THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Halcyon sanctus confusus. 
“ Differs from H. s. sanctus in its smaller size and longer bill, and 
from H. s. ramsayi in its greener coloration on the secondaries and 
wing-coverts, and especially in its verditer-green upper tail-coverts and 
greener tail. 
Cooktown, N. Queensland 
North Queensland.” 
When Ramsay examined specimens from Derby, North-west Australia, 
he noted the differences ascribed by me to the north-western birds, writing 
twenty-five years before : “ Shghtly smaller, and of a clearer blue on the 
back than our N.S.W. specimens with a narrow well-defined white collar 
and nuchal spot. Wing 3*6 inches, bill from nostril 1*5 ; total length, 
7 inches from the tip of the bill.” 
In my “ List ” I maintained the four subspecies above detailed 
the range of the first mentioned being extended to South Queensland 
and Tasmania. 
I have again carefully criticised a fine lot of specimens and have 
been able to confirm absolutely the above and also distinguish a fifth, 
and it seems quite possible that more skins would show a further sub- 
division. A notable feature is the prevalence or rarity of fuUy adult 
males, and this does not seem due to methods of collecting. 
I now recognise five subspecies in Austraha as follows : 
Sauropatis sancta sancta (Vigors and Horsfield). South Queens- 
land ; New South Wales ; Victoria ; Tasmania ; South 
Austraha. 
This is the common eastern form with the general upper coloration 
dull, the under-surface being pale buffy ; in the senile male unmarked, in the 
females and immature the breast showing dark tips to the feathers. 
Sauropatis sancta westralasiana (Campbell) South and Mid- 
west Austraha. 
This subspecies, on a series only, confirms CampbeU’s characters, the 
senile males showing httle or no buffy coloration on the under-surface : 
the upper coloration is not well differentiated from that of the eastern 
form. Further, adult females seem to attain commonly the immarked 
under-surface. 
Sauropatis sancta ramsayi (Mathews). North-west Austraha. 
This form has certainly a clearer blue back than the preceding, and is 
also a httle smaUer, while the mider-surface shows more buff coloration. 
Sauropatis sancta ruficollaris (Bankier). Northern Territory ; 
Melville Island. 
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