CARIDONAX FULGIDUS.
(BLU E ANJ) W H Î ÏE KINÜEISHEH).
Halcyon fuîyidu:
Caridonax ..
Dacelo
.. fulgida
Gould, P.Z.S. 1857, p. t>5.
,, Birds of Asia, pl.—(18(50).
Wall. P.Z.S. 1863, p. 484
Cab. and Ileine, Mus. Heiu. th. II. p. 162 (1860).
Schl. Mus. Pays Bas, Alced. p. 24 (1863).
„ Yog. Ned. Ind. Alced. pp. 21, 54, pl. 9 (1864).
C. suprà saturate cæruleus : capite toto nigro : uropygio argenteo, cæruleo tincto : subtus albus : hypochon-
(Iriis et tectricibus subalaribus nigris, his albo mixtis ; remigibus bruiinescente-nigris : rosfro lætissimè
corallino ; iride brunneâ : pedibus rubris.
Hab. in regione Indo-Malayanâ.
H e a d , ch e ek s , fianks', a n d fe a th e r s o f th e le g , b la c k ; b a c k , Aving-coverts, à n d u p p e r
s u rfa c e o f th e t a i l , d e e p b lu e , m o r e c o n sp ic u o u s o n th e t a i l ; loAA'er p a r t o f th e b a c k s ilv e ry
w h ite , th e o u te r fe a th e r s t in g e d w i th r i c h b lu e ; t h e e n tir e u n d e r su rf a c e w h ite ; Aving-
fe a th e r s a n d u n d e r s u rfa c e o f th e t a i l hroAvnish b la c k ; u n d e r vñng c o v e rts b la c k , m ix e d
Avith Avhite; b ill r i c h c o r a l - r e d ; ey e d a r k brOAvu; fe e t re d . T o ta l l e n g th 12.5- L e n g th
o f b ill from f r o n t 1 .8, from g a p e 2 .3 , Aving 5 .4 , t a i l 4 .5 , ta r s u s .6 , m id d le to e .8 , h in d
to e .4.
Hab. Lombock, Flores (WaUace).
The p resent species has as y e t only been met Avith in th e islands o f Lombock and
Flores, where i t was discovered by Mr. Wallace, from whom most o f the specimens noAv
in Europe Avere obtained. I t was first described b y Mr. Gould a t a meeting o f tbe
Zoological Society in Ap ril 1857, and has since been figured by him in his “ Birds o f
Asia.”M
r. Wallace has very kindly sent me the folloAving n ote relative to its habits:—
“ This b eautiful species Avas found in a few localities in the Islan d o f Lombock, in
loAv Avoods and thickets, AA’-here i t feeds on coleopterous insects, and probably also on
Myriapoda, small Crustacea and land shells, d a rtin g down from its perch to seize th em on
the g round, and re tu rn in g to the same post, ju s t as a Kingfisher seizes a fish.”
The figure in the accompanying p late is drawn from a specimen obtained in Lombock
by Mr. Wallace, noAv in the Leiden Museum, and I have taken th e description from a very
fine b ird, which he has kindly len t me o u t o f his own collection.
Ml "I !