TODIRHAMPHUS RECURVIROSTRIS.
(F LA T -B IL L ED K IN G F ISH EK .)
Todirhamphis recurvirostris
Coporhamphus recurvirostrii
Halcyon recurvirostris
Halcyon platyrostris .
Todirhamphus platyrostris
lácelo minima
Tiaealla, of the Natives of Upolu {Gn
T. vh-idis: torque coUari fulvo : suhtus ftilvus.
Lafr. Eev. Zool. 1842, p. 134.
Cat. & Heine, Mus. Hein. th. II, p. 160 (1860>
Finsch & Hartl. Faun. Centr. Polyn. p. 41 (1867).
Gould, P. Z. S. 1842, p. 72.
Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. I, p. 156 (1850).
Peale, U. S. Expl. Exp. p. 159, pl. 145 (1848).
Hah. in in su lis “ Samoa” dictis maris Paeifici.
Upper surface o f th e body b r ig h t blueish-greeu ; lores and a t'e ry d istin c t eyebrow
white tin g ed w ith b u f f ; a nuchal patch o f feathers buify white ; a broad collar ro u n d the
neck buff; quills black, buffy white a t th e base, ex tern ally edged with blueish-green ; taii
blue above, b lack beneath; th ro a t white, e x ten d in g down on to the b rea st; b reast rich buff;
bill black, yellow a t the base of th e u n d e r mandible; feet reddish brown. Total len g th 6'ó
inches, o f b ill from fro n t 1-35, from gape 1-65, Aving 3 ‘3, tail lA , tarsu s OA, middle toe
0'6, hin d toe 0'25.
Hah. Samoa or Navigator’s Islands ; Upolu {Peale, Grciffe).
Mr. Gould and Baron de Lafresnaye bo th described tbis species m th e year 1842, b u t
the la tte r gentleman’s name has p rio rity b y one month. I ts range seems to be restricted
to tb e group o f tb e Samoa or N av ig ato r’s Islands, having been b ro u g h t thence recently by
Dr. Griiffe, who has been collecting in this locality for Mr. J . César Godeffroy, o f Hamburg.
In colour th e p resent species is a diminutive representation o f th e weH-known Halcyon
sanetus, and like th a t species appears to v a ry in the blue and green tin ts o f its plumage
according to sex and age. The curious flat bill, however, separates i t genericaRy from all
the gi'een group o f th e genus Halcyon.
Additional refei-ences.— rícamrosfr»«, Eeicli. Handli. Alced. p. 35 (1851); Cass. Cat. Halc.
Phil. Mas. p. 11 (1852),Gt U.S . Expl. Exp. pp. 198, 216, pl. xvii (1858). Halcyon platyrostris, Gray, Gen. of
B. I, p. 79 (1846); id. Cat. Fiss Brit. Mus. p. 58 (1848); id. Cat. B. Trop. Isl. Pacif. Oc. p. 6 (1859). lácelo
minima, Hartl. jVi-chiv. f. Naturg. 1852, p. 111.