672 ALCEDO ISPIDA. 



tip pointed. The very short tarsi are roundish, and destitute 

 of defined scales ; the first toe shorter than the second, the 

 third slightly longer than the fourth ; the claws arched, slender, 

 compressed, and acute. 



The tongue is triangular, sagittiform, flat, rather acute, a 

 quarter of an inch long. The oesophagus three inches long, 

 seven-twelfths wide, extremely thin ; stomach large, round, 

 somewhat compressed, an inch in diameter ; intestine ten inches 

 and a half in length, from two and a half twelfths to a twelfth 

 and a half in width ; no coeca ; cloaca globular. Plate XXII. 



The plumage is soft and blended ; the feathers generally 

 long, especially on the hind head and rump ; of an oblong form, 

 without plumules. The wings are rather short, but very broad, 

 the secondary quills being of great length ; the quills twenty- 

 five, all rounded; the first extremely small, its length being 

 only three-twelfths of an inch, the second two and a half twelfths 

 shorter than the third, which is longest, but scarcely exceeds 

 the fourth ; the rest slowly diminishing. The tail is very short, 

 a little rounded, of twelve rather narrow, rounded feathers. 



The upper mandible is dark brown, as are the margins and 

 tip of the lower, the remaining part being pale orange. The 

 iris hazel. The tarsi and toes orange red ; the claws dark 

 brown. The upper part of the head is dull green, each feather 

 with a transverse bar of light greenish-blue near the end ; the 

 hind-neck, sides of the back, scapulars, and wing-coverts are of 

 a similar dull green, tinged with purple in a different light, the 

 latter feathers tipped with light blue. The middle of the back, 

 the rump, and tail-coverts are of a beautiful glossy light greenish- 

 blue ; the tail of a duller purplish blue. The quills are brown, 

 with the outer webs dull green. A band of yellowish-red from 

 the nostril to the eye ; part of the loral space dusky ; behind 

 the eye, a similar yellowish-red band, below which, and ex- 

 tending from the lower mandible is a band of greenish-blue, 

 terminating behind in a yellowish-white patch. The throat 

 is of the latter colour, and the rest of the lower parts yellowish- 

 red, of a richer tint anteriorly. 



Length to end of tail 7i inches ; extent of wings 10 j ; bill 

 along the ridge 1^, along the edge of lower mandible !{% ; wing 



