﻿ISPIDINA B17FICEPS. 



(AGUAPIM KINGFISHER.) 



Ispidina ruficeps, Hartl. Orn. Westafr. p. 2C>2. (1857). 



Alcedo Lecontei, Schl. Mus. Pays. Bas. Afoul., p. 1G. (1863). 



I. dorso laete ultramarino : pileo rufo lilacino punctato. 



Hab. in Africa occidentals 



Forehead black ; head and nape rufous with a bright lilac tip to each of the feathers, 

 and a beautiful lilac lustre on the sides of the head ; back and scapularies very rich ultra- 

 marine ; wing-coverts black, spotted with ultramarine ; wing-feathers and tail blackish ; 

 throat white ; a small spot in front of the eye, cheeks and under- surface of the body orange- 

 rufous; bill and feet coral-red. Total length 3.8 inches, of bill from front 1.0, from gape 

 1.3, wing 1.8, tail 0.7. 



Hab. Aguapim (Riis, mus. Basel), Gold Coast (Nagtlas, mus. Lugd.) 



This curious little species was described by Dr. Hartlaub, in 1857, from a single 

 specimen in the Basel Museum, and is one of the most interesting of the recent additions 

 to the ^Ethiopian Avi- fauna. 



I must here record my obligation to Dr. Peter Merian, the well known Director of 

 the above-named Museum, for his kindness in allowing me to describe and figure the 

 type- specimen. He will at the same time receive the thanks of all Ornithologists for thus 

 enabling a figure to be given of this rare and interesting species. 



I have not given the measurements of the tarsus and feet of the present specimen, 

 as I believe that the legs now attached do not really belong to it. Dr. Hartlaub seems 

 to have measured them in his original description, yet it has escaped the learned doctor's 

 observation that the extraordinary length of the tarsus would ill accord with the usual short 

 one of the genus Ispidina. In reply to my enquiries, Dr. Merian could give me no 

 satisfactory information respecting the legs. He is of opinion that they have not been 

 tampered with, but cannot affirm this with certainty. As, however, the legs are not 

 attached to the body of the bird, it is probable that those of some other species have been 



