216 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



9. ToDiRAMPHUS RECURViROSTRis, LafresTiaye. 



Todiramplius recurvirostris, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1842, p. 134 (May). 

 Halcyon jylatirostris, GrOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1842, p. 72 (June). 

 Dacdo minima, Peale, Zool. Voy. Vincennes and Peacock, Birds, p. 159 (1848). 



Atlas, Ornithology, Plate XVII. 



Form. — About the size or rather smaller than T. sanctus. Bill un- 

 usually wide, flattened ; culmen nearly obsolete ; ridge of under 

 mandible ascending from the middle ; wing rather short ; third and 

 fourth quills longest and very nearly equal; tail moderate; tarsi 

 and toes short, and rather slender. 



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

 three and one-fourth inches ; tail, two and three-fourths inches. 



Colors. — Head above, back, rump, wings, and tail, light blue, tinged 

 with green on the head and back, and brightest on the ramp. A band 

 from behind and under the eye to the occiput black ; a partially con- 

 cealed spot on the occiput, white above the black band. Small spot 

 in front of the eye, collar around the back of the neck, and entire 

 under parts, white, tinged with dull yellow or buff on the flanks, ab- 

 domen, collar, and under coverts of the wings. Tail beneath brown- 

 ish-black ; bill dark ; base of lower mandible white ; feet dark. 



Hab. — Samoan or Navigator Islands. Specimen in Nat. Mus. 

 Washington, and Mus. Acad. Philadelphia. 



Obs. — In general appearance this species somewhat resembles the 

 common T. sanctus, of Australia, but has the bill much wider and 

 flatter, and the ridge of the under mandible more distinctly curved 

 upwards. The color of the upper parts is also of a more distinct 

 shade of blue. 



This species appears to present the usual variety of shades of both 

 the upper and under surfaces of the body, but is not difficult to recog- 

 nize. The only specimens that we have seen are three, in the collec- 

 tion of the Exploring Expedition, now in the National Museum, and 



