HALCYONIN.E. 



1. D. gigas (Bodd.) G.R.Gray, PI. enl. 663. — Alcedo fusca 

 GrneL; Al. gigantea Lath. Leach, Zool. Misc.pl. 104., Sonn. Voy. 

 N. Guin. t. 106. ; AI. undulate Scop. ; Choncalcyon australe Less. 

 Gould, B. of Austr. pi. 



2. D. cervina Gould, B. of Austr. pi. ., Voy. au Pole Sud, t. 

 23. f. 1. ? 



3. D. Leachii Lath. MSS. Linn. Trans, xv. p. 205. 



4. D. Qaudichaudii Quoy Gaim, Voy. de l'Uranie, Ois. 

 t. 25. 



5. D. cyanotis Temm. PL col. 262. 



6. D. macrorhyncha Less. Voy. de ia Coqu. Ois. t. 31. bis, f. 2. 

 — Melidora euphrosire Less. ; Type of Melidora Less. (1831). 



Tanysiptera Vigors.* 



Bill long, broad, and elevated at the base ; the sides gradually compressed, and the culmen straight 

 to the tip, which is acute ; the lateral margins straight or slightly curved, and thegonys ascending; the 

 nostrils basal and lateral, with the opening rounded and exposed. Wings moderate, with the first three 

 quills graduated, with the fourth the longest. Tail long and cuneated, with the middle feathers much 

 lengthened, and the tip spatuliformed. Tarsi shorter than the toes, covered in front with transverse 

 scales. Toes long and unequal ; the inner toe short, and united to the second joint, the outer one long, 

 and united to the third joint, of the middle toe ; and the hind toe moderate : the claws moderate, 

 compressed, and curved. 



These showy birds are found in New Guinea and the Philippine Islands. 



1. T. Dea (Linn.) Vigors, PL enl. 116. 



2. T. Nympha G. R. Gray, Ann. of Nat. Hist. 1841. p. 238. 



Halcyon Sz0a.ins.-f 



Bill long, broad at the base, sometimes depressed, with the sides gradually compressed, and the 

 culmen more or less straight to the tip, which is acute ; the lateral margins usually straight, and the 

 gonys more or less straight and ascending ; the nostrils basal and lateral, placed in a small membranous 

 space, with the opening small, longitudinal, and partly concealed by the projecting plumes. Wings 

 moderate, with the first quill long, and the third the longest. Tail moderate, and rounded on the 

 sides. Tarsi very short, rather slender, and covered in front with transverse scales. Toes moderate 

 and unequal ; with the outer toe long, and united to the third joint, and the inner to the second joint, of 

 the middle toe : the claws moderate, compressed, and acute. 



These birds are found in Africa, India and its archipelago, Australia, and the islands of the South Seas. They 

 generally reside, singly or in pairs, in the moist open forests or jungles on the sides of rivers and brooks, though some 

 species are rarely observed in the neighbourhood of water, while others frequent cultivated places and plains. When 

 flying, they usually utter a loud rattling scream. They often sit for a long time on a pole or the lower branch of a 



* Established by Vigors in 1829 (Zoological Journal, p. 266.). 

 t Established by Mr. Swainson in 1821 (Zoological Illustr 

 Actenoide of MM. Hombron and Jacquenot. 



It embraces Syma and Todiramphus of M. Lesson (1828), also 



