﻿TANYS IPTER A GALATEA. 



("GALATEA" KINGFISHER.) 



Tanysiptera galatea . Gray, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 154; id. P. Z. S. 1860, p. 347 ; Wall, P. Z. S. 1863, 



p. 24; Gray, Handl. of B. I. p. 90 (1869); Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 631. 



Tanysiptera dea . . Vig. Linn. Trans. XIV, p. 433 ; Gray, Cat. Mamm. & B. of N. Guin. p. 20 



(1859). 



Alcedo dea . . . Less. Voy. Coq. I, p. 697 (1826). 



Dacelo dea (pt.) . . Schl. Mus. Pays Bas, Alced. p. 43 (1863); id. Vog. Ned. Ind. Alced. pp. 33, 



62 (1864) ; id. Ned. Tidschr. 1866, p. 271. 



P. macula dorsali nulla: uropygio albo : cauda spatulata: genis, regione parotica et collo postico saturate 

 cseruleis : pileo concolori : tectricibus supracaudabbus omnino albis : dorso concolori. 



Hab. in insula "Waigiou" dicta et in Nova Guinea. 



Head and nape brilliant ultramarine ; cheeks, ear-coverts, sides of the neck, back and 

 scapularies deep blue-black; upper wing-coverts black edged with dark blue, the interior 

 ones bright ultramarine ; wing-feathers black, the inner web white at the base, the outer 

 web plentifully washed with dark blue ; lower part of the back, rump and upper tail-coverts 

 pure white ; tail-feathers white, with a narrow edging of blue on the outer web, the two 

 middle tail-feathers blue as far as the spatula, a white spot or two at the base of the feathers 

 and a very narrow edging of white here and there on the inner Aveb; entire under-surface 

 creamy white; bill sealing-wax red ; feet olive -brown. Total length 17 5 inches, of bill 

 from front 1*3, from gape 1*8, wing 4.4, tail 4"9, middle rectrices 1T0, tarsus 0'4, middle 

 toe 0-8, hind toe 0*35. 



Hab. Waigiou, New Guinea ( Wallace). 



This is one of the largest species of Tanysiptera, and like T. nais possesses a very long 

 tail. It may, however, be recognised from that species by its uniform coloured back. 



My description, measurements and figure are taken from a beautiful skin in Mr. 

 Wallace's private collection. 



