ALCEDINIDaL HALCYON 85 



Genus V. HALCYON. 



Type. 

 Halcyon, Swains. Zool. Illustr. text to pi. 27 (1820)... H. senegalensis. 



Bill stout and comparatively short, its length about three times 

 its breadth across the nostrils ; culmen rounded and almost flattened 

 without distinct lateral grooves ; wing somewhat rounded, the third 

 and fourth primaries the longest ; legs short, the tarsus less than 

 the middle toe ; tail long, far exceeding the length of the cul- 

 men, rounded, of twelve feathers. Plumage generally bright, nearly 

 always with metallic-blue. 



This genus is a large one, spread all over the Old World except 

 Europe and northern Asia. Fifteen African species are recognised 

 by Shelley, six of which are included in our fauna. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Bill red or reddish -brown. 



a. Head distinctly striped, a distinct paler 



collar on the hind neck. . 



a'. Larger, wing 3'5 to 4'0 ; no black streak 

 through the eye and ear-coverts, 

 n^. Breast and flanks distinctly streaked 



with black H. alhiventris, p. 86. 



b^. Breast and flanks not streaked or 



streaked only slightly with brown H. orientalis, p. 89. 

 V. Smaller, wing 3'0 to 3'5 ; a distinct 

 black line through the eye above the 

 ear-coverts H. cheKcuti, p. 89. 



b. Head uniform, no collar on the hind neck. 



a.'. Scapulars and mantle black H. swmnsoni, p. 85. 



6'. Scapulars and mantle blue H. senegaloides, p. 92. 



B. Upper mandible red, lower black H. cyanoleucus, ^^.^1. 



417. Halcyon swainsoni. Grey-headed Kingfisher. 



Halcyon swainsoni. Smith, S. Afr. Quart. Jour. (2) no. 2, p. 143 (1834) 

 Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 63 (1867) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1899, p. 376. 



Halcyon semicaerulea {nee Forslc), Hartlaub, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 88 

 Sha/rpe, Monogr. Alced. p. 173, pi. 64 (1869) ; Ourney in Andersson's 

 B. Damaraland, p. 57 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp 

 114, 807 (1875-84); Oates, Matabeleland, p. 303 (1881); Slielley. 

 Ibis, 1882, p. 244 [Umfuli and Tati rivers]; Ayres, Ibis, 1885 

 p. 843 fPotohefstroom]. 



