C E R Y L E S H A R P I I
(S H A R P E ’S K IN G F ISH E R .)
CeryU Sharpii Gould, Ann. Nat. Hist. 1869, p. 271.
C. sexibu is: dorso sehistaceo nigro, immaculato: subalaribus, eubcaudalibue e t abdomine i
scliistaeeis, albo transfasciatis.
Hah. in prov. Gabonensi Africæ occidentalis.
Head, cheeks and ear-coverts d a rk s
crest a v e ry tin ^ w hite s p o t; back and s
la tte r havin™ " x .x xi.. .•
^ , almost black, on a few feathers o f the
ries d a rk slaty-grey unspotted, a few o f the
m m a neart-snaped sp o t; ta il blackish g rey , with small white b ars and m a rk in g s ; primaries
blackish, the in n er web white a t th e base, and having a few bands o f white along th e web,
th e primaries with a deep black gloss, th e secondaries washed ex te rn a lly with sla ty -g rey
and studded with smaU spots o f w h ite; a line o f white feathers marked m th longitudinal
b l ^ k spots, extends from th e base o f th e lower mandible on to th e sides o f th e n e c k ;
b d ow m is a lin e o f black feathers from th e base o f th e lower mandible b o rd er th e thro at,
which IS p u re w h ite ; upper p a rt o f the breast rich c h e s tn u t; lower p a rt o f th e breast, entire
abdomen, sides o f th e body and u n d e r wing- and tail-coverts grey , thickly banded with
w h ite; b illb la d k ; feet olive-broivn. Total len g th 14.5 inches, b ill from fro n t 3.0, from
gape 4.0, wing 7.3, ta il 4.2, tarsu s 0.35, middle toe 0.9, hind toe 0.3.
Hah. Gaboon {mtts. J . Gould).
This fine African Kingfisher, with which Mr. Gould has done me the honour to asso-
m t e my name, differs from the well knoivn C. maxima, in the d a rk e r tone o f th e plumage,
in th e to ta l absence o f spots on th e back, in th e colour o f th e abdomen and u n d e r tailc
o v e rt^ which are grey, b a rred with white, and in th e u n d e r ■wing-coverts being pro-
tosely barred with black, a character n ever obtained in any stage o f plumage o f C. maxima.
I h e spots also a re rou n d er, and n o t lo n g itu d in al as in C. maxima.
The type-specimen is e v iÿ n t ly a v e ry old bfrd. I have carefully compared i t with
equally m ature examples o f C. maxima and find them to differ as above stated. The
accompauymg p late gives a faithful representation o f the bird, taken, as a re the descriptions
and measurements, from th e type specimen in Mr. Gould’s collection.
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