(3(30 PROCEEDINGS OF THE VATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxv. 



The most important reviews of the group, three in number, are by 

 Dr. R. B. Sharped 



The material on which the present investigations rest consists of 

 the collection of the United States National Museum, with the addi- 

 tion of a small number of specimens from the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philadelphia. For the privilege of making use of the 

 latter the writer is indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Witmer Stone. 



Genus RAMPHALCYON Reichenbach. 



Pelargopsis Glogeb, Gem. Hand -und Hilfsb. Nat., I, 1X42, p. 338 (nomen 



nudum ). 

 Ramphalcyon Reichenbach, Handb. Spec. Orn., 1851, p. 1C> (type, 6 Alcedo 



capensis Linnaeus). 

 Hylcaon Reichenbach, Handb. Spec. Orn., 1S51, p. 18 (type, Alcedo melano- 



rhyncha Temminck ) . 

 Pelargopsis Oabanis and Heine. Mus. Hein., II, I860, p. 156 (type, Alcedo 

 jura mi Boddaert). 

 Generic characters. — Similar to Ceryle, but bill relatively larger 

 and heavier, especially broader; culmen decidedly flattened at base, 

 instead of rounded; wing more rounded, the third and fourth'' 

 primaries, in place of the second and third, 6 ' longest, the outermost 

 (first) at least 25 mm., instead of not over 17 mm., shorter than the 

 longest; tail relatively longer; inner toe and claw falling far short 

 of base of middle claw, instead of about reaching it, as in Ceryle. 

 Type. — Alcedo capensis Linnaeus. 



Geographical distribution. — Ceylon, India, and Burma, east to 

 Siam, Cambodia, and the Philippine Islands; south to Celebes, 

 Borneo, Flores, Java, and Sumatra with its outlying islands. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF RAMPHALCYON. 



a. Back, wings, scapulars, and tail brown, without greenish or bluish tinge. 



Ramphalcyon amauroptera, 

 a'. Back, wings, scapulars, and tail with more or less greenish or bluish tinge. 

 i>. Kill wholly or largely black. 



c. Bill entirely black Ramphalcyon melanorhyncha melanorhyncha. 



<■'. Bill with red spots at base. 

 '/. Red spots at hasp of hill small. 



Ramphalcyon melanorhyncha eutreptorhyncha. 

 <r. Red spots at base of hill large. 



Ramphalcyon melanorhyncha dichrorhyncha. 

 V . li ill red, except the dusky tip. 



c. l'ik'um not distinctly capped with brown. 



il. Head and under parts very pale huh or cream color. 



Ramphalcyon capensis gigantea. 



oproc. Zool. Sue. Lond., 1X70, pp. 61-69; Monograph Alcedinida?, 1S70, pp. 95- 

 111, pis. xxix-xxxvt : Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XVII, 1892, pp. 96-107. 

 '' fixed by Gray, in List Genera and Subgenera Birds, 1855, p. 16. 

 "Counting from the outermost. 



