16. HALcroN. 273 



is to be found a specimen which seems to be intermediate between 

 the races ; and as several of the latter appear to bo migratorj-, it is 

 quite possible that some of them hybridize with the resident birds 

 of the countries which thej* visit. The true U. clitoris of Scopoli 

 appears to be the Philijjpinc bird. 



The nearest ally to true //. Moris seems to be H. armstronc/i, 

 which ranges from the Sunderbunds through the Burmese provinces 

 to the Malayan Islands, being probably migratory in the latter 

 localities. Its distinguishing characteristics are the green ear- 

 coverts and the very slight development of the black collar round 

 the nape. The eyebrow, such as it is, is bluish green. 



In the Malayan Peninsula occurs a brilliantly coloured form of 

 H. cJthris, which is probablj' the resideut species of that part of 

 the world. Its general colour is bright blue, with vivid ultra- 

 marine wings and tail. There is scarcely any trace of a black 

 collar on the nape, and in old birds tliis nuchal collar is blue. The 

 ear-coverts are always bright blue, and there is a tinge of buff on 

 the tlanks and under wing-coverts, sometimes amounting to a 

 distinct wash of tawny or orange. The females are greener and 

 not so easy to distinguish from B. Moris, but the males are very 

 distinct. 



In the Andamans there is a blue form of H. cliloris, very similar 

 to the one from Malacca, but differing in its evident black nuchal 

 coUar and blacker ear-coverts ; on the upper mantle also, below the 

 white cervical collar, is a distinct shading of black, and the entire 

 breast has a fawn-coloured tinge, deepening into tawny buff on the 

 flanks and under tail-coverts. 



In the Togian Islands, near Celebes, occurs another of these 

 ultramarine-coloured races. It has a curiously upturned bill, 

 resembles the Andaman species in its black ear-coverts and nuchal 

 coUar, but has only a little orange-buff on the flanks, thereby 

 resembling the Malayan species. 



43. Halcyon chloris. (Plate VII. fig. 3.) 



Martin-pecheur a collier blauc des Philippines, Sonn. Voy. Noui\ 



Guin.-p. 67, pi. 33 (1776). 

 Martin-pecheur a tete verte du Cap de Bonue Esperauce, Dauhent. 



PI. Enl. viii. pi. 783. fig. 2. 

 Le Martin-pecheur a tete verte, Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. vii. p. I'JO 



(1780). 

 Le Martin-pecheur a collier blanc, Buff. t. c. p. 192 (1780). 

 Greeu-headed Kingfisher, Lath. Gen. iSt/n. i. pt. 2, p. 6i'0 (1782). 

 Alcedo chloris, Bodd. Tabl. PI. Enl. p. 49 (1783). 

 Alcedo collaris, Scoj). Del. Plor. etFaun. Insiibr. ii. p. 90 (1786) ; Lath. 



Ind. Orn. i. p. 2.jO (1790) : Kittl. Kupf. Vin/. i. pi. 14. fig. 1 (1833) ; 



S. MiiU. Verh. Land- en Volkenk. p. 21 (1839-44) ; Eosenb. Malay. 



Arch. p. 364 (1878-79). 

 Alcedo sacra, var. e, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 453 (1788, f?.r Sonn.). 

 Alcedo chlorocephala, Gm. S. N. i. p. 454 (1788, e.v Daub.) ; Lath. 



Ltd. Orn. i. p. 250 (1790) ; Shaw, Gen. Zool. viii. p. 77 (1811) ; 



C'uvier, Regne Anim. i. p. 417 (1817) ; Vieill. Notiv. Diet. d'Hist, 

 VOL. xvn. X 



