﻿CEYX UROPYGIALIS. 



(SILVERY-BACKED KINGFISHER). 



Ceyx uropygialis, Gray, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 348. 



„ , Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1868, pp. 271, 596. 



C. capite nigro, caeruleo maculato : dorso postico ultramarino : uropygio laete argenteo : scapularibus casruleo 

 lavatis : minor : subtus intense aurantiaca. 



Hab. in insulis dictis "Batchian," " Gilolo," " Ternate," maris Celebensis. 



Crown of the head black, minutely spotted with ultramarine, each feather having a very- 

 faint stripe of cobalt down the centre ; scapularies black, faintly washed with ultramarine ; 

 back ultramarine on the upper part and on the upper tail-coverts ; rump silvery-blue, with a 

 tinge of greenish in some lights ; wing-coverts black, tipped with ultramarine ; wing 

 feathers blackish, the inner web rufous at the base ; tail black ; throat and a longitudinal 

 patch of feathers along the sides of the neck white, the latter slightly tinged with orange ; 

 a spot in front of the eye pale orange ; under- surface of the body with the under wing and 

 tail-coverts very deep orange ; bill and feet coral-red. Total length 5.5 inches, of bill from 

 front 1.3, from gape 1.7, wing 2.4. tail 0.9, tarsus 0.25, middle toe 0.45, hind toe 0.2. 



Hab. Batchian, Gilolo, Ternate (Wallace). 



This Kingfisher is very closely allied to Ceyx lepida, from which indeed it is hardly 

 separable. It differs chiefly in its smaller size, brighter back, and in the more intense 

 orange of the under parts. My figure is taken from a female specimen, which on compa- 

 rison I found to be absolutely identical with the type in the British Museum. Specimens 

 from Batchian and Gilolo are the same as those from Ternate. 



As I have mentioned in my paper on the genus ' Ceyx,' published in the Zoological 

 Society's " Proceedings," I have not been able hitherto to determine satisfactorily a species 

 brought by Mr. Wallace from Batchian and Gilolo ; I have never seen a specimen from 

 Ternate. This Kingfisher does not agree exactly with Ceyx uropygialis, or Ceyx lepida. To 

 a casual observer, it would appear to be a young bird, but it is larger than Ceyx uroj>ygialis, 

 and is decidedly different from young specimens of Ceyx lepida in my collection. 1 have 



