256 ALCEDIXIDJE. 



Halcyon alfredi, Oustalet, Le Nat. 1890, p. 62 (Tawi-Tawi Archi- 

 pelago). 



Adult. General colour above black, washed -with purple ; lower 

 back, rump, and upper tail-covorts silvery blue, the latter inclining 

 to purple ; lores and a collar round the bind neck chestnut ; crown 

 of head deep blue, the sides of the crown brighter blue, with a 

 broad eyebrow from the upper part of the eye produced to the nape ; 

 sides of face and ear-coverts as well as the sides of the neck black, 

 with a slight wash of purple ; wings black, with a slight shade of 

 pui'i^le on their outer aspect ; tail purplish black ; cheeks and under 

 surface of body fawn-buff, whitish on the abdomen ; under wing- 

 coverts and quills internally fawn-colour. Total length 10 inches, 

 culmeu 2-05, wing 4'1, tail 3-2, tarsus 0'55. 



Dr. Oustalet has sejiarated H. cdfredi from B. ivinchelli on account 

 of its white under surface. This is, however, in all probability only 

 a sexual difference, as Mr. Everett shot both white and rufous- 

 breasted birds at Zamboanga. 



Ilab. Philippine Archipelago : islands of Basilan, Samar, and 

 Mindanao ; and the Sooloo group to the Tawi-Tawi Archipelago. 



a. Ad. ; h. 2 ad. sk. Zamboauga, April (A. H. Tweeddale Coll. 



Everett). 



26. Halcyon nigrocyaneus. 



Halcvou nigiocyauea, /['«//. P. Z. S. 1862, p. 16o, pi. 10 ; Gmi/, 



Hand-l. B. i. p. 93, no. 112-5 (1869) ; Shaijic, Monogr. Alced. 



p. 201, pi. 7o (1870) ; Beccari, Ann. Mus. Genov. vii. p. 708 (1875) ; 



Gould, B. New Guinea, iv. pi. 57 (1880) ; Guillem. P. Z. S. 1885, 



p. 626. 

 Dacelo nigrocyanea, ScJil. Vog. Nederl. Ind. Alced. pp. 31, 61 (1864) ; 



Finsch, Neu-Gidnea, p. 16i (1865) ; Sdd. Nederl. Tijdschr. Dierk. 



iii. p. 2.50 (1866), iv. p. 38 (1871) ; id. 3Ius. P.-B. Alced., Revue, 



p. 31 (1874) ; Posenh. Reist. naar Geelvbikh. p. 75 (1875). 

 Cvaualcyon nigrocyanea, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Genov. x. pp. 127, 304 

 '(1877); id. Orn. Papuasia, i. p. 457 (1880); id. Agg. i. p. od 



(1889). 

 Halcyon diopsioides, Muschenbr. Daghoeh, pp. 144-148 (1883: 



Soroog). 



Adidt male. General colour above black ; lower back and rump 

 silvery cobalt, the upper back varied with white ; the upper tail- 

 coverts deep ultramarine ; lesser and median wing- coverts bright 

 blue ; the greater coverts and quills black, externally ultramarine- 

 blue ; tail-feathers dark blue ; crown of head deep blue, the sides 

 of the crown brighter blue, meeting round the nape and forming a 

 broad band : lores, sides of face, cheeks, ear-coverts, and sides of 

 neck black, descending on to the sides of the upper breast ; entire 

 throat white ; centre of breast deep ultramarine, followed by a 

 white band across the lower breast; abdomen blue, becoming 

 blackish on the lower part ; flanks and sides of body black ; under 

 tail-coverts ultramariue ; uuder wing-coverts black: edge of wiug 



