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DACE LO OC C IDENT A L I S .
(W E S T E R N LA U G H IN G K IN G F ISH E R ).
Dacelo o c c i d e n t a l i s . ......................................Gould, P.Z.S., 1869, p. 602.
D. scapularibus et interscapuliis bruuneis : sexibus dissimilibus, mari à caudâ cyaneâ, feminâ à caudâ rufo-
brunneâ distinguendo : subtus fulvescena : pogonio externe rectricis extimi albo conspicuè faseiato.
Hab. in p a rte septentrionali Australiæ occidentalis.
Head crested, Avliite with th e shaft o f th e feather narrow ly bordered w ith d ark brown,
giving a striped appearance ; back and scapulai’ies lig h t brown ; u pper p a rt o f th e back
white, lower p a rt and rump very rich silvery cobalt; lesser wing-coverts lig h t brown,
th e g reater coverts for th e most p a rt b r ig h t cobalt ; edge o f th e wing white ; primary-
coverts b rig h t in d ig o ; quills blackish, white a t th e base, the o u ter edge especiaUy of
th e secondaries broadly washed with indigo, th e apex o f th e feather n arrow ly edged with
white ; u pper tail-coverts indigo ; tad b rig h t indigo above, black beneatb, tb e two centre
feathers wholly blue, th e others for th e most pai-t blue tipped with white and
th e in n er web having a single white b a r o r spot, tlie o u ter re c trix regularly
baiTcd with wh ite on bo th webs for th e entire len g th ; feathers a t the base o f tb e bill,
cheeks, th ro at, sides and back o f the neck w h ite; ear-coverts Avhite striped with lines of
broAvn; re s t o f th e u nder surface o f tho body pale fulvous, u nder wing-coverts whitish,
faintly b arred with many lines o f brOAvn; upper mandible d a rk horn-colour, yeUowish
along th e base, lower mandible yeUowish, d a rk e r a t the base. Total len g th 16 inches, o f
bill from fro n t 3.2, from gape 4 .1, wing 7.5, tail 4.3, tarsu s 0.7, middle toe 1.4, h in d toe 0.7.
Female. Similar to th e male, b u t has th e u pper tail-coverts and taU sienna barred
with bi'ight blue. Total len g th 16.0 inches, o f biU from fro n t 3.0, from gape 3.7, wing 7.8,
ta il 4.7, ta rsu s 0.6, middle toe 1.4, hind toe 0.7.
Hah. No rth Western Au stralia {Gregory, mus. J . Gould).
In a communication m ade to th e Zoological Society on the 25th o f November, 1869,
th is species was described by Mr. Gould, and separated on apparently v e ry good d istin c tions
from Dacelo cervina. Th ere is in th e N o rth Western species a v e ry decided p re ponderance
in size o f bill, and th e taUs o f th e male birds differ considerably as will be
seen by th e accompanying wood-cuts, which rep re sen t the o u ter re c trix o f a male o f each
species.
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