262 
Birds of Celebes: Alcedinidae. 
The Celebesian area is very rich in Kingfishers, having 7 genera, two of 
which, Ceycopsis and Cittura^ are peculiar to it. 
GENUS ALCEDO L. 
With four toes, the inner one about as long as the hallux; tail very short, 
shorter than the bill; bill long, straight, rather slender and narrow, higher than 
broad at base across the nostrils; wing short, the 2“^, 3'''^ and 4*^ quills longest, 
but little shorter, secondaries about their length. Birds somewhat larger 
than a Sparrow, with the rump and much of the back bright blue, the head 
barred with bine and black. 
Sharpe recognises 10 species, distributed “over the greater part of the 
Old World, excepting Australia and Polynesia. Absent in the New World”. 
There are three species in Celebes, one probably a migrant. 
-f 80. ALCEDO ISPIDA L. 
Common Kingfisher. 
Alcedo ispida Linn., (I) Naum., Vog. Deutscbl. 1826, Y, 480, pi. 144; (II) Gld., B. Eur. 
1837, H, pi. 61; (III) id., B. Gr. Brit. 1870, II, pi. 10; (IV) Sharpe, Monogr. 
Alcedin. 1870, I, pi. I; (V) Eritzsch, Yog. Eur. 1871, pL XIY, fig. 1 ; (6) Shelley, 
B. Egypt 1872, 164; (7) Hume, Str. E. 1873, I, 168; (VIII) Dresser, B. Eur. 
1875, Y, 113, pi. 290; (9) Newton’s ed. Yarrell’s Brit. B. 1881, H, 443; (10) Liehe, 
J. f. 0. 1883, 286; (11) Seeb., Hist. Brit. B. 1884, H, 341; (IP^^) Sharpe, Ibis 1886, 
166; (12) St. John, Ibis 1889, 157; (12^^^) Seeb., B. Japan. Emp. 1890, 175; (13) 
Sharpe, Ibis 1891, 110; (14) id.. Cat. B. XYII, 1892, 141; (15) Sclat., Ibis 1892, 
, 573; (16) Meyer & Helm, Jb. Orn. Beob. Sachsen YI, 1892, 85; (17) Seeb., Ibis 
1893, 51; (18) Newton, Diet. B. 1893, 485; (19) Grant, Ibis 1894, 409; (20) 
Bourns & Worces. , B. Menage Exp. 1894, 34. 
a. Alcedo bengalensis Gm., (1) ? S. Milll., Peiz. Ind. Arch. 1858, H, 8; (II) Gld., B. Asia 
1862, I, pi. 53; (III) Sharpe, Monogr. Alcedin. 1870, 11, pi. 2; (4) Swinh., P. Z. S. 
1871, 347; (5) Salvad., Oat. Ucc. Borneo 1874, 92; David & Oust., Ois. Chine 
1877, 74; (7) Meyer, Ibis 1879, 64; (8) Legge, B. Ceylon 1880, I, 292; (9) Salvad., 
Orn. Pap. 1880, I, 407; (10) Meyer, Isis, Dresden 1884, 6; (11) Guillem., P. Z. S. 
1885, 504, 547; (12) W. Bias., Ornis 1888, 307, 570; (13) Everett, J. Str. Br. 
P. A. S. 1889, 158; (14) Sharpe, Ibis 1890, 18, 283; (15) Whitehd. , t. c. 45; 
( 15 bis) Oates, Hume’s Nests & Eggs 1890, HI, 1; (16) Styan, Ibis 1891, 325, 483; 
(17) Salvad., Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 1891, 47; (18) De La Touche, Ibis 1892, 479; 
(19) Hose, ib. 1893, 408; (20) Munn, ib. 1894, 56; (21) Everett, ib. 1895, 30. 
b. Alcedo ispida bengalensis (1) Taez., Eaun. Orn. Sib. Orient. 1891, I, 194; (2) Hartert, 
Nov. Zool. 1894, 480; (3) id., ib. 1896, 550, 571 ; (4) id., ib. 1897, p. 160. 
For synonyms and references see Sharpe 14. 
Figures and descriptions. Naumann J; Gould ZZ, JZJ, a II\ Sharpe 7F, 14\ Eritzsch F; 
Hume 7; Dresser FJZJ; Legge a 8; Salvad. a 9. 
Adult. General colour above greenish blue, greener on the mantle, each feather on head 
above and hind neck crossed with a subterminal bar of pale blue, wing-coverts tipped 
