INSESSORES. 



205 



seen, of the fine sandy fulvous (sienna), superciliary, or occipital stripes, 

 and none of that color on the under parts of the body, which prevail 

 to a greater or less extent in several of the succeeding species described 

 in this synopsis. There is no distinct superciliary white stripe from 

 the bill over the eye to the occiput in specimens which appear to be 

 adult, much less does that character appear well defined and conspi- 

 cuous at all ages, as in several of the following, though in general 

 characters, they may be regarded as nearly allied to the present bird. 

 It is possible, however, that the distinctness of the superciliary stripe 

 may be more characteristic of the young of the present bird. 



The species now before us, is the best known and apparently the 

 most common and widely diffused bird of this genus. 



2. TODIRAMPHUS OCCIPITALIS, BJl/th. 

 Todiramphns occipitalis, Blyth, Jour. As. Soc. Bengal, XV, pp. 23, 51 (1846). 

 Atlas, Ornithology, Plate XIX, fig. 1. Adult. 



Very similar in form and colors to the preceding species [T. cJdoris), 

 but with rather a broad and well-defined stripe of white from the 

 nostril over the eye to the occiput, which stripe in the young bird is 

 tinged with fulvous. 



Adult. Entire upper parts of body, wings, and tail, blue, tinged on 

 the back with dull green ; under parts white. A conspicuous stripe from 

 the nostril over the eye to the occiput white, beneath which is anotlier 

 broad stripe, from the base of the bill, through and under the eye black, 

 tinged with blue, both the white and black stripes very conspicuous 

 on the occiput. Young, with the plumage of the upper parts more 

 tinged with green, and the superciliary stripe and under parts tinged 

 with fulvous. 



Dimensions. — Total length (of skin), about nine inches; wing, four 

 and one-fourth inches; tail, three inches; bill, two and one-fourth 

 inches. 



Hab. — Nicobar Islands. Timor. Specimen in Mus. Acad. PhiUi- 

 delphia. 



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