HALCYON Till ST II A Ml, Layard. 
Tristram’s Kingfisher. 
Halycon tristrami, Layard, Ibis, 1880, pp. 299, 460, pi. xvi. — Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. vi. p. 834 
(1882). — Tristr. Ibis, 1882, p. 609. 
Sauropatis tristrami, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, xviii. p. 420(1882). — Id. Ora. Papuasia e delle Molucche, 
iii. App. p. 524 (1882). 
Considering that scarcely five years have elapsed since this species was discovered, its history has already 
been sufficiently complicated. The first mention of the bird is in ‘The Ibis’ for 1880; and Mr. E. L. 
Layard there states that he has a specimen of a Kingfisher from the Solomon Islands, which he proposes 
to name H. tristrami, but he does not describe it. Later on, however, in the same year he refers to 
this bird as being probably from Makira Harbour, and compares it with H. vagans of New Zealand. 
In h is list of the birds of the Solomon Islands, published in ‘The Ibis’ for 1882 (pp. 141-146), Canon 
Tristram omits all mention of the species as an inhabitant of the group; but in the meantime Mr. Ramsay 
makes some remarks upon the species, and calls attention to the absence of the nape-patch in the plate 
and description given by Mr. Layard (/. c.). Canon Tristram, noticing this paper in ‘The Ibis’ for 1882 
(p. 609), gives the dimensions of H. tristrami for the first time, and states that he considers it to be 
“ further removed from II. vagans than from any other of the group.” He likewise states that it has no 
occipital patch whatever, and that he “ possesses the type specimens.” No wonder, then, that Count 
Salvadori finds that he has been a little puzzled with regard to the history of the species. 
First of all, there cannot be more than one type specimen of H. tristrami, which must be the supposed 
Solomon-Island specimen first mentioned by Mr. Layard ; and with regard to the want of the occipital patch, 
it is clearly visible on a close examination in the specimen described by us below, and therefore its absence 
in Canon Tristram’s specimen must be purely accidental. The British Museum possesses a nestling which 
has it plainly developed. 
Lastly, we cannot quite understand why Canon Tristram should object to the close resemblance of 
H. tristrami to H. vagans, as in our opinion it is only distinguished from the latter species by its larger 
size, more vivid coloration, and by the deep cinnamon-buff colour of the underparts. 
It is possible that there is some error respecting the occurrence of this bird in the Solomon Islands, for 
Mr. Layard does not appear to have been very certain about the origin of his type specimen. Three examples 
which have fallen under our notice have been from New Britain ; but in all probability it is likewise found in 
Duke of York Island, as Mr. L. C. Layard does not mention particularly that it is confined to the former of 
the two (see * Ibis,’ 1880, p. 294). He states that it was “ only got in the thick parts about the mountain- 
slopes; we never observed it mixing among its smaller brethren ( H '. sanctus) on the open shore. Their 
habitats being so different, their food was different also. The large one ate beetles, locusts, and small 
lizards, and the lesser one contented himself with fish and sea-worms. Native name for both ‘ Akiki.’” 
Adult male. General colour above dark green, with more or less of a bluish tinge ; the whole of the back, 
rump, and upper tail-coverts brighter cobalt, leaving the mantle and scapulars dull green ; wing-coverts 
greenish cobalt, brighter blue on the greater series, and deepening into ultramarine on the outer aspect of 
the quills, which are otherwise black ; the innermost secondaries above greenish ; tail-feathers deep blue, 
the shafts below, as well as the edge of the inner web, blackish ; crown of head green, slightly washed 
with blue ; a loral spot of ochreous buff; feathers in front of and round the eye black, with a half-concealed 
white spot below the latter; on the sides of the crown above the eye a few’ small whitish streaks ; sides of 
the crown brighter blue, meeting on the nape ; a concealed occipital patch of ochreous buff; a streak from 
below the gape joining the feathers below the eye and the ear-coverts bluish green, the hindermost of the latter 
black, joining a collar which surrounds the nape and separates the head from a very broad band of ochreous 
huff, which runs round the hind neck and joins the breast ; this ochreous-buff band is separated from the 
mantle by a narrow shade of blackish ; cheeks ochreous buff; throat whiter; fore neck and breast ochreous 
buff, deepening into cinnamon-buff on the lower breast, sides of body, and under tail-coverts ; under wing- 
coverts and axillaries also deep cinnamon-buff; quills blackish below’, yellowish buff along the edge of the 
inner web : “ bill black ; legs ash-coloured ; iris brown ” (Z,. C. Layard'). Total length 9’3 inches, culmen 
2’05, wing 4'3, tail 2‘8, tarsus 055. 
The specimen described and figured is a male, obtained in Blanche Bay, New Britain, by Captain Richards 
on the 2nd of Julv, 1879. 
•i 7 
[R. B. S.] 
