﻿PELARGOPSIS MELANORHYNCHA. 



(CREAM-COLOURED STORK-BILLED KINGFISHER.) 



Alcedo melanorhyncha Temm. PI. Col 391 (182C). 



Halcyon melanorhyncha Gray, Gen. of B. I, p. 79 (18-46). 



Halcyon melanorhyncha Reich. Handb. Alced. p 18, t. cccxcix, fig. 3074(1801). 



Rhamphalcyon melanorhyncha .... Bonap. Consp. Vol. Arris, p. 9 (1854). 



Pelaryopsis melanorhyncha .... Sharpe, P.Z.S. 1870, p. 62. 



P. rostro nigro : pileo albescente, fronte griseo : interseapulio, dorso postico et uropygio cum corpore subtus 

 dilute ochraceis ; scapularibus, cum alis et Cauda sordide viridibus. 



Hab. in insulis " Celebes" et " Sula" dictis. 



Entire body cream-colour, a little deeper on the throat and approaching to pale orange 

 on the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; forehead dusky-grey, the base of a few feathers on 

 the crown also slightly shewing this colour ; cheeks and ear- coverts more decided dusky - 

 grey, the feathers narrowly edged or washed with cream-colour ; middle of the back, 

 scapularies, and wing-coverts brownish, washed with dull green, the latter narrowly edged 

 with cream-colour at the tip ; quills dark brown, the inner web white at the base, the basal 

 half of the outer web of the primaries and the whole of the outer web of the secondaries 

 dusky-green ; tail dusky-green above, dark brown beneath ; bill black ; feet dusky ; eyes 

 dark brown. Total length 14 inches, of bill from front 3.3, from gape 3.5, wing 5.9, tail 

 3*7, tarsus 0*45, middle toe 1.1, hind toe 0.5. 



Hab. Celebes {Wallace), Sula Islands {Wallace). 



Those systematists, who follow in the tracks of the late Prince Bonaparte, and who 

 consider any striking variation in the style of plumage as of primary importance, would 

 have no scruple in separating the present bird as generically distinct from the other species 

 of the genus Pelargopsis. I have indeed been told that it ought to be generically separated, 

 but I cannot see the propriety of such a step, in the entire absence, so far as I can deter- 

 mine of structural peculiarities whence generic characters can be selected. 



Mr. Wallace has very kindly given me the following note on this bird made by him 

 during his residence in Celebes: — "Bill black; inside of the bill and soles of the feet 

 orange ; feet above black ; eats fish, shrimps, &c." 



The figure in the plate as well as the description and measurements are taken from a 

 fine male from Celebes presented to my collection by my friend Mr. W. T. Eraser. 



Additional references. — Alcedo melanorhyncha, Schl. Mus. Pays Bas, Alced. p. 15 (1803); id. Vog. Ned. [nd 

 Alced. pp. 10, 47, pi. 2 (1864). Halcyon melanorhyncha, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. I. p. 155 (1850) ; Cass. Cat 

 Hale. Phil. Mus. p. 10 (1852) ; Wall. Ibis, 1860, p. 142 ; id. P.Z.S. 1862, pp. 335, 338. 



