﻿This remarkable Kingfisher, which I consider to be the extreme type of the subfamily 

 Dacelonince, is one of the rarest birds in European Museums. It has as yet only been observed 

 in the neighbourhood of Dorey in New Guinea. There the original specimen was obtained 

 by Lesson and there Mr. Wallace also met with it. Lesson states that it is an inhabitant 

 of the forests in the neighbourhood of that harbour. 



When we know more of the habits and economy of this rare species, I believe we shall 

 find it to be strictly a forest bird, living amidst the thickest jungle, like Cittura cyanotis, 

 which in external structure is closely allied to it. Mr. Wallace concurs in my opinion, 

 that the food of the present species will be found chiefly to consist of lizards and Crus- 

 tacea, for the capture of which its bill is admirably adapted. 



Herr G. von Rosenberg in his " Beitrag zur Ornithologie von Neu Guinea" gives the 

 range of this species as " Salawati, New Guinea, and North Australia." With regard to 

 the birds being met with in the two former localities, no one ought to be better informed 

 on this subject than Herr von Rosenberg, but I believe I am right in affirming that the only 

 specimens at present in Europe were collected in the neighbourhood of Havre Dorey, 

 and I think Herr von Rosenberg must have been misinformed as to its having been found 

 in Australia. 



The left hand figure in the plate represents a female bird in Mr. Wallace's collection 

 and from this specimen the description and measurements are taken. The right hand figure 

 is drawn from the only example in the Leiden Museum, and exactly agrees with the bird 

 figured by Lesson in the " Atlas " to the " Voyage of the Coquille." Whether the spotted 

 plumage exhibited by Mr. Wallace's specimen is the sign of immaturity or sexual distinction 

 I am unable to decide. 



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