Obdek PICAELE.] [Pah. ALCEDINID^E. 



HALCYON VAGANS. 



(NEW-ZEALAND KINGFISHER.) 



Alcedo sacra, var. D, Lath. Gen. Syn. Suppl. p. 114 (1790). 



Alcedo sacra, var. e, Bonn, et Vieill. Enc. Meth. i. p. 295 (1823). 



Alcedo vagans, Less. Voy. Coq. i. p. 694 (1826). 



Alcedo chlorocephala, var. y, Less. Traite d'Orn. p. 546 (1831). 



Halcyon vagans, Gray, Voy. Ereb. & Terror, p. 3, pi. 1 (1844). 



Alcedo cyanea, Forst. Descr. Anim. p. 76 (1844). 



Todirhamphus vagans, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 157 (1850). 



Dacelo sancta (pt.), Schl. Cat. Mus. Pays-Bas, Alced. p. 37 (1863). 



Halcyon sanctus, Finsch, J. f. O. 1870, p. 246; et Hutton, Cat. Birds N. Z. p. 3 (1871). 



Native names. 

 KLotare and Ko tare tare ; " Kingfisher " of the colonists. 



Ad. supra sordide viridis, pileo laterali et dorso postico uropygioque cyanescentibus : loris et supercilio antico ful- 

 vis : genis, cum regione parotica. utraque circa collum posticum conjuncta, nigris vix viridi tinctis : macula 

 nucliali et collo toto albidis, torquem collarem latam formantibus : tectricibus alarum cyanescenti-viri- 

 dibus : remigibus nigricantibus, primariis ad basiu et secundariis extus laete cyanescentibus : caud& 

 supra cyanescente, subtus grisea. : corpore subtus toto lsete fulvescente, gutture albicante : rostro nigro, 

 ad basin mandibulse albo : pedibus saturate brunneis : iride nigricanti-brunnea. 



Juv. similis adultis, sed sordidior : tectricibus alarum fulvo marginatis : pectoris et colli postici plumis brunneo 

 marginatis. 



Adult male. Crown, shoulders, and scapulars deep sea-green, with an olive tinge; back, tail-coverts, and 

 upper surface of wings ultramarine, changing to green in certain lights ; quills and tail-feathers washed 

 with cobalt on their outer webs. A spot of bright fulvous fills the lores, a dash of ultramarine blue, 

 bordered above the eyes and on the occiput with white, surrounds the crown ; and a broad band of 

 black, proceeding from the angles of the mouth, completely encircles the hind head. Throat, breast, and 

 a broad nuchal collar buffy white ; the rest of the under surface delicate fawn-colour, with deepening 

 tints. Irides black; bill black, with the basal portion of the lower mandible white; feet dark brown, 

 with paler soles. Extreme length 9'75 inches; extent of wings 13 - 6; wing, from flexure, 4; tail 2 - 6; 

 bill, along the ridge, 1 4 75, along the edge of lower mandible 2"1 ; tarsus - 6; middle toe and claw 1-05 ; 

 hind toe and claw '6. 



Female. Tints of the plumage generally duller. 



Young. In the young bird the throat is pure white ; the underparts fulvous-white, tinged on the sides with 

 fawn-colour ; feathers of the breast broadly margined with dusky brown, forming an irregular pectoral 

 zone ; loral spots and nuchal collar rufous, with markings of the same colour on the fore part of the 



