to Ceyx. The gonys is certain ly n o t so ab ru p tly a s c c ^ in g as is usual m the
k I er v e R s h u t I have seen specimens w ith a b ill q u ite as miieli depressed as th a t o f an
a S » “ compressed. Added to th is, its hahits, which semn to he entirely insectivorous,
.iccOT-dino- to th e little we know about them, suflicieutly indicate i t to be a tru e Cey.r.
Mr Wallace has k in d ly given me th e following note, respecting 11
“ Th is little Kingfisher seems to he stric tly confined to the 1 apiiaii Islands.^ ih e
stomachs o f those I killed contained th e remains o f water-beetles and o th er insects.
Lesson who has most erroneously referred the p resent b ird to the Alcnlo iiieiiiiitliig of
f i 'i ’
....