AVES ALCEDINID^. 725 



Genus CERYLE Boie. 



Cevyle Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 316. Type Alcedo ritdis Linnaeus. 



Geographical Range. — The whole of the Western Hemisphere ; the 

 Mediterranean countries ; China, Japan, the Ethiopian and Indian regions. 



Ceryle stellata (Meyen). 

 Alcedo stellala Meyen, Nov. Act. Acad. Leop. XVI, Suppl. p. 93, pi. xiv, 

 1834 (Chili). 



Description. — Adult male, P. U. O. C. 8982, Straits of Magellan, May 

 1897, from Museo La Plata. Total length, 16.2 inches; wing, 7.50; cul- 

 men, 2.5 ; tail, 4.4 ; tarsus, .4. Above blue gray, neck silky white ex- 

 tending in a broad band around to the throat ; loral spot and spot below 

 the eye white, a few of the wing coverts with small round white dots, 

 secondaries with inner web black, indented with white ; primaries black 

 with most of inner web white and edge of outer web of outermost feather 

 indented with white ; tail feathers black spotted or indented with white 

 and outer webs margined with blue gray, central pair blue gray with white 

 bars on both webs, and a black area along the shaft ; under parts, throat 

 and neck, lower abdomen and under tail coverts white, the latter speckled 

 with dark slate ; whole of breast and upper abdomen tawny chestnut ; bill 

 black, lower mandible yellowish at base ; feet yellowish brown. 



Female similar but with a broad slaty blue band across the chest. 



Geographical Range. — Peru and Bolivia to Chili and Patagonia, ex- 

 tending to Straits of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego. 



Cunningham found this species at Port Gallant, Straits of Magellan, 

 March 11, 1867, and in his account says: "This bird we found common 

 in the dark and dreary inlets of Fuegia and the Channels, as well as at 

 Port Otway, the Chonos Archipelago, and Chiloe. It is often to be seen 

 perched on the branch of a tree overhanging the water, keeping a vigilant 

 look-out for its finny prey, and is of bold nature, readily allowing the 

 sportsman to come within range of it. On more than one occasion a 

 specimen lighted on the lower rigging of the ship, and sat there for some 

 time, uttering at intervals its sharp cry. Above, the principal tint of the 

 plumage is grayish slate-color, with white spots, while beneath a some- 

 what rufous hue prevails. I was not able to ascertain anything as regards 

 the nidification of the species. A female specimen, obtained in December 

 1868, had ova in a far-advanced state of development in the ovary." 

 (Nat. Hist. Str. Magell. 1871, p. 176.) 



