288 
Birds of Celebes: Alcedinidae. 
blackish; lores orange-rufous; under surface and a broad collar around hind 
neck white, pure on chin and throat, washed with orange-rufous on the other parts, 
most intensely on the collar, flanks and abdomen; malar stripe, ear-coverts, 
continuously with a broad line around neck bordering the blue-green of 
the head, blackish; upper edge of mantle blackish; on sides of neck and breast 
some faint dusky bars (probably remains of immature plumage) (Siao, 15. YI. 93 
C 12612). Iris brown; tarsus dull green; bill black, basal half of lower mandible 
white (Gruillem. h 8). 
Young. Like the adult, but duller in colour; breast and collar barred with dusky; wing- 
coverts margined with pale fawn-colour; lores and margins of feathers of fore- 
head pale cinnamon (Great Sangi, 22. YTE. 93 — C 12708). 
Measurements. 
Wing 
Tail 
Tarsus 
Bill from 
nostril 
a. (Nr. 8177) cT ad. Kalindong, N. E. Celebes, April 1871 
90 
56 
11.5 
32 
b. (C 12612) ad. Siao, 15. YI. 93 
86 
55 
11.5 
33.5 
c. (C 12613) juv. Siao, 3. YH. 93 
89 
55 
— 

d. (C 12708) juv. Gr. Sangi, 22. YII. 93 
93 
60 
12.5 
33.5 
e. (Nr. 8174) imm. Gr. Sangi 
89 
56 
— 
32.5 
f. (Mus. Berol.) ad. Togian Is. Aug. 71 
90 
61 
12.5 
34.5 
g. (Mus. Berol.) § ad. Togian Is. Aug. 71 
89 
55 
— 
31 
h. (C 13090) imm. Kabruang, 2. XI. 93 
96 
59 
— 
38.5 
Other specimens are dated: 3 Siao — June till July; 1 Sangi — July (Nat. 
Coll.); Tagulandang and Biarro — September; Manado tua — May; Talaut — 
autumn; E. Celebes and Banggai — May to August. 
Eggs. Usually 5; pearly white; average of five measured 26.2x22.1 mm (North 12), 
25x21.5 mm (Nehrkorn MS.). 
Nest. In Australia — eggs deposited on the decaying wood in a hollow branch, or hole of 
a tree, usually mi Eucalyptus (North 12), the hollow spouts of the gum — and boles 
of the apple-trees (Angophorae) generally selected (Gld. IT, a 4); usually a hole 12 
to 18 inches long dug in the arborial nest of white Ants (Bamsay JF); in New 
Caledonia — nests in holes, sometimes dug by itself in banks, or in hollow trees, 
often at a considerable altitude from the ground (Layard 7). 
Breeding season. Australia — commences in October and lasts till December (Gld. a 4), 
commences in September (North 12), eggs to he had from the beginning of October 
to November 20th in the Mudgee District, N. S. W. (Cox & Hamilton 11); New 
Caledonia — nesting season from November to January (Layard 7). 
Distribution. All parts of Australia and Tasmania (E. P. Bamsay 10, etc.); Islands of Torres 
Straits (h 5); Norfolk Island (Gray b 5, Lay. 7)i); New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands, 
and New Hebrides (Lay. etc. 11); ? Tonga Islands — Yavao (Yerr. c 3, 14)-, Pelew 
Islands (Semper 5); Papuasia from the Solomon Is. and New Ireland to New 
Guinea, Waigiou, Aru, Kei (Salvad. h 5); the Moluccas from Banda, Ceram and 
Bum to Halmahera (Salvad. h 5)-, Sula Islands (Allen a 3, Hoedt c5); Togian 
Islands (Meyer h 4) -, Celebes — Macassar (Wall h 2, 15)-, Gorontalo (Bosenb. c 5); 
Minahassa (Meyer b 4, Guillem, b S); Manado tua, Biarro and Tagulandang (Nat. 
Coll,); Sangi Is. — Siao (v. Duivenb. c 3, b 9, Nat. ColL in Dresd. Mus.); Great 
Sangi (Platen b 9, Nat. Coll, in Dresd. Mus.); Karkellang and Kabruang — Talaut 
According to Sharpe the species inhabiting Lord Howe’s Island and Norfolk Island is H. vagans. 
