630 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON A NEW KINGFISHER.  [Dee. 9, 
6. On a new Kingfisher belonging to the Genus Tanysiptera. 
By R. B. Suarre. 
While on a recent visit to Paris, Mr. D. G. Elliot, F.Z.S., saw, 
in the hands of M. Jules Verreaux, what appeared to him to be an 
undescribed species of T'anysiptera. The specimen in question was 
the property of Count Turati of Milan, and had been sent to M. 
Verreaux for mounting. The latter gentleman, with his usual cour 
tesy, permitted Mr. Elliot to bring the bird to England for my in- 
spection. I certainly know of no known species for which it could 
be taken, and therefore do not hesitate to describe it, and propose 
to call it Tanysiptera ellioti, after my friend Mr. Elliot, as a slight 
tribute of my admiration for his talents as an ornithologist. 
TANYSIPTERA ELLIOTI, Sp. Nov. 
Supra saturate ultramarina : capite toto cum tectricibus alarum 
superioribus letissime cyaneis : dorso postico cum uropygio et 
rectricibus omnibus purissime albis: rectricibus duabus mediis 
haud spatulatis, apice tantum paulo dilatatis : subtus pure alba, 
tibiis ultramarinis; hypochondriis strits ultramarinis longitudi- 
naliter notatis. 
Head uniform brilliant cobalt ; cheeks, ear-coverts, and the whole 
of the back rich ultramarine ; lesser and least coverts brilliant cobalt, 
the second series bright ultramarine, the cubital and primary coverts 
ultramarine, uniform with the back ; quills entirely black, the outer 
web broadly washed with deep ultramarine ; lower part of the back, 
rump, and upper tail-coverts pure white ; tail-feathers all pure white, 
the middle ones with no attenuated end and no perceptible spatula, 
these feathers when observed from a distance and placed on a level 
with the eye having a faint blue lustre; entire under surface white, 
thighs ultramarine, and the flanks longitudinally marked with this 
colour also; bill vermilion; feet olive-brown. Total length 13°5 
inches ; of bill from front 1°4, from gape 1°7; wing 4°5; tail 4°5, 
middle rectrices 8:0; tarsus 0°5, middle toe 0°7, hind toe 0°35. 
Unfortunately we are not aware of the exact habitat of the present 
bird. It forms part of the magnificent collection of Count Turati, 
whose generosity in lending me rare and valuable Kingfishers has 
before been acknowledged by me. 
Notwithstanding the objections of Professor Schlegel as to the 
admission of the different Tanysiptere enumerated by Mr. Wallace 
(P. Z. S. 1863, p. 24), I believe them all to be good species; but I 
have not replied to Professor Schlegel’s article on the genus Tany- 
siptera (Ned. Tydschr. 1866, p. 272), as the learned Professor has 
such ample materials at his command in the Leyden Museum that 
it seems hardly fair to criticise his decisions with the limited ma- 
terials we possess in this country. Nevertheless I believe all Mr. 
Wallace’s species are good, and the following table will illustrate 
the present condition of the genus T'wxysiptera as acknowledged 
