3. ALCEno. 155 



Tijdschr. XefJvii. Ind. xlvi. p. 11 (188G), xlix. p. 394 (1889); 

 Everett, Journ. Straits Brunch B. As. Hue. 1889, p. I-jU ; Sharpe, 

 Ibis, 1890. pp. 18, 283. 

 Alcedo nigricaus, Blyth, J. A. S. Beiuj. xvi. p. 1180 (1847) ; id. Cut. 

 B. Mus. A^. Soc. p. 49 (1849) ; Hinm ^- Davison, Str. F. vi. 

 pp. 81, 499 (1878) ; Hmne, Str. F. viii. p. 86(1879); Bingham, 

 Str. F. ix. p. 156 (1880). 



Adult male (type of species). Head black, narrowly banded with 

 dark berylline or greeuish blue ; ear-coverts obscurely, cheeks i)ro- 

 lusely washed with brighter blue ; a band of feathers along the 

 sides of the neck white, posteriorly orange ; scapulars black, washed 

 with dark berylline-blue ; wiug-coverts black, banded with briglit 

 blue at the end of the feathers, each band having a brighter streak 

 of blue down the centre ; quills brownish black, pale orange at the 

 base, externally washed with dark berylline-blue ; entire back rich 

 silvery blue ; tail dark greenish blue above, black beneath ; a very 

 small spot in front of the eye pale orange ; throat and abdomen 

 white, the latter tinged with orange ; a bi'oadband across the breast 

 bright lazuli-blue, mottled with white centres to the feathers ; flanks 

 blackish ; thigh-feathers buff, edged with black : " upper mandible 

 black, the lower one very dark brown, almost black, paler at the 

 base ; legs and feet vermilion " ( W. Davison). Total length 

 8 inches, culmen 1"9, wing 3-4, tail 1'4, tarsus 0-4. (Mus. Lur/d.) 



Adult female. Similar to the male, but has the breast deep orange- 

 rufous, without any blue pectoral band : " bill black, the lower 

 mandible dull vermilion ; feet also vermilion " (J. Whitehead) ; 

 "iris very dark brown" (TF. Davison). Total length 7'6 inches, 

 culmen 2-0, wing 3-4, tail 1*6, tarsus 0'4. 



Younger males generally show a good deal of orange-buff on the 

 underparts. The bill, according to Mr. Whitehead, is black with 

 a pinkish tinge, and the feet are dull black ; the whole of the band 

 on the sides of the neck is also deep orange-bufF. The bird described 

 in my ' Monograph ' as young appears to have been a nearly adult 

 female. 



Ilab. From Southern Tenasserim to Malacca, Sumatra, Java, and 

 Borneo. 



a. 2 ad. sk. Foot of Mt. Nwalabo, Te- Hume Coll. 



nasserim, May 24 ( TV. 



Davison), 

 h. 2 ad. sk. Kaukarjit, June 18. Major C. T. Binoham 



[P.]. 



c. <S ad. sk. Myawadee, Jan. 15 ( W. Hume Coll. 



Davison). 



d. cJ ad. sk. Malawoon. Gates Coll. 

 e,f. 2 ad. ; ff, h. Bankasoon, March to May Hiune Coll. 



S imm. sk. ( W. D.). 



i. S ad. sk. Lampong, S.E. Sumatra Tweeddale Coll. 



{E. C. Buxton). 

 /.-. /. S ad. St. [Sumatra.] Leyden Museum. 



