( 244 ) 



39. Ceyx solitaria (Tomm.). 

 S. Fergusson Island. " Iris lilack." 



4(1. Alcedo ispidoides Les.s. 

 ? . Fergiis.son Island. 



41. Alcyone lessoni Cass. 



Fergusson Island. " Iris black." 



Nests were found in September and (Jctober. The eggs, of the usual form and 

 colour of kingfishers' eggs, measiu-e 23 : 19'3, 22'3 : 19'G mm., and thereabouts. 



E. H. 



42. Halcyon sanctus (Vig. & Ilorsf.). 

 Fergusson, Kiriwina in the Trobriand group, and Woodlark Islands. " Iris 

 hazel." 



43. Halcyon saurophagus (Uouldj. 

 Yanarba Island, Egum group. " Iris black." 



44. Syma torotoro Less. 



S ? . Fergusson Island. " Iris hazel." The under parts of the four specimens 

 before me are rather darker cinnamon-rufous than usu<al. As Sharpe (^Cat. B. XVII. 

 p. 197) justly says, the throat and abdomen are paler in S. tm'otoro ; in tho.se from 

 Fergusson Island, however, I find the throat but \ery little paler, and the abdomen 

 not at all so. Among seventeen skins before me from New Guinea and Waigiou I 

 find the abdomen only as dark in one single specimen. I suspect, therefore, that the 

 Fergusson Island birds are subspecifically different, but I cannot find any other 

 differences. E. H. 



45. Halcyon macleayi Jard. & Selby. 

 A female, Kiriwina, Trobriauds. " Iris dark hazel." 



46. Halcyon sordidus colonus subsp. no v. 



Halcyon formae H. sordidus typiciis dictae aflinis, sed mullo minor. Culm. 40 

 (nee 60) mm., al. 89—93 (nee 112) mm. 



Hah. " Egum group" (subspeciei typus), " I-ouisiade Islands." 



Two skins, a male and & female, from Egum Island diflVr widely from //. sm'didus 

 from Northern Australia and the Aru Islands, in being decidedly smaller and appa- 

 rently also darker, especially on the head, though this may be due to the freshness of 

 the skins. The loral spot is not white, but pale buff; the concealed spot on the nape 

 very distinct and pale buff; the collar on the Iiind-neck rather broad; above and 

 behind the eye an indication of an eyebrow. Tail 70 mm. 



This very distinct form might stand as a species ; but the differences being of a 

 nature suggesting the occurrence of local variation in a similar direction, and, except 

 the size, not being striking, it is perhajis .safer to at once regard them as of subspecific 

 importance only. The skin "n" in the I'litish Museum (of Sharpe, Cat. B. XVII. 

 p. 279) belongs also to this form, which will doubtless be found on many more islands. 

 The iris is given by Mr. Meek as " hazel." 



I 



