508 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE GENUS CEYX.  [Nov.1], 
Turin, on the subject of these birds; for, curiously enough, we had 
been each of us, unknown to the other, gathering materials for a 
monograph of the genus. In November last I had the honour to 
lay before the Society the results of my labours; but, as is so often 
the case even with the most painstaking ornithologist, no sooner had 
I published my paper and finished, as I hoped, satisfactorily, than 
specimens reached me which entirely overthrew my conclusions, and 
obliged me to recommence my studies afresh. 
It may be as well to recapitulate the leading facts of my arrange- 
‘ment of the genus Ceyx. I proposed to divide it into two sections, 
viz. those with the head lilac-rufous, and those with the head black- 
spotted or banded with cobalt. I have little to say with regard to 
the birds included in the latter section; but concerning the rufous- 
headed Ceyces I find it necessary to add a few remarks, I ad: 
mitted four species belonging to -this section, as well characterized 
and distinet, viz. C. rufidorsa, Strickl., C. dillwynni, Sharpe, C. tri- 
dactyla (Pall.), and C. melanura, Kaup. As to the specific distinct- 
ness of these species I entertained no doubt, and fondly imagined 
that the last point of the verata questio of the true Ceyx tridactyla 
had been settled. Scarcely, however, had I congratulated myself 
on this happy result when I received from Lord Walden a specimen 
of a rufous-headed Ceyx which completely upset my equanimity. 
I had taken the blue spot on the side of the neck as a good charac- 
teristic whereby to separate the rufous-headed Ceyces into two sub- 
sections, viz. those which possessed this blue spot, and those in 
which it was absent. In C: rufidorsa and C. dillwynni it is not 
found. Both Count Salvadori and myself had never seen the true . 
Ceya rufidorsa from Malacca, and Strickland’s type was at that time 
inaccessible, as the collection was packed up at Cambridge awaiting. 
jts removal into the museum of that town. We had, however, 
concluded that the Sumatran bird, of which we had seen several, 
was identical with the Malaccan; and Strickland’s description 
seemed to confirm this view. The first specimen from the Malayan 
peninsula that I had seen was kindly lent me by Lord Walden, and 
on its receipt I rather hastily concluded that this must he the true 
C. rufidorsa of Strickland. It was a bird with a blue ear-spot and 
black scapularies ; and there is nothing in Strickland’s description 
that would lead one to suppose that. his C. rufidorsa possessed neither 
of these characters. Here is his diagnosis* :— 
< Ceyx RUFIDORSA, Strickland. 
“°C. capite, dorso, tectricibus eaudaque totis late rufis, splendore 
lilacino variantibus ; corpore subtus aurantio-flavo, mento albo, 
loris et macula aurium obscure ceruleo-nigra. 
«This species, which also occurs at Malacca, is very closely allied 
to the last [C. ¢ridactyla], but differs in having the beak larger in 
all its dimensions, and in having the whole back and wing-coverts, 
as well as the crown, rump, and tail, rufous, with a brilliant lilac tint. 
The dark blue spot on the front and ears is much less marked than 
* P.Z. 8.1846, p. 99. 
