664 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxxv. 



Measurements. — Four males: Wing, 137.5-141 (average, 139) ; tail, 

 86.5-92 (average, 88.9); exposed culmeri, 70.5-76.5 (average, 73.5); 

 tarsus, 16-17 (average. 16.6). Three females: Wing, 147.5-150.5 

 (average, 148.7) ; tail, 92-98.5 (average, 94.2) ; exposed culmen, 70- 

 7.V> (average, 73) ; tarsus, 17.5-18.5 (average. 17.8) mm. 



Type-locality. — Java. 



Geographical distribution. — J ava, Billiton Island, and southeastern 

 Sumatra to the Indrigiri River. 



This raee has commonly no distinct cap of brown, but individuals 

 occasionally occur which have a brown pileum, though in such cases 

 the considerable admixture of ochraceous serves, as always, to dis- 

 tinguish this bird from the races to which it is otherwise most closely 

 allied. Various intermediates in this respect occur also. Birds from 

 Billiton Island and southeastern Sumatra are apparently not dis- 

 tinguishable from those taken in Java; at least, with the present 

 limited series, no separation is possible. Northwestward along the 

 eastern side of Sumatra, somewhere about the middle. Ramphalcyon 

 capensis capensis passes into Ramphalcyon <■<//>( usi.s <■;/</ nopteryx, a a 

 new form from the northwestern end of this island, examples from 

 the Indrigiri River being intermediate. 



In Ramphalcyon capensis capensis, as in the other forms, there is 

 a noticeable difference between the sexes, so that specimens of the 

 same sex are necessary in making comparisons. This difference con- 

 sists in the decidedly larger size of the female, as well as her duller, 

 more brownish or greenish mantle. 



Concerning the name to be used for the J a van bird, there has been 

 considerable difference of opinion. Linnaeus founded his Alcedo 

 <■</]><> )ts'/s h solely on " Le Martin-pescheur du Cap de Bonne Esperance " 

 ( Ispida capitis bonce spei) of Brisson,'' and it therefore stands or falls 

 by the identification of the latter, without regard to the determina- 

 tion of the " Martin Pecheur du Cap de Bonne Esperance " of Dau- 

 benton, f/ which later formed the primary basis of Boddaert's Alcedo 

 capensis. e There can be no doubt, after a careful examination of 

 Hrisson's detailed description,' that the Alcedo capensis of Linnaeus 

 refers to one of the blue-backed forms of Ramphalcyon, and, such 

 being the case, the name must stand for some one of them. 



Brisson's plate is absolutely unidentifiable subspeciiically. but his 

 description' is a good one. and much better lits the bird from Java 

 than any of the other forms. This was also the opinion of Dr. R. B. 



" See page 676. 



'■S.vsi. Nat., 12th ed.. I. 1766, p. 180. 



'•Oni.. IV. 1760, p. 188, pi. xxxvi. fig. 3. 



-'Tahi. Planch, lorn., its:;, p. 36. 



' Planch. Enl.. pi. 590. 



f Ovu., IV. lino. pp. tss 489. 



