SACRED KINGFISHER. 
not lend itself to easy subspecific division, yet well-marked species can be 
recognised when good series of specimens are compared. It may be 
stated that the general features of the subspecies are obscured by the 
variation when a few birds are criticised, and further that subspecific 
characters can rarely be estimated from single specimens. The range 
of the species is large and the entire variation small ; that is, birds 
from the extreme limits of its range may be confused, and with careless 
handling subspecies would not be admitted, while, on the other hand, 
unscientific workers might desire to differentiate species. The immature 
show markings on the breast, but these persist sometimes in the females, 
though rarely in the males, and can be utilised in connection with other 
features in the separation of subspecies. Adult males are more or less 
uniform on the under-surface and vary in the depth of colouring thereon, 
some being very buff, others almost pure white. The upper coloration 
shows little colour change, while in size there is not much latitude : the 
bill varies a little in length, but here it is necessary to carefully dis- 
criminate between old and young, male and female, before utilising this 
character. 
Many years ago Surgeon Bankier described a new species from 
Port Essington as Alcyone ruficollaris : this name was neglected by Gould, 
was not catalogued by Sharpe, and was only determined by myself through 
the kind intervention of my friend, Dr. C. W. Richmond. Bankier’s speci- 
men was a very deep-coloured adult bird, and his name must be used for 
the northern race. As this form was not recognised until a couple of 
years ago we can state that no differentiation had been attempted until 
Campbell in 1901 named the West Australian form. Halcyon westralasianus^ 
writing : “It resembles closely the common Halcyon sanctus, but has 
decidedly a more bluish (bluish-green) coat, while the nuchal band and 
all the under-surface are white, instead of being buff-coloured as in 
H. sanctus.** I had a fair representative series when I studied the species 
for my “ Reference List,” published in the Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., 1912, 
and there recognised four subspecies : 
Halycon sanctus sanctus (Vigors and Horsfield). New Souhh 
Wales, Victoria ; South Australia. 
Halcyon sanctus westralasianus (Campbell). South-west Australia. 
Halcyon sanctus ramsayi. 
“ Differs from H. s. sanctus in its slightly smaller size and wider 
bill, and its brighter coloration on the secondaries and upper wing-coverts. 
Parry’s Creek, N.W. Australia 
North-west Australia, Northern Territory.” 
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