1868.] MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE GENUS CEYX. 591 



Now these figures of Reicheiibach cannot be reconciled with any 

 of the three rufous-headed species of Ceijx, viz. Ceyx tridactyla of 

 Penang and the Indian peninsula, Ceyx rufidorsa of Malayana, and 

 Ceyx melanura of the PhiHiipiues. Reichenbacli's bird cannot be 

 Ceyx rubra, because this species has the middle of the baciv black 

 washed with blue, and has a conspicuous blue spot behind the ear. 

 This spot is wanting in the Bornean bird, which also has the back 

 rufous from beak to tail. Nor can his bird be intended for either 

 of the other two species, as both of these have rufous scapularies. 

 1 therefore came to the conclusion that the Bornean Ceyx must be 

 a distinct species ; and I have had some correspondence on the sub- 

 ject with Dr. Salvadori of Turin, who is contemplating the publi- 

 cation of a paper on the genus. 



In the ' Natural History of Labuan,' by Messrs. Motley and 

 Dillwyn, I found a curious corroboration of my ideas on the subject ; 

 for there we read that a specimen of Ceyx tridactyla is " above, 

 from the beak to the tail, rufous red," and has the " scapulars 

 dusky black, tipped with rich blue." This description will not do 

 for the Malaccan, while it answers exactly to Reichenbach's figures 

 of the Bornean birds. I therefore wrote to Mr. Dillwyn to ask 

 him to favour me with a sight of the bird described by him as Ceyx 

 tridactyla ; and he very kindly sent me the bird to examine. I im- 

 mediately found all my ideas as to its specific distinctness to be quite 

 correct, and I therefore propose to name this beautiful bird 



Ceyx dillwynni, sp. n., 



in acknowledgment of that gentleman's kindness in enabling me 

 thus to elucidate this difficult question. The new species has no 

 blue spot at the side of the neck, and therefore cannot be con- 

 founded with Ceyx tridactyla or Ceyx melanura. From Ceyx rufi- 

 dorsa it is at once distinguished by its slightly larger size, and by 

 the scapularies, which are black washed with blue. 



Of the other section of the genus Ceyx (that is, of those of which 

 the heads are black with bright blue spots) the first described were 

 C. lepida and C. solitaria, which were figured by Temminck in the 

 ' Planches Colorices.' The type specimen of C. lepida, which is a 

 young bird, is figured by me in the plate of the species in my 

 * Monograph of the Alcedinidae,' but the blue on the scapularies is 

 not very well represented. I know, however, that the type specimen 

 has this colour, as Mr. Keulemans made a careful examination of the 

 specimen for me. In Bouru the very distinct species C. cajeli, Wall., 

 is found, and in the Sula Islands the equally distinct species C. wal- 

 lacii, Sharpe. Tlie newly described Ceyx philipinnensis of Gould, 

 though closely alhed to Alcyone cyanipectus, is a good species, as I 

 have since found another specimen in the British Museum. I 

 cannot satisfactorily make out the Ceyx uropygiulis of Mr. Gray. 

 I beheve it to be distinct ; but it is the most obscure species of the 

 whole genus. It differs principally in its smaller size and brighter 

 colouring of the rump. I have seen specimens from Gilolo, Bat- 

 chian, and Teruate, from which latter island the type specimen 



