﻿TAN YSIPTERA DORIS. 



(MORTY ISLAND KINGFISHER.) 



Tanysijdera dor is Wall. Ibis, 1862, p. 44. 



„ , Wall. P.Z.S. 1863, p. 24. 



„ Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 631. 



Dacelo sabrina (pt.) .... Schl. Mus. Pays Bas, Alccd. p. 46, (1863); Schl. Yog. Ned. 



Ind. Alced. pp. 37, 65, pi. 14 (1864). 



T. macula dorsali alba ; subtus alba , scapularibus saturate ultramarinis ; tectricibus supracaudalibus cum 

 rectricibus caoruleo margiuatis. 



Hab. in insula "Mbrotai" dicta maris moluccensis. 



Adult. Head brilliant cobalt ; cheeks, ear-coverts and back of the neck deep blue, 

 more brilliant on the two former ; upper part of the back and scapulars deep blue black ; 

 a large patch of feathers in the centre of the back pure white ; wing-coverts deep black, 

 broadly edged with bright blue, the innermost ones glittering cobalt ; quills black, the 

 inner web white at the base, the outer webs washed with dark blue ; lower portion of the 

 back and upper tail-coverts white, the latter edged with dark blue ; tail-feathers white, the 

 exterior Aveb as well as the tip of the interior are broadly margined with dark blue ; the 

 two middle feathers blue for the whole length as far as the spatula, the basal half of the 

 inner web varied with white ; entire under surface white ; bill sealing-wax red ; feet olive- 

 brown. Total length 14 inches, of bill from front 1*3, from gape 1'7, wing 4, tail 4*1, 

 middle rectrices 8'0, tarsus 0*5, middle toe 0'7, hind toe 0*35. 



Young. Head blue-black, with a cincture of brilliant cobalt ; cheeks, ear-coverts, sides 

 and back of the neck deep blue black ; upper surface of the body brown, with a patch of 

 fulvous spots on the upper part of the back, marking the white patch in the adult ; wing- 

 coverts brown, narrowly edged with fulvous ; quills brown ; upper tail-coverts brown, 

 slightly streaked with fulvous ; tail blackish brown, glossed with blue, especially on the 

 centre feathers which have also the inner web white ; lores and under surface of the body 

 deep fulvous, with irregular markings of black caused by the black margins to the feathers ; 

 bill red, mixed with black towards the tip ; feet olive-brown. 



Hab. Morty Island {Wallace.) 



This is one of the most beautiful of the Tanysiptercr, and is distinguished by the large 

 white patch on the back from most of the species of the genus. It has two near allies, 

 T. emtfi<v from Kaon, which differs in the narrower markings of the tail, and '/'. sabrina 

 from Kaioa, which has the upper tail-coverts and tail white. 



