that cojinect the Orders and Families of Birds. 433 



gular and beautiful species of the Linnean Alcedo, the Ternate 

 Kingsjisher*, shows the equal approximation of that genus to 

 Galbula, and a deviation from its own type. Its tail deserts the 

 shortened character of that of the true Kingsjisher, and assumes 

 the lengthened and graduated conformation of the same member 

 in the Paradise Jacamar, and the other long-tailed Galbula. We 

 have now arrived at the last family of the tribe, and look for that 

 connecting affinity which will lead us back to that other family of 

 it with which we commenced our observations. Here again the 

 universally acknowledged relationship between the Halcyonida 

 and the Meropida leaves me nothing additional to observe. The 

 gradually attenuated bills of Alcedo and Galbula, and the increas- 

 ing length of the tail in the latter genus, soften down the diffe- 

 rences by which these families, united by general habits and 

 economy, alone appear to be separated. The circular succession 



* This beautiful species exhibits so strong a deviation from the HalcyonidtE in general, 

 that it requires a separate station in the family: and I take this opportunity of charac- 

 terizing the group as follows, under the generic title of 



Tanysiptera. 



Rostrum subbreve, subcrassum, rectum, acutum, naribus ovalibus. 

 Cauda gradata, rectricibus duabus longissimis. 



Dea. T. supernh intens^ tiigro-azurea, subtus alba; capite tectricibusque caruleis: 

 rectricibus albis caruleo-marginatis, duabus mediis caruleis apice clavato albo. 

 Alcedo Dea. Linii. Syst. i. p. 181. 13. 

 Ispida Ternatana. Briss. vol. iv. p. 525. t. 40. f. 2. 

 Martin- Pecheur de Ternate. Buff. PI. Enl. Il6. 



The specimens of this species which are brought to Europe are generally deprived 

 of their wings and legs. 1 am therefore prevented from referring to those members in 

 my generic description. M. Pallas, it must be observed, asserts that the feet of this 

 bird are zygodactyle, and as such he refers it at once to the genus Galbula. (^Spic, 

 Fasc. vi. p. 10. note b.) I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. MacLeay, the highly 

 valued Secretary of this Society, for the above description, which I took from a speci- 

 men of this rare bird in his valuable collection. 



of 



