INSESSORES. 



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7. TODIRAMPnUS SAUROPHAGUS [Goilld). 



EaJcijon sauropJiaga, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1843, p. 103. 

 " Alcedo cyanokuca, Temm." Bonap. Consp. Av. p. 157 (not Vieillot). 



Alcedo albldUa, Cuv." Dumont, Diet, des Sci. Nat. XXIX, p. 273 ? (1823). 

 Todiramphus alhicilla, Reichenbach, Vollst. Naturg. 



Voy. Sulphur, Birds, Plate XIX; Reichenbach, Vollst. Naturg. 

 Plate CCCCXVII, fig. 3130. 



Form. — The largest species of this genus. Bill long, very robust, 

 wide ; ridge of upper mandible rounded and obscure, that of the 

 under mandible ascending from the middle ; wing moderate ; second 

 and third quills longest, and very nearly equal ; tail rather long ; 

 tarsus short; toes rather long. 



Dimensions. — Total length (of skin), about ten and a half inches; 

 wing, five inches ; tail three and a half inches ; bill, to gape, two and 

 three-fourths inches. 



Colors. — Adult. Head, neck, and entire under parts white, in some 

 specimens with a very slight tinge of blue on the head. Upper parts 

 of body, outer webs of quills, and tail above, light blue, tinged with 

 green on the back and scapulars. In one specimen now before us, the 

 green of the back is scarcely discernible, in a second, it is the pre- 

 dominating color. 



A narrow band behind the eye blue. Inner webs of quills and tail 

 beneath, brownish-black ; bill dark ; under mandible, for two-thirds 

 of its length from the base, white ; feet dark. Under wing-coverts 

 white. 



Hab. — New Guinea. Specimen in Mus. Acad. Philadelphia. 



The largest of the species of this genus, and in which only the head 

 is entirely white. In this species, the bill is unusually long and wide, 

 and approximates to that of Halcyon, the wings and tail are rather 

 long, and its entire organization is robust. It appears to inhabit only 

 the Island of New Guinea. 



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