﻿OEYX MELANUEA. 



(LILAC-SPOTTED KINGFISHER.) 



Ceyx melanura, s . . . Kaup, Fam. der Eisv. p. 15 (1848). 



Dacelo «. ... Schl. Mus Pays Bas, Alced. p, 49 (18G3). 



C. capite et uropygio lilacino: rostro corallino : macula ad latera colli ccerulea : tcctricibus alarum nigris 

 caruleo maculatis : major: capite lilacino obscure maculato : interscapulio et scapularibus rufis : pectore pulchre 

 violaceo lavato. 



Hab. in insulis Philippinis. 



Above lilac-rufous, the head and cheeks obscurely spotted with faint lilac ; scapu- 

 laries rufous, a line of black feathers at the base ; a patch of feathers on the sides 

 of the neck blue; wing-coverts black, the tip of each feather spotted with bright 

 blue ; wing-feathers blackish, the inner web rufous from the base ; tail above rufous, the 

 exterior feathers blackish ; a loral spot very faint orange ; throat and a longitudinal patch 

 of feathers under the before-mentioned blue spot on the sides of the neck, white ; breast 

 shining lilac tinged with violet ; centre of the abdomen whitish ; under wing and tail- 

 coverts light rufous ; bill and feet rich coral red. Total length 5 inches, of bill from 

 front 1.2, from gape 1.6, wing 2.1, tail 0.7, tarsus 0.05, middle toe 0.09, hind toe 0.2. 



Hab. Philippine Islands {Mus. R. B. Sharpe). Luzon : Manilla {Mus. J. Gould.) 



This beautiful species was described in 1848 by Kaup under the rather inapplicable 

 epithet of melanura or black- tailed. I have not employed the latter name for my English 

 designation of the present bird, as I do not consider this to be its most distinguishing 

 characteristic. It may always be distinguished from the other two rufous -headed species 

 by the faint lilac spots on the crown of the head and cheeks. As regards the black 'tail, I 

 have observed that in very young individuals this feature is apparent, but in older speci- 

 mens the black becomes limited to a few marks on the exterior webs of the outer tail- 

 feathers, and I should not be surprised to learn that the fully adult bird has the tail en- 

 tirely rufous. A very fine pair in Mr. Gould's collection from Manilla have scarcely 

 any black on the tail. This peculiarity I have also noticed in the Penang Kingfisher ( ( *eyx 

 rubra). In a specimen from Penang in Mr. Wallace's collection the tail-feathers are quite 

 black, while a bird in my own collection has the tail rufous without any black on the fea- 

 thers at all. It remains to be seen whether this is a sexual difference, or a sign of the young 

 bird, a question I have not been able satisfactorily to determine. 



Additional References. — Ceyx melanura. — Gray, Cat. Fiss. Brit. Mus. p. 59 (1848) ; id. Gen. of Birds, 

 App. p. 5 (1848); Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. I, p. 158 (1850): Reich. Iiandb. Ah«l. p. 9 (1851) : Cass. Oat, 

 Hale. Phil. Mus. p. 13 (1852); Cab. and Heine, Mus. Hein. th. II, p. 151 (I860). Sharpe, P.Z.S\ 1808, p. 271, 



