1. D. oecidentalis.
^ In th e p re sen t species th e o u te r web is A'ery distm c tly barred, while iiiD . ceirina i t is
en tire ly un b arred . I should mention, however, th a t in th e British Museum th ere are
specimens o f a Dacelo from P o r t Essin g to n , which have th e o u ter rectrix barred with
white, an d which o u g h t for t h a t reason to b e refe rred to D . occidentalis, b u t th e b ars are not
so d istin c t as in th e figure o f th e type-specimen given above, and as therefore we
fin d th a t, as rep resen ted in th e above w ood-cut, th e b a rs on the in n er web o f th e outer
r e c trix in D . cervina a re ap p aren tly grad u a lly assumed, we cannot place too much reliance
on th e c h a ra c te r o f th e tail, w ith o u t fu rth e r evidence before us. We are compelled a t
lea st to believe th a t D. occidentalis ranges as far as P o r t E ssington, where i t inosculates with
D . cervina, which, on th e o th e r hand, tak e s its place from P o r t Essington to Cape York.
T he ch ie f difference between the two species is therefore to be found in th e h u g e bill of
th e Western form. T h e type-specimens a re apparently very old birds as th e plumage
g en e rally is much worn an d bleached. The description given above is taken from the
o riginal types, which were k in d ly placed in my hands b y Mr. Gould, and a good representatio
n o f th em win b e found in tiie accompanying plate.
H aving rec en tly v isited L e id en I found in th e splendid collection o f birds in tlie
Museum th ere several specimens o f a Dacelo from P o r t Albany apparently referable to the
p re se n t species. Afte r examining these I feel more sceptical as to th e distinctness of
D . occidentalis from D . Leachi, since in several o f th e specimens a t Leiden, th ere were
trac es o f m arkings on th e brea st, and th e tail-feathers were similar. Un fortunately I
h ad n o t a t h a n d a sufficient number o f specimens o f D . Leachi for comparison, b u t i t Avill
be necessary to su b je ct a series o f each to a r i d d examination before finally deciding on
th e ir specific separation. F rom Dacelo cervina I am satisfied th a t the present species is
distinct-
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