﻿examining in the noble collection at Leyden, present no difference whatever from those 

 found in Australia. The food of the Alcyone pusilla consists of small fish, which are taken 

 precisely after the manner of the common Kingfisher of our own island. The sexes are 

 alike in size and colour." 



I am indebted to my friend Mr. E. P. Ramsay, C.M.Z.S., of Dobroyde, Sydney, N.S.W. 

 for the following additional particulars concerning this pretty little bird :— 



'• I have never yet had an opportunity of observing this minature Kingfisher in its 

 oatural state, but I hope that time is not far distant. Edward Spalding procured the only 

 specimen I have seen (with some others which were finally lost) in the dense belts of man- 

 groves at Rockingham Bay, where, he says, they are not only very rare but extremely 

 difficult to procure. Their flight is quick, arrow-like and direct, their note a shrill piping 

 cry. The measurements of a female in the Dobroyde collection are as follows : — 



Total length from tip of bill to tip of tail .... 4.4 inches. 



Bill from tip to forehead 1.05 ,, 



,, to angle of mouth 1.2 ,, 



,, height of, at base 0.25 „ 



Wing, from flexure 2.05 „ 



Tail, from vent 1.0 ,, 



Tarsus 0.3 „ 



Longest toe 0.4, its claw 0.2, total length .... 0.6 „ 



Hind toe 0.2, its claw 0.1, „ ,, 0.3 „ 



" Mr. Gould's remarks on the colour and plumage of this species do not quite agree with 

 the specimen I have before me, but doubtless they refer to adult males, while my specimen 

 is marked a female. The bill is black, at the extreme tip horn-white, legs and feet light 

 flesh-colour, claws horn-grey, iris dark brown." 



In addition to Mr. Ramsay's bird being a female, which may account for some slight 

 differences in the colour between his specimen and that described by Mr. Gould, the fact of 

 its having white at the tip of its beak shows clearly that it is not quite adult, this being a 

 never-failing mark of a young Alcyone, and the differences, which seem nowhere more 

 remarkable than in the colour of the feet, may thus be further accounted for. 



Mr. Wallace has with his usual kindness furnished me with a short note on the habits 

 of the present species as observed by him in his travels in the Malay Archipelago. " This 

 minute Kingfisher frequents the banks of small streams in the deep forest, feeding on small 

 fish and Crustacea. It appears to be scarce, or perhaps from its small size and retiring 

 habits, is less easily seen than its more conspicuous allies." 



The description and measurements are taken from a specimen procured by Mr. Wallace 

 in Gilolo and lent to me by him. The figure represents a beautiful old bird in my collec- 

 tion, undoubtedly one of the finest ever brought to Europe, but I regret to say the exact 

 locality where it was obtained is unknown. 



