408 
APPENDIX. 
HALCYON VAGANS, Lesson. 
(Var. norfolkiensis, Tristram.) 
Norfolk Island Kingfisher. 
Tristram, Ibis, 1885, p. 49. 
Dr. Metcalfe states that this bird breeds during September 
and the two following months, excavating with its powerful bill 
a tunnel from eight to twelve inches in length in the side of a 
bank or in the trunk of a tree fern, at the extremity of which a 
small chamber is formed, and the eggs laid either on the bare soil 
or soft pulverised debris. The eggs are four or five in number for 
a sitting, rounded in form, and pearly-white, the texture of the 
shell being fine and glossy. An egg taken on the 17th December, 
1889, measures D01 x 0'85 inch; another taken the day after 
measures DOS x 09 inch ; while a third specimen taken on 27th 
December, 1887, is not quite so rounded, and measures IT xO'88 
inch. 
Hah. Norfolk Islands. 
SYMMORPHUS LETJCOPYGIUS, Gould. 
Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1837, p. 145. 
This species was found breeding by Dr. Metcalfe during the 
month of September. In its mode of nidification and the number 
and colour of its eggs, it closely approaches that of the genus 
Lalage, the nest being a round shallow structure, outwardly 
composed of mosses, lichens, and fibrous roots, lined inside with 
similar material of a finer description. The eggs are two in 
number for a sitting, oval in form, compressed slightly towards 
the thinner end, of a pale green ground colour slightly tinged 
with grey, with thick irregular shaped longitudinal markings of 
different shades of olive-brown, and a few minute freckles 
scattered over the surface of the shell, on the larger end several 
nearly obsolete markings of dull bluish-grey appear. Length 
088 x 067 inch. 
Hah. Norfolk Island. 
