W T
t Ì !
C E R Y L E STELLATA.
(C H IL IA N K IN G F ISH E R .)
Alcedo stellata .
Ceryle stellata .
Megaceryle stellata
Streptocei-yle stellata
Chloroceryle stellata
Ceryle torquata
Mejen, Obs. Zool. p. 93, t. xiv (1834).
Licht. Nomenel. Av. p. 67 (1854).
Eeich. Handb. Alced. p. 24, t. eecexviii, fig. 3487 (1851).
Cab. and Heine, Mus. Hein. fli. I I , p. 151 (1860).
Sei. Cat. Am. Bii-ds, p. 264 (1862).
Tsch. Consp. p. 39.
Fras. P . Z. S. 1843, p. 110.
C. sexibus dissimilibus : minor: dorso clare sehistaceo, albo steUato: abdomine rufo ; torque pectorali
maris absente.
Hab. in pa rte meridionaR regionis Neoti-opicaj.
Above slaty-blue, tb e feathers o f the crest marked longitudinally -with broad black
shaft-stripes ; back also marked with d a rk stripes and profusely spotted with w h ite ; quills
and ta il black, ex tern ally margined with slaty-hluc and banded with white ; th ro a t and
sides of the neck extending hackwarks and forming a nuchal coUar, white ; u pper p a rt o f the
b reast slaty-blue, with rufous markings on some o f th e feathers ; below th is slaty baud a
n a rrow one o f white ; re s t o f the u nder surface of the body rufous, with a few g rey and
white ban-ings on the flanks and u n d e r tail-coverts ; bill and feet blackish. 'Total length
15'5 inches, o f biUfrom fro n t 2‘15, from gape 3'2, wing 7'3, ta il 4'3 , tarsus 0'4, middle toe
0'9, hind toe 0'25.
Hah. ChUi {Meyen, Gay), P o r t Otway and P o r t (jalant. Straits o f Magellan {Cunningham).
I have th o u g h t i t b e s t n o t to give a figure o f tbis species, as at p resen t I am b y no
means certa in th a t it has claims to d istin c t specific rank. Some of the differences adduced
b y Meyen, the original describer, depend on th e relative age o f the b ird , and th e only chai'ac-
tcrs o f importance are the spotted back and shorter bill. I have seen several specimens
o f Ceryle stellata, b u t as y e t have n o t had the good fortune to meet with an ad u lt male, b u t
aU th e bii'ds examined have certain ly had spotted backs and smaller bills th an C. torquata.
I therefore keep the two species distinct on the supposition th a t future observation will
confirm the constancy o f these characters.
note
Salv.
1841
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