100 BLUE-COLLARED KINGHUNTER. 



unworthy either of reference or of quotation. This 

 may appear undeserved censure, but every one who 

 practically knows the state of specific ornithology, 

 will be too well aware of its justness. 



Having expended several hours in an attempt to 

 clear up the synonymes of the species before us, we 

 gave up the task, and omit them altogether; ob- 

 serving only that the Senegalensis of Vieillot is an 

 imaginary species, compounded of this bird and the 

 last! while to the true Senegalensis he gives the 

 name of cinerefrons. 



In size our Halcyon torquatus is larger than Sene- 

 galensiS) to which it has, however, a general resem- 

 blance in the colours of the bill, and in some parts 

 of the upper plumage. It is immediately distin- 

 tinguished, however, from that bird by its red feet 

 and broad blue breast band. The head is of a full 

 and clear brown, and not light grey; this brown 

 colour ends abruptly, and does not, as in Senegal- 

 ensis, blend into the blue of the back. The ears are 

 blue, margined above by a narrow black line ; the 

 chin, throat, and lower half of the body is pure 

 white; the wings are much like those of Senegal- 

 ensis, they are deep black, but their margins, together 

 with the middle of the greater, and nearly the whole 

 of the lesser quills (externally), are shining blue ; the 

 tertial quills, which in Senegalensis are Hue, are in 

 this black ; there is no white line over the eye ; and 

 the feet are red. 



Total length, 10 inches; bill from the gape, 2J; 

 front, 2 ; wings, 4 T 3 5 ; tail, base, 3 j% ; tarsi, ^. 



