OP NEW SOUTH WALES. 261 



their larveB ; none were obtained within 12 miles of the coast. I 

 have heard of one instance in which the Australian bird has been 

 found in a belt of Mangroves at Cape York. 



42. — Halcyon macleati, Jard and Selb., III. Orn. yl. 101. 



c^ (1825.1839). 



Many specimens of this species were obtained, showing that it 

 is one of the most common species in the neighbourhood of 

 Laloki River. They do not frequent the scrubs, but are generally 

 found in the opens and forest country. In habits they are much 

 the same as Halcyon sanctus, breed in holes in hollow boughs, or 

 in tunnels dug in the nests of the Termites, at the end of which 

 they lay 5 pearl-white, glossy, round eggs. This species has an 

 extensive range, and is found as far south in New South Wales 

 as the Clarence River, and as far to the north-west as Port 

 Darwin, where it is common (/Spalding). 



43. — Halcyon albicilla, Cuv., Dumont, Diet Sc. Nat. XXIX, 



p. 273 (1823). 

 Several specimens of this fine species from Coutance Island. 



44. — Halcyon sanctus, Vig. and Horsf. Trans. Linn. Soc. XV. 



p. 206, (1826). 

 Common everywhere, both on the coast and inland. 



45. — Dacelo gaudichaudi, Quoy et Gaim. Voy. Uran. Zool. p. 112, 



pi. 25, (1824). 



Equally common with the foregoing. 



The collections contained several specimens of both sexes. In 

 habits they resemble the species of Australia, particularly in the 

 upward jerking of their tail after calling. Their note is a hoarse 

 squeaking monosyllable. 



46. — Dacelo leachii, var. 



Dacelo intermedins, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. IX. p. 21, 



sp. 99 (1876). 



I scarcely think that the slight differences visible between the 

 New Guinea birds and Dacelo leachii of Cape York, merit their 

 being separated into distinct species. The blue-backed Dacelo is 



