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HALCYON DEYAS,
(WOOD K IN G F ISH E R .)
ITalcyon dryas. Hartl. Journ. f. Om. 1854, p. 2.
„ Orn. Westafr. p. 32 (1857).
Schl. Mus. Pays Bas, Alced. p. 80 (1863).
II. maxilla rubra, mandíbula nigrâ : scapularibus nigerrimis : major : capite suromo brunneo : dorso, genis,
et pectore superiori viridi-thalassinis : liypochoudriis ciñereis, thalassino lavatis. Foem. vix à mari diversa.
Hah. in regione aquatoriali Africæ Occidentalis.
C row n o f th e h e a d b row n , tin g e d w i th g re e n is h , esp e c ia lly tow a rd s th e n a p e ; b a c k
s e a -g r e e n , d e e p e r a n d m o re in te n s e o n th e rum p a n d u p p e r ta il - c o v e r t s ; s c a p u la rie s a n d
u p p e r w in g - c o v e r ts d e e p b la c k ; w in g -f e a th e rs b la c k is h , th e o u t e r web s h in in g g re e n
tow a r d s th e b a s e , w h ic h is Avhite; t a i l a b o v e s e a -g re en , ea ch fe a th e r h a v in g th e s h a ft
b la c k , a n d b e in g e d g e d a n d tip p e d w ith th e sam e c o lo u r ; u n d e r s u rfa c e b la c k , a lin e ab o v e
th e e y e d u s k y w h ite ; a b ro a d b a n d s u rr o u n d in g th e eye a n d e x te n d in g b a c kw a rd s a lo n g
th e s id e o f t h e h e a d , to g e th e r Avith a sp o t a t th e b a se o f th e loAver m a n d ib le b la c k ; th ro a t,
Avhite ; c h e e k s , sid e s o f th e n e c k a n d u p p e r p a r ts o f th e b re a s t s h in in g se a -g re e n ; flan k s,
th ig h s , a n d u n d e r t a il- c o v e r ts a s h y t in g e d Avith b lu is h g re e n ; u p p e r m a n d ib le d e e p c o ra l
r e d , u n d e r m a n d ib le b la c k ; fe e t r e d ; eye s d a r k broAvn. T o ta l l e n g th 11. L e n g th o f
b ill from f r o n t 2, from g a p e 2..5, w in g 4 .9 , t a i l 3 .5, ta r s u s .5 , m id d le to e .9 , h in d
to e .4.
Hah. St. Thomas (d/tw. Hamh.), Ilh a do Principe (Do/irn ; /veu¿>wa?w), Rio Boutry
(Pel, Mus. Lugd.), Gaboon (Verreaux), Camma River (Du Chaillu).
T h is sp e c ie s is a llie d to th e A s h j’- f ro n te d K in g fish e r (H. cinereifrom), b u t m a y a t
o n c e b e d is tin g u i s h e d b y i t s l a r g e r a n d a lto g e th e r s to u te r fo rm , as Avell as b y th e c o lo u r ot
th o h e a d . T h e s e a -g re e n c o lo u r o f th e b a c k is also o f a n o th e r sh ad e , b e in g n o t so b lu e as
in th e fo rm e r b ird , b u t a s th i s c o lo u r v a r ie s A’e r y m u c h in d iffe re n t lig h ts , i t is v e ry
d iffic u lt to p a in t o r d e s c rib e i t . T h e d iffe ren c e s , hoAvevcr, Avill b e a p p a re n t o n an
e x am in a tio n o f sp ec im e n s.
T h e range o f the p resent species does n o t seem to be as extended as th at o f most of
its congeners, and is apparently confined to the "West Coast o f Africa in close proximity
to th e line o f the Equator. Of its h abits n o thing AA'-as knoAvn u n til the recent v isits of
Dr, H. Dolirn nnd Mr. J . G. Keulemans to Illia do Principe, and I am indebted to tlio
la tte r gentleman for the use o f his notes on th is bird, which were made d u rin g ins
residence in the island, and to wdiich I shall presently refer.
AiUilional references. H. drgas ; Mull. Beilr. Orn. Westafr. pl. 11. (IS.i-l) ¡ Yen-. .Rev. et. Mag. Zool,
18,5,5, p. 272, Cass. Proo. Phil. Acad. 159, p. 34 ; Keol. Ned. Tidsclir. 1866, p. 376, Dolmi, P. Z. S. 1866.
p. 325.
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