218 



Genus Alcrdo. fLinnwus.J 



SMYKNA KINGFISHER. 



Alcedo smyrnensts. 



Alcedo smyrnensts, LiNNJEirs. 



Halcyon smyrnensis, Of Indtan Atjthoes. 



It is to the scientific researches of the late lamented 

 Mr. Strickland that we are indebted for the re-discovery 

 in Asia Minor of this well-known Indian species of 

 Kingfisher. Since then it has been found (as he sur- 

 mised it would) in the adjacent Turkish European 

 Islands. It was first introduced into the European 

 list by Bonaparte, as stated by M. Pazzudaki, in his 

 "Catalogue des Oiseaux d' Europe/' published in 1856, 

 and it is included in the list of European birds 

 jjublished by Professor Blasius in 1861, the Turkish 

 European Islands being cited as a locality. 



Mr. Strickland read a paper at the British Association 

 at Manchester in 1842, entitled "The re-discovery of 

 Halcyon smijrnensis in Asia Minor," in which he 

 proves that Albin's figure of the Smyrna Kingfisher, 

 published in his "Natural History of Birds," is in 

 every respect identical with the bird known in India 

 as the Halcyon smyrnensis; and that the difference 

 between that bird and Albin's figure arose from the 



