﻿HALCYON BADIA. 



(CHESNUT KINGFISHER.) 



Halcyon badia, .... Verr. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1851, p. 2(34. 

 Dacelo badia, .... Schl. Mus. Pays Bas. Alced. p. 28 (18G3). 

 Halcyon cancrophaga ! . . . Strickl. Contr. Orn. 1851, p. 134. 



H. rostro rubro : cauda longiori : pileo castaneo-rut'o : minor: scapularibus castaneis : subtus omnino alba. 

 ffab. in Africa occidentals 



Above chesnut red; wing coverts black, tinged with ctiesnnt; wing-feathers blackish, 

 the inner web whitish from the base ; the secondaries rich blue near the base, forming a 

 broad band across the wing ; lower part of the back, upper tail coverts and upper surface 

 of the tail rich cobalt, the latter with a black band along the tip, under surface blackish ; 

 cheeks and sides of the neck deep chesnut ; entire under surface white ; bill and feet deep 

 vermilion red. Total length 7.5 inches, of bill from front 1.5, from gape 1.9, wing 3.7, 

 tail 2.3, tarsus 0.4, middle toe 0.6, hind toe 0.3. 



Hah. Sierra Leone (mus J. Gould), Gaboon ( Verreaux), River Ogobai (Du Chaittu). 



This very distinct species of Halcyon belongs to the chesnut headed group, containing 

 H. fusca, H. gularis, and H. badia. From both of these allied species the present bird may 

 be easily distinguished by its smaller size, chesnut scapularies, and entirely white under- 

 surface. 



The Messrs. Verreaux in their original description state that this Kingfisher is " very 

 rare in the forests of Gaboon, where it feeds on insects." 



To Mr. Gould I am indebted for a present of the bird, from which the description is 

 taken, while the figure is drawn from the only specimen in the Leiden Museum. This from 

 the markings on the breast appears to be immature. 



Additional References. — Halcyon badia, HartL Journ. f. Orn. 1854, p. 8, id. Orn. Westafir. p. 83 (1857), 

 Midler, Journ. f. Orn. 1855, p. 8, Cass. Proc. Phil. Acad. 1859, p. 34, Heine, Journ. f. Orn. 1800, p. 187, HartL 

 Journ. f. Orn. 1801, j.. 105, Du Chaillu, Equ. Afr. p, 472 (1801). 



