THE present species ranges from Borneo, Java, and the Moluccas to New Guinea and the
whole of Australia. There is a specimen from Java in the Tweeddale collection. Wallace
obtained it at Celebes, Flores, Lombock, Timor, Sula Island, Sumbawa, Ternate, and Mysol,
and both he and other collectors obtained it in New Guinea. Bernstein records it from Gilolo,
and Gould and other authors record it from various parts of Australia and New South Wales.
Ramsay (Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. ii. p. 179) gives its range in Australia as Port Darwin,
Port Essington, Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York, Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, Wide Bay
district, Richmond and Clarence River district, New South Wales, the interior of Australia, Victoria,
South Australia, West Australia, and the south coast of New Guinea; and Salvadori (Orn. della
Papuasia, i. p. 401) records it from Torres Straits, New Britain, Duke of York Island, Am, New
Guinea, Fly River, Dorey, Andai, Mansinam, Tarawai, Sorong, Salwatti, MysoL Jobi, Mysori, the
Moluccas, Halmaheira, Ternate, Batchian, Buru, Ceram, Amboina, Sula, Celebes, Timor, Sumbawa,
Flores, Lombock, and Java.
Dr. Meyer says (Ibis, 1879, p. 57) that " i n the Minahassa it is only numerous in the east
monsoon. Near Menado in May, and on the Togian Islands in August. As to the development
of the lengthened tail-feathers, an examination of a series of specimens proves that, as in the
analogous case of Prioniturus, the lengthened tail-feathers are narrower ab initio, and arc not
formed by being rubbed off, except at the last stage, which, however, does not touch the principle
that also here immanent causes affect the shape of these feathers. The same remarks apply to
M. phUippinus."
Rosenberg (J. f. O. 1864, p. 118) records it from " Amboina, Ceram, Timor, and North
Australia; " and Gould (Handb. B. Austral, i. p. 117) writes respecting its occurrence in Australia
that " it arrives in New South Wales and in all the colonies lying within the same degree of latitude
in August, and departs in March, the intervening period being employed in the duties of incubation
and of rearing its progeny. During the summer months it is universally spread over the whole
southern portion of the continent from east to west, and in winter the northern. In South
Australia and at Swan River it is equally numerous as in New South Wales, generaUy giving
preference to the inland districts rather than to those near the coast; hence it is rarely to be met
with in the neighbourhood of Perth, while in the York district it is very common. In New
South Wales I found it especially abundant on the Upper Hunter, and all other parts towards the
interior, as far as I had an opportunity of exploring." Mr. E. L. Layard obtained it in New
Britain, but did not observe any on the Duke of York Islands.
The best account I find respecting the habits of this b u d is that published by the late
Mr. Gould (Handb. B. of Austral, i. p. 118) as follows :—"Its favourite resorts during the day
are the open, arid, and thinly-timbered forests ; and in the evening the banks and sides of rivers,
where numbers may frequently he seen in company. It almost invariably selects a dead or
leafless branch whereon to perch, and from which it darts forth to capture the passing insects.
Its flight somewhat resembles that of the Artami, and although it is capable of being sustained
for some time, the bird more frequently performs short excursions, and returns to the branch it
had left.
" The eggs are deposited and the young reared in boles made in the saudy banks of rivers or
any similar situation in the forest favourable for the purpose. The entrance is scarcely larger
than a mouse-hole, and is continued for a yard in depth, at the end of which is an excavation of
sufficient size for the reception of the four or five pinky-white eggs, which are ten lines long b y
eight or nine lines broad. The stomach is tolerably muscular, and the food consists of various
insects, principally Coleóptera and Neuroptera."
The specimens figured and described are in my own collection.
(J orf. pileo et nucha aurantiaco-fuscis, illo vix viridi tincto : frontc et linca supcrciliari, dorso et tectricibus alarum
viridibus fusi'O thictis : alls aurardiat'o-fuseis ('ons|ii<'ue nigro iipiivitis, pcnnis exlus viridi lavatis ; sccundariia
intimis elongate, viridilius (\i:vulca 1 metis : (torso imo, uropygiii et suprueaudalilius eajrulois : caudfl nigra vix
fureata, rectricibos duabus ecntralihtis valdc elongatis atteauatis et indistinct^ spatulatia : vitta per oeulum
ductS et regione parotica intense nigris, snhtiis turcino margiiiatis : gulA iiava, lateral iter auratitiaco lavatft:
torque pcctorali nigro : eorpore subtus vii'idi fusco linefo: sulieaudalilm* ea;riileis: iride l'u •;<'<)-rubra : rostro
nigro: podibus viridi-cmercis.
Jtiv. stiprsl sordide viridis ciei'iilco tinctus: uropygio, siipracaudalibus et seeuudariis intimis sordide escvnleis :
corpore subtus sordide viridi-croruleo : gulil sordid.'1 oclrracea: torque pcctorali nullo : alis et cauda sicut in
adulto, sed sordidioribus : rectricilius renlralibus w*c elongatis.
Adult male (Port Moresby).—Crown and nape orange-brown, tinged with green on the fore
part of the crown; forehead and a line over the eye, back, and wing-coverts green tinged with
brown ; wings orange-brown, broadly tipped with black; the quills externally washed with green,
the elongated inner secondaries green tinged with blue ; lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts
cerulean blue; tail black, slightly forked, the two central reetrices considerably elongated,
attenuated, and slightly spatulated; lores and a broad band through the eye and the ear-coverts
rich velvety black, bordered below with turquoise-blue ; throat bright yellow, becoming orange on
the sides of the neck and lower throat; below this the breast is crossed by a broad black band;
underparts green tinged with brown; under tail-coverts bright cserulean blue; iris light brownish
red; bill black ; legs greenish grey. Total length about 0 inches, culmen 1*7, wing 4/4, tail 5-2,
central reetrices extending l -78 beyond the lateral ones, tarsus 0'45.
Immature (Cape York).—Much duller in general coloration than the adult, the nape much
greener, the blue line beneath the eye paler, the pectoral band very slightly marked, and the two
central reetrices only extending a little beyond the lateral ones.
Young (Moluccas).—Upper parts dull greenish tinged with blue; the rump, upper tailcoverts,
and inner secondaries dull cerulean; underparts dull greenish blue, the throat pale dull
ochreous, no blue line below the eye or black pectoral band; wings and tail as in the adult, but
duller, and the central reetrices not elongated.
Obs. Specimens which I have examined vary somewhat in intensity of coloration and
especially as regards the amount of blue in the plumage. A specimen in the Tweeddale collection
from Port Albany has the crown, scapulars, and back slightly tinged with turquoise-blue;
and one in the British Museum, a female from Borey, has the abdomen washed with blue and is
labelled Merops ccerulescens. Another example in the British Museum, a female from Lombock,
is peculiar in having a tolerably broad band of blue below the black pectoral band, but does not
otherwise differ from typical examples of this species. From an examination of the specimens I can
indorse Mr. Wallace's remarks (I. c.) that specimens from the Sula Islands agree with those from
Ternate in having more brown on the head and less blue on the breast than the Timor and
Lombock specimens; and according to Mr. Kamsay (Ibis, 1866, p. 326) "specimens from Port
Dcnison are somewhat smaller than those from New South Wales."