FOREST KINGFISHER 
containing four heavily-incubated eggs, the birds attacked Mr. M‘Lennan 
savagely.” 
There appears to be httle else recorded of the life-history of this species, 
80 that it only remains to deal with the subspecific forms. The first to be 
pubhshed was by A. J. Campbell, who wrote {Emu, Vol. X., p. 338, 1911) : 
''Strange Halcyon. Another of Mr. Harry Barnard’s interesting discoveries 
in the rich region of Cape York has been an apparently new Kingfisher, 
which nearest resembles Halcyon macleayi, but is different owing to its darker- 
coloured head and the absence of the conspicuous white bars on the wings. . . . 
At present the type is solitary, but should more examples prove the foregoing 
description to be constant, no doubt ornithologists will readily agree that the 
bird be named the Barnard Kingfisher {Halcyon harnardi) after its discoverer, 
Mr. H. G. Barnard — one of the Barnards of ‘ Coomooboolaroo ’ fame.” 
Barnard himself does not appear to have been confident regarding this " new 
species, ” as his notes read {Emu, Vol. XI., p. 24, 1911) : “ A Kingfisher, 
closely resembling Halcyon macleayi, was obtained by me, and on the skin 
being forwarded to Mr. A. J. Campbell, was said by him to be new. . . . 
Several pairs of these birds were seen. Their habits resemble those of 
H. macleayi.’’'’ 
In the preparation of my “ Reference List ” I had to determine the 
relationship of this supposed “ new species,” and upon examining the 
collections I noted that the Cape York macleayi really differed in their 
slightly darker coloured heads, and in some specimens the white wing- 
bar was reduced as to be almost missing, but no accurate worker at the 
present time would consider such minute and inconstant features as 
specific. Campbell and Barnard have recently been discussing Rockingham 
Bay birds in the Emu^ Vol. XVII., pp. 2-38, 1917, and particularly dealt 
with the question, “ What are species and what subspecies ? ” Without 
attempting to go into detail, it can be confidently replied that “ Halcyon 
harnardi (Campbell) is not a species, but at the best an ill-defined sub- 
species.” A conservative worker, sometimes quoted with respect to sub- 
specific distinctions by Australian students, Mr. Ogil vie -Grant, denies it 
even the lowest value, as I will quote hereafter. 
However, while examining the species, I noted the western subspetiific 
form was very distinct, and therefore recognised 
Halcyon macleayii macleayii Jardine and Selby. South Queensland ; 
New South Wales. 
Halcyon macleayii harnardi Campbell. North Queensland. 
Halcyon macleayii distinguendus 
" Differs from H. m. macleayii in its slightly smaller size and darker 
