62 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE GENUS PELARGOPSIS. ([Jan. 27, 
I therefore propose to divide and classify the different species as 
follows. All the birds enumerated in the “ clavis” present some 
distinguishing characteristic, while there are others which will not 
admit of a separate diagnosis ; and these are therefore considered in 
the light of races or subspecies. 
Ge, RROSULO DICTO) Waasadeccnuseedosenedsacccsacomnscsscesanedscncdegenrny oes 1. melanoryncha. 
b. Rostro rubro. 
a’. Scapularibus bDrunneis ......eeecseseceeeeceeecneeececeeees 2. amauroptera. 
4'. Scapularibus cyaneis aut viridi-cyaneis. 
a’. Capite haud pileato, collo postico concolori. 
a’. Major: supra viridi-cyanea ............ 3. gouldi. 
6’. Minor: supra letissime cyanea......... 4. leucocephala. 
4". Capite indistincte pileato, ochrascenti-cinereo 5. fraseri. 
ce’. Capite distincte pileato. 
a'’, Pileo haud cyaneo lavato. 
a''"'. Pileo saturate brunneo ......... 6. gurial. 
6", Pileo albescenti-cinereo......... 7. burmanica. 
5". Pileo pallide brunneo, viridi-cyaneo di- 
Stincteavato ieiisiee. . I. Moa 8. floresiana. 
I may state that the idea of separating these Kingfishers into dif- 
ferent species has not been hastily conceived by me; on the con- 
trary, the conclusions obtained in the present paper are the result of 
several months’ patient study with a very large series of specimens 
at my command from all localities. It has, indeed, before been 
mooted whether these birds ought not to be separated as species ; 
and Lord Walden has expressed his opinion (P. Z. 8S. 1866, p. 553) 
that the variations in plumage were also coincident with changes of 
locality. 
1, PELARGOPSIS MELANORYNCHA (Temm.). 
Alcedo melanoryncha, Temm. Pl. Col. 391 (1826); Schl. Mus. 
Pays-Bas, Alced. p. 15 (1863); id. Vog. Ned. Ind. dAlced. pp. 10, 
47, pl. 2 (1864). 
Halcyon melanoryncha, Gray, Gen. of Birds, i. p. 79 (1846); Bonap. 
Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 155 (1850); Cass. Cat. Hale. Phil. Mus. p. 10 
(1852); Wall. Ibis, 1860, p. 142, et P. Z. S. 1862, pp. 335, 338. 
Hylcaon melanoryncha, Reich. Handb. diced. p. 18, t. ccexcix. 
f. 3074 (1851). 
Ramphalcyon melanoryncha, Bonap. Consp. Vol. Anis. p. 10 
(1854). 
Entire body cream-colour, a little deeper on the throat, and ap- 
proaching to pale orange on the abdomen and under tail-coverts; 
forehead dusky grey, the base of a few feathers on the crown also 
slightly showing this colour ; cheeks and ear-coverts more decided 
dusky grey, the feathers narrowly edged or washed with cream- 
colour; middle of the back, scapularies, and wing-coverts brownish, 
washed with dull green, the latter narrowly edged with cream-colour 
at the tip; quills dark brown, the inner web white at the base, the 
basal half of the outer web of the primaries and the whole of the 
outer web of the secondaries dusky green ; tail dusky green above, 
dark brown beneath; bill black ; feet dusky; eyes dark brown. 
