122 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



portions of the country, the south-western parts being unin- 

 habited by any species of this group. I beheve that water 

 is not essential to their existence, and that they seldom or 

 ever drink. They feed almost exclusively upon animal sub- 

 stances, small quadrupeds, birds, snakes, lizards, and insects 

 being equally acceptable. 



At least three species inhabit Australia. 



Sp. 60. DACELO GIGAS. 



Great Brown Kingfisher. 



Alcedo gigas, Bodd. Tabl. des PI. Enl. d'Aubent., p. 40, pi. 663. 



gigantea, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. i. p. 245. 



fusca, Gmel. edit, of Linn. Syst. Nat., vol. i. p. 454. 



Grand Martin-pecheur de la Nouvelle Guinee, Son. Voy., p. 171, pi. 106. 



Martin Chasseur, Temm. Man. d'Orn., 2nd edit. p. Ixxxviii. 



Giant Kingfisher, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 53. 



Great Brown Kingfisher, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. p. 609. 



Dacelo gigantea, Leach, Zool. Misc., vol. ii. p. 126, pi. cvi. 



Choucalcyon australe, Less. Traite d'Orn., p. 248. 



Paralcyon gigas, Gloger. 



Dacelo gigas, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd edit. p. 14. 



Gogo-bera, Aborigines of New South Wales. 



Laughing Jackass of the Colonists. 



Dacelo gigantea, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii. pi. 18. 



The Dacelo gigas is a bird with which every resident and 

 traveller in New South Wales is more or less familiar, for, 

 independently of its large size, its voice is so extraordinary as 

 to be unlike that of any other bird. In its disposition it is 

 by no means shy, and when any new objects are presented to 

 its notice, such as a party traversing the bush or pitching their 

 tent in the vicinity of its retreat, it becomes very prying and 

 inquisitive, often perching on the dead branch of some 

 neighbouring tree, and watching with curiosity the kindling 

 of the fire and the preparation of the meal; its presence, 

 however, is seldom detected until it emits its extraordi- 



