THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Eggs. Clutch, four to six. White and roundish. 26 to 28 ram. by 21 -5 to 22-.6. 
Breeding-season. October to January. 
This common bird was observed by the very earliest voyagers, but was 
confused with another species, belonging to the same group, from the 
Pacific Islands. By the earlier systematists it was ranked as a variety 
of the Sacred Kingfisher, and was figured under that name in Ph ilips’ 
Voy. Botany Bay, and also White’s Journal, Voy. New South Wales. It 
was not differentiated until 1827, when Vigors and Horsfield published 
their Descriptions of Australian Birds in the Collection of the lAnnean 
Society^ when they introduced it as a new species under the name Halcyon 
sanctus. It is interesting to note their reasons : “If the several birds, 
which have been described as varieties of the Alcedo sacra of Gmelin, be 
actually found to belong to that species, our bird may probably be added 
to the fist. We have, however, much doubt of their being mere varieties. 
In the species of Kingfishers which have been well ascertained we find 
little variation of plumage ; and we seldom observe such an extensive 
geographical distribution among them as is assigned to the Alcedo sacra. 
The various groups of this family, moreover, approach so nearly to each 
other in their characters, particularly in the distribution of their colours, 
that we need not be surprised at finding that most of the Kingfishers 
of the islands of the Indian Ocean bear a general resemblance to each 
other, so as to appear at first sight varieties of one species. We have 
not materials sufficient in Europe to enable us to come to any decision 
on this subject ; that must be determined on the spot. But with respect 
to our New Holland bird, we consider ourselves justified in keeping it 
distinct from the Sacred Kingfisher, until at least some strong grounds 
are advanced to prove it the same. It differs both from Dr. Latham’s 
and Gmefin’s original descriptions of Alcedo sacra, which were taken from 
a bird belonging to the Friendly Islands, by having a conspicuous collar 
round the neck ; by the under parts being yellowish-white, varied with 
ferruginous and undulated with slight fuscous fasciae, instead of being 
pure white ; and by ha^^ng a black streak running longitudinally before 
and behind the eye, with a black collar margining the hind part of the 
head, and a conspicuous white spot adjoining this collar on the occiput. 
The Alcedo sacra, moreover, is described as being more than nine inches 
in length, Gmelin making it nine and a half, while our bird scarcely 
exceeds seven inches. Of all the alleged varieties of the Sacred Kingfisher, 
the bird before us comes nearest to the description of those which are 
said to be found in New Zealand.” 
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