40 ALCEDINID^. 



Genus ALCYONE, Swainson. 



^ ^- ALCYONE AZUREA, Latliam. 



Azure Kingfisher. 



Gould, Handhk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 69, p. 139; 



The Azure Kingfisher is always found in the vicinity of water, 

 where it makes a tunnel in the bank of a river or tank ; at the 

 extremity of the excavation it deposits its eggs, six in number, on a 

 mass of cast fish bones. Eggs pearly white, and round ; a set taken 

 on September 23rd, 1862, from a tunnel in the side of a waterhole 

 at Dobroyde by Mr. John Ramsay, measure as follows : — length 

 (A) 0-91 X 0-75 inch ; (B) 0-87 x 075 inch ; (C) 85 x 0-75 

 inch ; (D) 0-88 x 073 inch ; (E) 0-85 x 0-73 inch ; (F) 0-87 x 

 0-72 inch. 



The breeding season commences in September, and continues 

 during the months of October and November. » 



Sab. Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, Wide Bay District, 

 Richmond and Clarence Rivers Districts, Victoria and South 

 Australia. [Mamsay.) 



ALCYONE DIEMENENSIS, Gould. 



Tasmanian Kingfisher. 



Gould, Handhk. Bds. Aust., Vol. i., sp. 70, p. 141. 



The nidification of this species is similar to that of the preceding 

 one. 



A single specimen of the egg of this rare bird in the Macleayan 

 Museum Collection is glossy white. Long diameter 0-9 inch, 

 short diameter 0'76 inch. 



Hah. Tasmania. (Ramsay.) 



