MICRALCYONE, 
discussion, first as to its location in Ceyx or Alcyone, and then as to the 
sexual differences m coloration. It recalls very forcibly in detail the true 
Alcedo, and may be a direct three-toed derivative of that genus. It req^uires, 
however, a new name, and I propose 
Ceycalcyon, gen. nov. 
and name Geyx cyanopectus Lafresnaye as type. C. steevii Sharpe may be 
a subspecies. 
Ceycalcyon cyanopectus and C. c. steerii. 
The last group has a long, narrow black bill, but the coloration is quite 
peculiar. The head is black, with silvery-white spots at the sides, the dorsal 
tract shining silvery-white, the upper-surface otherwise black save a few 
silver spots on the wing-covert. The under coloration is just as strange, 
the white throat being succeeded by a blue-black under-surface. For this 
beautiful group I propose 
Argyroceyx, gen. nov., 
the type being Ceyx argentata Tweeddale, while Geyx flumenicola Steere seems 
only subspecificaUy distinct. 
Argyroceyx argentata and A. a. flumenicola. 
Before discussing the relationships of these groups I would note the 
variation in the small species with four toes which are confined to Africa, the 
“ Ceyx ” species being Indo-Malaysian. 
The type of Ispidina has a broad, short red bill, the head barred 
with blue, the dorsal tract blue, the throat white, otherwise buff below. In 
general it is quite “ Ceyx ’’-like, but has four toes. Alcedo natalensis Smith 
seems only subspecificaUy separable. Halcyo7i leucogaster Fraser was classed 
in Ispidina by Sharpe, but when Kaup (the splitter) introduced Ispidina he 
aUowed that species to remain in Alcedo. It has a long, narrow red biU, the 
upper coloration as above, but is white below, with the sides of the body deep 
red. Here is a similar upper colour pattern above, combined with a different 
one below and a different bUl structure, though the bUl coloration is similar. 
To fix this I propose 
Ispidella, gen. nov. 
with Halcyon leucogaster Fraser as type. 
Ispidella leucogaster. 
Another unicum which must be specialised by a generic name is Linne’s 
Alcedo madagascariensis, placed under Ispidina by Sharpe. This has the 
short, broad red biU of the latter genus, but is essentiaUy distinct in that it 
is whoUy reddish above and white below, the sides of the body red. There 
is no blue in the colours at aU, nor is the head barred. It is obvious that we 
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