CITTURA CYANOTIS,
(B LU E -EA R ED K IN G F ISH E R .)
Dacelo cyanotis,
Cittura „
Temm. Pl. Col. 262.
Reich. Handb. Alced. p. 38, t. cceexxis, fig. 3170 (1851).
C. minor : capitis lateribus nitidè cæruleis, lilacino punctatis.
ffa b . in parte septentrionali insulæ “ Celebes” dictæ.
Head orange-rufous ; back and scapularies yelloAvish-brown, th e la tte r edged with pale
straw-co lo u r; tail-coverts and tail deep ru fo u s ; upper wiug-coverts b rig h t shining b lu e ;
wing-feathers brownish, washed with blue near th e base and edged with straw-colour near
th e tip s ; sides o f the head b rig h t blue, the uppermost feathers tip p ed lon g itu d in ally with
pale lilac ; chin whitish ; cheeks, ear-coverts and u pper p a rt o f the b rea st lilac, each feather
having a fainter streak down the centre ; u nder surface o f the body pale fulvous ; b ill o range-
r e d ; legs reddish-brown. To ta l len g th 9.5 inches, of b ill from fro n t 1.3, from gape 1.8,
wing 3.9, tail 3.6, tarsu s 0.4, middle toe 0.7, h in d toe, 0.3.
ffa b . Celebes (WaUace).
T h is very rare bird,
been met with in Celebes,
me tb e following n ote c v. ^ .
th e value o f his observations cannot be too h ig h ly estimated.
Mr. Wallace observes :—
“ This species w as obtained only in tb e h o t d ry forests a t th e foot o f the g rea t volcano
o f Klabat, near the n o rth eastern e x trem ity o f Celebes. I t was very scarce. Its habits
were similar to those o f the Dacelos, h u n tin g about near th e ground, from which i t picked
u p insects and molluscs, retu rn in g to perch upon a low horizontal bough in the thickest
p arts o f the ju n g le .”
My description is taken from a specimen len t me b y Mr. Wallace, procured by him
in N o rth ern Celebes, from which also the figure is taken. I should add th a t Temminck’s
type specimen was said b y h im to come from Sumatra, b u t th is is certain ly au error.
Additional References.—Dacelo cyanotis, Gray and Mitoli. Gen. of Birds, I, p. 78 (c. 1844), id. Cat. Fiss.
Brit. Mus. p. 52 (1848), Bonap. Consp. tien. Av, T, p. 154 (1850), Schl. Mus. Pays Bas, Alced. p. 22 ("1863), id.
Vog Ned. Iiid. Alced. pp. 18, 51, pl. 6 (1864).
m à d A