THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Kingfisher in the British Museum from the Aru Islands, Wallace Collection, 
has been referred to A. lessoni. I agree with this identification, the colour 
of the lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts being purplish-blue like the 
rest of the upper-parts, the under-parts deep cinnamon, and the sides of the 
breast and flanks dark purplish-blue as m the so-named A. pulcJiray As a 
matter of fact, this bird stands quite alone in the whole series on account of 
its very dark under-coloration, and it is best to separate it at once as a 
separate race, under the name 
Alcyone azurea wallaceana, subsp. nov. 
Another peculiar form, unnoticed by Ogilvie-Grant, is a bird from Humboldt 
Bay, north coast of New Guinea. It is just as noticeable as the preceding, 
but in the reverse variation. It is very much brighter above, very much paler 
below, the throat being white and the under-coloration almost lacking the 
rufous tinge, being pale buffish-yellow. The under wing-coverts are pale 
yellowish, quite unlike the rufous of the other subspecies. I therefore 
distinguish this also as 
Alcyone azurea distincta, subsp. nov. 
Types of both the preceding in the British Museum. 
Wliether the series from South-west New Guinea can still be retained 
in typical A. a, lessoni I must leave until later, but it is suggested that they are 
easily separable. 
There would then be seven subspecies extralimital to Australia — 
Alcyone azurea affinis Gray. Batchean, Halmahera, etc. 
Alcyone azurea lessoni Cassin. Arfak Penmsula, New Guinea. 
Alcyone azurea distincta Mathews. North coast. New Guinea. 
Alcyone azurea, subsp. {lessoni Ogilvie-Grant). South-west New 
Guinea. 
Alcyone azurea wallaceana Mathews. Aru Islands. 
Alcyone azurea yamdenoe Rothschild. Tenimber Islands. 
Alcyone azurea, subsp. South-east New Guinea. 
1 have examined one specimen which does not agree with the preceding, and 
is nearest A. a. distincta : Ramsay called it A. affinis, which it is not much like. 
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