Birds of Celebes: Alcedinidae. 
293 
tu. Halcyon meyeri subsp. (1) Sharpe, Cat. B. XVH, 1893, 282. 
n. Halcyon sancta (nec Vig- & Horsf.) (1) M. & Wg., J. f. 0. 1894, 242, pt.; (2) iid., 
Abli. Mus. Dresden 1895, Xr. 9, p. 3. 
“Saika”, Talaut, Nat. Coll. 
“Bengka ngake”. Great Sangi, iid. 
■‘Sisakomang”, Siao, iid. 
“Sisakomang koke”, Siao, immature, iid. 
“Radja udan biru”, (Blue King of the Crabs), Malay name, hbinahassa, Meyer k 5. 
“Kikiskatanaan”, Alfurous, Minahassa, M. k 5. 
“Kiskis”, hlinahassa and the islands off the coast, Nat. Coll. 
“Kiss-kiss”, Talissi, Hickson k 14. 
“Doo”, Gorontalo?, v. Eosenberg a 2. 
“Tjiki”, Tjamba, Macassar, and Maros, S. Celebes, Platen k 11. 
For further synonymy and references compare Salvador! k 6, k 13 and Sharpe d JL. 
Figures and descriptions. Kittlitz b /; Swainson c J; Sharpe d II, d X., e III, e 4] Meyer 
d XXV (skeleton); Schlegel III', Hume (Z 3; Briiggemann d 4; Salvador! Z; 3; 
W. Blasius k 11', Schlegel h II (H. fm'steni). 
Piirbringer (Untersuchuugen 1888, pi. IH, fg. 250, pi. IV, fg. 37) has figured 
some parts of the skeleton. 
Adult. General colour above greenish blue, becoming more cerulean on sides of head and 
nape, wing-coverts, quills, and tail; lores fulvous white; subloral region, ear- 
coverts, continuously with a narrow band round neck, 'black, on the car- 
coverts washed with blue; entire under surface, a broad collar and a very 
small nuchal mark above the black band white (N. Celebes, C 3618). 
The white nuchal spot is not noticeable in most specimens. 
Iris brownish; bill black, below reddish white (M. f 5). Iris brown; bill black, 
basal half of under bill yeUow-white; feet black (Platen f 11). 
Sexes. Similar in colour (Sharpe d A). 
Young. Similar to the adult in coloration, recognisable as young by the small bill — in this 
spechnen further by the wing and tail not yet full grorni. The bill is short (from 
nostril 29 mm), the extreme tip white, and decurved, it is also less broad, width 
where the first submalar feathers sprout 15 mm, as against 17.5 in an adult. Tins 
specimen is of a strong green tint above and slightly barred below; those 
described by Briiggemann below are of a fine blue colour above, and not barred 
below ((f juv. Macassar, 11. IX. 95: P. & P. Sarasin). 
Two specimens. “Bill almost as broad as in the adidt, but only 28 mm long, 
dark horn-grey, the tij)S of both mandibles wliite. Upper mandible strongly hooked, 
also the tip of the under mandible somewhat turned downwar-ds. Peathers of the 
head still entirely enclosed in the silver-white sheaths. So too on the back, tbe 
wings, and under surface many sheaths are still noticeable. Wing 79 mm. Above 
fine blue. Below pure white, in one specimen with slight traces of blackish 
borders on the feathers of the breast” (Briiggem. d 4). 
Briiggemann rightly remarks that tlie form of bill in the young bnd is of 
special interest and fully confirms the views to which Sharpe has given utterance 
in his excellent review of the genetic affinities of the Kingfishers. 
The young vary in tint from bright Ohina-blue to verdigris-green, just as do 
the adults. We believe a white nuchal spot is always present, though it is often 
completely concealed and probably often not seen in life. There is often nothing to 
distinguish the young but tbeir smaller bill, and just this point is likely to lead them 
