THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
of Tasmania ” ; while of A. pulchra he observed, “ exceeds in richness of 
colouring both the A. azurea and A. diemenensis. The portion of the country 
it inhabits is the neighbourhood of Port Essington and perhaps the north 
coast of Austraha generally.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor wrote me : “ Along the River Torrens, South Australia, 
this beautiful little Kingfisher is occasionally seen, its bright blue back 
looking like some flashing gem as it darts with exceedingly rapid flight along 
the surface of the water and beneath some overhanging trees, where it will 
perch for a while, and then dart on again ; it will now and again dart to the 
water and catch up some little fish that may be swimming beneath the surface, 
•and then fly to an adjacent dead bough on the river’s bank and eat its 
titbit. I observed this Kingfisher at the mouth of the Port Adelaide River, 
where it was amongst the Mangroves, and flying along the salt creeks, eating 
small seafish and the small crabs that abound in these localities. I have also 
seen it in Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, where its 
habits are precisely the same as in South Australia.” 
Regarding the t3rpical form, I have the following note from Mr. Thos. 
P. Austin, of Cobbora, New South Wales : “ Until the summer of 1912 I 
never saw an Azure Kingflsher {Alcyone azurea) in this locality, but since 
then there has always been a few here ; they remain throughout the year, 
and are slightly on the increase. It is an exceptional thing to see two 
birds together : they appear to be most unsociable little creatures : excepting 
when nesting they prefer to live a single, lonely life. I have never 
noticed them nestmg here, but it is quite likely that they do so. When 
flying along a river or other w^ater they always keep within about two feet 
of the surface, and mostly perch on the underneath twigs of an overhanging 
branch, where it is difficult to see them ; at other times they will do just the 
reverse, and perch on a single dead stick, or a snag projecting from the water. 
From these perches they will suddenly dart down into the water and capture 
their prey — either a tiny fish, a water beetle, or some other kind of aquatic 
insect.” 
Captain S. A. White has written me : “I am not prepared to say if 
there is a good difference between the South Australian bird and the one 
from New South Wales, as I have not sufficient material to judge. They 
were once seen daily on the Torrens River turn at the Reedbeds, but of 
late have almost disappeared; this is due mostly, I think, to the numbers 
of sewer-rats. They are very swift-flying birds, and utter a shrill, piercing 
note when upon the wdng ; when settled on some root or snag in the river, 
they will repeatedly throw forward their heads, and withdraw it quickly, 
the body partly moving to the same motion as if they were swallowing. 
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